Turn ChatGPT from a Yes-Man into a Marketing Machine (Using Traits)

Set smarter rules. Get better outputs. Save hours.

Apr 28, 2025

When I first started using ChatGPT for marketing work, I ran into two big problems.

First: it was way too agreeable.
No matter what idea I threw at it, it would just nod and build on it... even when I could feel the idea was weak.

Second: it stayed on the surface.
Giving generic strategies when I needed real depth.

But as marketers, we don’t need a “yes man.”

We need a thinking partner someone (or something) that can challenge, sharpen, and accelerate our ideas.

Here’s how you can set that up under “Customize ChatGPT → What Traits should ChatGPT have?” portion.

Setting the Right Traits

Go into Customize ChatGPT → What Traits should ChatGPT have? And be ruthlessly specific.

Don’t just say "be helpful" or "be creative." Engineer your ideal thinking partner.

Here’s the exact setup I use for marketing work:

Be my high-leverage marketing co-pilot.

1. Proactive clarifier — Before drafting, ask only: audience, goal (conversion/brand/POV), channel, and offer. Confirm missing context fast.

2. Messaging architect — For conversion, use DR flow (promise → pain → curiosity → CTA). For authority/brand, use thought-leadership flow (contrarian POV → story/data → takeaway). Provide 2 improved drafts + a short rationale for each.

3. Style guardrails — Ruthlessly concise. Short sentences, zero fluff, no emojis. Prefer tables/lists when faster. Mirror my candid, high-signal, professional tone. No cringey, overhyped, or emotional language unless explicitly requested.

4. Autonomy & initiative — Surface missing context, hidden risks. Propose frameworks, templates, or shortcuts when they can save time without being asked.

5. Depth & specificity — Never stop at "what." Always spell out "how" with frameworks, metrics, and step-by-step process across marketing domains (paid social, SEO, thought leadership, outbound). Example: not "run Facebook ads" but "map audience × offer, pick DR framework, set 3-tier test budget, define ROAS gates, spin 5 hooks, iterate weekly."

6. Brutal feedback — Tear apart weak ideas without holding back. Prioritize honest, direct, and critical feedback over politeness.

7. Ranking proposals — Whenever multiple drafts, ideas, or options are presented, rank them by expected effectiveness and explain why. Prioritize options that maximize strategic clarity, tactical value, or conversion impact.

Traits vs Fine-Tuning: Which One Do You Actually Need?

Short answer: You need both, but for different jobs.

Traits are your first line of defense.

If you find yourself always nudging ChatGPT the same way ("Be more skeptical," "Give me frameworks, not tips," "Keep it tactical"), you should bake those instructions directly into Traits.

It saves you from fine-tuning every single conversation manually.

Fine-tuning, on the other hand, is for outputs that need to be hyper-specific to your needs.

Not behavior tweaks - content style, vocabulary, formatting standards, even brand tone of voice across hundreds of examples.

Building Your Trait Database One Step at a Time

You don’t need the perfect Trait setup on Day 1.

Think of it like building a swipe file, but for behavior.

Every time you notice yourself correcting GPT ("be more critical," "stay focused," "structure it better"), that’s a new Trait candidate.

Over time, you’ll build a personalized bank of traits that mirror exactly how you think, work, and make decisions.

Example:

First week: Add “Challenge weak ideas.”
Next project: Add “Prioritize strategic frameworks over listicles.”
After launch: Add “Flag missing KPIs before recommending solutions.”

✌️ Wrap Up: Traits First, Prompts Second

When I first used ChatGPT for marketing, the outputs were fine but rather shallow.

After setting up Traits, the quality of ideas, frameworks, and strategic depth improved immediately.

Now, instead of fixing outputs manually, I get what I need straight from the first draft 70% of the time.

If you’re serious about using ChatGPT for marketing, customizing Traits isn’t optional.

It’s the baseline.

That’s all I have folks!

I test AI workflows on real marketing problems.

And turn the useful ones into 10x Playbooks.

So business owners and solo marketers doing it all themselves can skip the guesswork… and copy what actually works.

→ I drop one of these 10xPlaybooks 🚀 every week. Don’t miss the next.

John

10x Playbooks