Your 1st 5 minutes with ChatGPT: A no-fear guide for agents – Inman
Harness the power of artificial intelligence. Drew Thompson shares ideas for getting to know AI and allowing it to get to know you.
Inman Connect
If the constant buzz around artificial intelligence, including its brand-new Zillow integration, has you feeling more curious than confident, you’re in the right place. My goal here is to cut through the noise and give you a clear, simple and powerful starting point. This is a practical, step-by-step walkthrough for the beginner who wants to get it right from the very beginning.
Let’s reframe how you think about this tool. It’s not just a simple app; it’s a dynamic partner. Think of it as the world’s smartest intern, capable of research and writing at lightning speed.
It can also be your assistant, helping you manage daily tasks. Most powerfully, it can be a consultant that questions your thought process, helps you see blind spots and pushes you to think more strategically about your business. It can wear many hats, and you, as the CEO of your business, get to decide which one it wears.
Before we start, you’ve likely heard of other tools like Google’s Gemini or Anthropic’s Claude. Think of them as different specialists you might hire. They all share the same core technology but have a slightly different feel and special features.
It’s important to remember, this is just how these tools fit into my workflow; they may fit into yours differently. For instance, Gemini is excellent at pulling in real-time information from the internet. Claude has unique functions for analyzing long documents.
While they are all powerful, the easiest way to learn the fundamentals is to master one first. For any beginner, the answer is simple: Start with ChatGPT.
You can get started on their website or by downloading the official ChatGPT app from your phone’s app store.
Now, a critical piece of advice. For now, because I want you to see how powerful this tool truly is, I want you to start by paying the $20 a month fee for the paid version of ChatGPT. Why? Because the response quality you’re going to get is significantly better, the tool is faster, and you’ll get a real, undiluted feel for how this can serve you and your business. It’s the best $20 investment you’ll make this month.
Once you’re signed in, you’ll see a clean screen. Let’s focus on the key parts:
A quick note on using your voice: You don’t have to type. On the mobile app, you’ll notice a microphone icon. This is a simple speech-to-text feature that turns your spoken words into a written prompt. You may also see a headphones icon, which activates an advanced voice mode for a full, back-and-forth spoken conversation.
For our first interaction, I want you to start with typing. This helps you get comfortable with the rhythm of the conversation. As you go forward and learn how to do this, you’re going to talk to it.
If you’ve never used AI before, your first prompt isn’t about asking it to do something. It’s about starting a relationship. You’re going to onboard your new consultant.
In the prompt box at the bottom, I want you to type something like this (use your own location):
Hi. I’m a real estate agent in Charlotte, North Carolina. I want you to get to know me. How can you help me in my business? Ask me questions so that you can understand me.
Now, hit Enter.
The AI will now start asking you questions about your business — your goals, your challenges, your ideal client, your marketing style. The magic is in the follow-up. Your job is to answer its questions thoughtfully.
But this is a two-way street. As it gives you ideas or suggestions, remember this: You can question its responses. If you don’t like an answer or want it to think differently, tell it. You can say things like, “That’s a decent idea, but can you make it more focused on luxury clients?” or “I disagree with that approach, what’s an alternative?” This is how you train it to think like your partner.
You now have a powerful new way to begin. Here is your action plan: Take five minutes right now. Start that first conversation. Tell the AI who you are, what you do, and then ask this key question:
“Once you fully understand who I am, what are three ways you can help my business?”
Spend the next few minutes walking through that conversation, just as you would with a human expert you just hired. This single exercise will open your eyes to the true potential of this technology.
Getting started with AI isn’t about learning a new app; it’s about onboarding a new member of your team. By investing the time to let it get to know you, you’re moving beyond simple tasks and unlocking a world of strategic possibilities. You haven’t just opened a tool; you’ve hired a partner that’s ready to help you build the business you’ve always envisioned.
The future is here — and it’s powered by AI. October is Artificial Intelligence Month at Inman. We’ll dive into how agents, brokerages and startups are harnessing AI to reimagine real estate, and we’ll honor the trailblazers leading the way with Inman AI Awards.
Drew Thompson is the head of agent performance and head coach at Real. Connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.
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