How to Create a Custom GPT for Your Brand

How to Create a Custom GPT for Your Brand (And Why St. Louis Businesses Should)

Let’s be real for a second: If you run a business in St. Louis, you probably wear a few too many hats—owner, manager, customer service rep, and part-time social media content creator.

And just when you think you’ve caught up on posts… a holiday pops up—or someone’s work anniversary. Or you need to rewrite your services page again. 

But what if I told you there’s a way to train an AI assistant to sound just like you, remember all the important dates, and keep your content consistent—even when you’re busy running the rest of your business?

Enter: Your Custom GPT

If you’ve heard of ChatGPT, you might be using it here and there to help with emails or captions. But there’s a next-level version that most local businesses aren’t taking advantage of yet:

A Custom GPT built specifically for your brand.

You can “teach” it how you speak, what your business does, which holidays you want to acknowledge, and how you like your content formatted (hashtags, emojis, tone, the whole vibe). Then—boom—it creates ready-to-use social posts, blog intros, email blurbs, and more.

How to Set Up Your Own Custom GPT

This isn’t hard to set up. Here's how to get started in just a few steps:

1. Log in to ChatGPT (Pro version required)

   Visit chat.openai.com and click on “Explore GPTs.”
   

2. Click “Create a GPT”

   You’ll walk through a simple setup wizard. Name your GPT (maybe something fun like “STL Voice Assistant” or “Your BrandBot”).
   

3. Feed It Your Brand Info

   Add your:

   • About page content

   • Brand tone and voice (casual, professional, light-hearted, quirky?)

   • Social media examples

   • Content pillars and preferred formats

   • Internal dates like company birthdays, anniversaries, local STL events
     

4. Add Rules and Boundaries

   Tell your GPT what not to do (e.g., don’t use too many emojis, or avoid technical jargon). Want it to use local STL slang now and then? Tell it that, too.
   

5. Upload Docs (Optional but Powerful)

   Drop in your brand guide, social content calendar, blog archive, or a list of your services. The more it knows, the better it writes.
   

6. Test It

   Try this prompt:

   
   

   “Write a Facebook post announcing our new fall services for St. Louis homeowners in our brand voice.” Or “Create an Instagram caption celebrating our 3-year anniversary using a warm, thankful tone.”

   
   

You Can Fine-Tune It As You Grow

Here’s the beauty of a Custom GPT:

You’re not locked into one way of doing things.

Your GPT can evolve with your business.

✨ Add new rules

✨ Update tone and content direction

✨ Adjust for changes in services or policies

✨ Swap in seasonal campaigns or fresh content ideas

So when your brand changes, your AI assistant keeps up.

What It Can Help You With

Once you’ve got it up and running, your GPT can:

• Plan content for local and national holidays

• Write email marketing blurbs in your brand’s tone

• Brainstorm blog ideas or reels scripts

• Announce new services or promos

• Celebrate work anniversaries, events, or milestones

• Even answer FAQs in a friendly, branded voice

Whether you're a service-based business, boutique, contractor, or fitness studio here in St. Louis—this works.

Make It a Team Tool

You don’t have to be the only one using it! Once your Custom GPT is trained, share it with:

• Your social media manager

• Your virtual assistant

• Your front desk staff

• Your marketing agency

That way, everyone stays consistent—no matter who’s writing.

Why It’s Especially Useful for St. Louis Businesses

Running a local business means more than just keeping your doors open. You’re building community. You’re showing up at events. You’re posting about snowstorms and sports teams and STL-specific stuff.

A Custom GPT gives you the local + personal combo you need to stay relevant—without reinventing the wheel every week.

Ready to Try It?

At Hot House Digital, we help small businesses and creative teams build and use Custom GPTs to make marketing easier, faster, and more consistent.

We can:

• Help you build your first GPT

• Train it to reflect your tone, services, and STL-based schedule

• Show you how to use it across social, email, blogs, and internal content

• And help your team plug it into their workflow

Let’s save you hours of writing and help you stay on-brand—every time you post.

Want Help Getting Started?

Book a call with us and we’ll help you build a custom AI tool that feels like a member of your team (but faster and cheaper).