Before You Start Using Claude and ChatGPT: The Setup Most People Skip

Most people open Claude or ChatGPT for the first time, type a question, and start working. And that’s fine,  it’ll still give you a decent answer. But if you stop there, you’re using maybe 20% of what either tool can actually do for your business.

The other 80% lives in the setup: a handful of settings that tell the AI who you are, how you want it to sound, and what it’s allowed to access on your behalf. Do this once, it takes about 15-20 minutes, and every conversation after that starts already knowing your business instead of starting from zero.

Here’s exactly what to set up, in both tools, before you dive in.

In Claude

1. Profile Preferences (Your Always-On Context)

This is the single most important setting in Claude. Under Settings > Profile, you’ll find a field asking what preferences Claude should consider in every response. This is where you tell it who you are, how you like things written, and what to avoid.

Keep it specific. Instead of “be conversational,” try something like: “I’m a coach/service provider. Write in short, direct sentences. Avoid corporate jargon and hedging language like ‘you might want to consider.’ Lead with the recommendation, then explain why.” The more specific you are, the less editing you’ll do later. Aim for 150-400 words — this loads into every single conversation, so keep it focused on the 20% of preferences that cover 80% of your requests.

2. Styles (Per-Conversation Tone)

Where Profile Preferences apply everywhere, Styles let you switch tone on a per-chat basis. Open the “+” menu in any conversation and hover Use style to pick a built-in option (Concise, Explanatory, Formal, Learning) or build a custom one — a “Brand Voice” style, for example, that you turn on specifically when drafting content. Unlimited custom Styles are available on every plan, including free.

3. Projects (Workspace-Specific Instructions)

If you’re juggling multiple areas of your business — content creation, client work, internal operations — Projects let you create separate workspaces, each with its own instructions and files. Set up a Project for “Content Creation” with your brand voice and past examples loaded in, and a separate one for “Client Onboarding” with your process documents. Claude keeps the context isolated, so you’re not re-explaining yourself every time you switch tasks. Projects are available on free plans (limited to 5) and unlimited on paid plans.

4. Memory

Memory works alongside Profile Preferences, but passively — it learns from your conversations over time rather than requiring you to write anything upfront. It’s worth knowing this exists, but don’t rely on it instead of setting up your Profile Preferences. Think of Profile Preferences as intentional and immediate, Memory as a slower-building layer on top.

5. Connectors (Linking Your Apps)

This is the step most people skip entirely, and it’s the one that turns Claude from “a smart chat window” into an actual assistant. Under Settings > Connectors, you can link Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Canva, and dozens of other tools. Once connected, Claude can read relevant files, draft emails in your inbox, or reference your calendar — without you copying and pasting content back and forth all day.

A word of caution here: when you connect a service, you’re granting access to it. For each connector, you can choose whether actions are always allowed, require your approval first, or are blocked entirely. Start with needs approval on anything that sends messages or modifies data (like Gmail or Calendar), and only move to “always allow” once you trust how it’s behaving.

In ChatGPT

1. Custom Instructions

The equivalent starting point in ChatGPT lives under Settings > Personalization > Custom Instructions. It’s split into two fields: what ChatGPT should know about you, and how you want it to respond. Fill in your role, your industry, and your team size in the first box; your tone and formatting preferences in the second. Like Claude, specificity is what makes this useful — vague instructions get vague results.

2. Memory

Under Settings > Personalization > Memory, ChatGPT will automatically store facts and preferences it picks up across conversations — your name, your role, ongoing projects. It’s on by default for most accounts. If you’re discussing sensitive business information, consider keeping Memory off and leaning on Custom Instructions instead, since Custom Instructions give you full control over exactly what’s stored.

3. Projects

Similar to Claude, ChatGPT Projects group related conversations together with shared instructions and files that carry across every chat inside that Project. If you’re managing multiple clients or business functions, this keeps each one contained instead of one long, tangled conversation history.

4. Connected Apps

On Business and Enterprise plans, Settings > Connected Apps lets you link tools like Slack, Google Drive, SharePoint, and GitHub. On Plus and Pro plans, Gmail connection is available in supported regions, letting ChatGPT reference relevant inbox context like scheduling or project threads.

5. Data Controls

Before you start feeding either tool real business information, check Settings > Data Controls. This is where you decide whether your conversations are used to train future models. If you’re discussing client details, proprietary processes, or anything sensitive, it’s worth reviewing this setting on day one rather than after the fact.

The Bottom Line

None of this takes long, and you only have to do it once. But skipping it is the difference between an AI tool that gives you generic, forgettable answers and one that actually sounds like you, knows your business, and can act on your behalf inside the tools you already use.

Want Help Putting This Into Practice?

Setup is step one. Knowing what to actually do with it — the systems, the prompts, the workflows that save you real hours every month — is where the transformation happens. That’s exactly what I teach inside my business membership, The Meeting  Place. 

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