3 Tricks That Make ChatGPT Agents Actually Useful

Author

Dan Sanchez
August 01, 2025

If you've messed around with ChatGPT's new agent features and walked away unimpressed, you're not alone. But here’s the thing: these agents can actually help you automate real tasks—as long as you stop treating them like mind-readers. I’ve figured out how to turn agents into your smartest virtual interns (without blowing up your LinkedIn).

Dan’s Bookmark Worthy Links For This Week:

🧰 The Big Takeaways: ChatGPT Agents Are Actually Useful (If You Do This)

✅ 1. SOPs = Success

Think of agents like new interns. They need clear instructions. If you're handing them vague goals (“handle my social”), they'll fail. But give them a numbered list of steps? They’ll crush it.

Pro tip: Agents perform best when guided by a structured SOP. I used one to turn a podcast transcript into a post and schedule it via HighLevel—flawlessly.

✅ 2. Compartmentalized Credentials

Never hand over your real logins. I created a dedicated email and sandboxed access for agents. Smart move. Let them work with guardrails.

✅ 3. Automate with Form Hacks

Agents might hesitate to hit “publish,” but they will fill out forms. Use that to your advantage. Trigger workflows, post content, or launch tasks—all from a simple form submission.

Idea: Let your agent compile research and push it into a form that feeds a Notion database, Zapier automation, or even kicks off a project in Asana.

Bonus Alert: Study Mode is 🔥

ChatGPT’s new Study Mode isn’t just for students. Use it to actually master marketing topics you've been glossing over. Think of it like a personal tutor that quizzes and challenges you Socratically—minus the awkward classroom energy.

You can now let AI assess where you are at and push your thinking further in any topic, including that one book you knew was important, but never took the time to master.

👏 This Week’s Sponsor: HighLevel

Managing social media, emails, lead flows, and follow-ups? HighLevel is my go-to CRM + marketing automation tool for simplifying chaos.

  • Unified platform

  • Automation galore

  • Built-in posting tools

  • AI agents, AI workflows, AI content creation…

⚙️ Practical AI Wins from This Week

My AI Uses

  • Agent SOP Deployment: I used ChatGPT agents with step-by-step prompts to automate content scheduling.

  • Login Testing via Forwarded Emails: I set up 2FA by having a Gmail forward authentication codes to an agent-managed inbox. Seems scary, I get that. Watch the episode above for the context.

  • Study Mode for Concept Mastery: I deep-dived into the value equation from Hermozi’s $100M Offers using AI-tutor style questioning.

Travis was out this week!

📊 Poll of the Week: AI vs. Authenticity

Q: Is using ChatGPT to navigate hard conversations inauthentic?

💬 My Take:

If you're just parroting what ChatGPT tells you, yeah, that's inauthentic. But if it helps you find clarity, empathy, and real conviction—why wouldn't you use it? It’s like therapy for your internal comms.

🔥 Viral Post Breakdown

I couldn’t stop replaying this:
🪑 The Ikea AI Ad Explosion

A sleek AI-generated video ad shows an Ikea box exploding into a full furnished room. It’s dynamic, sharp, and... yes, all AI-built.

Why it hit:

  • Hyper-minimalist aesthetic

  • Visually stunning explosion-to-assembly

  • Feels like a $10K ad… built with VO3 and a few hundred bucks

Takeaway for marketers: If you're doing paid ads, AI video tools like VO3 are your new best friend. Iterate cheap. Launch fast. Get bold.

😆 AI Meme of the Week

I’m getting tired of the hype around em dashes on LinkedIn, so I’m turning the convo into a meme.

👋 Wrapping Up

This week was full of actionable breakthroughs. If you’ve been sleeping on agents, now’s the time to revisit—with a better plan. Want more agent SOP examples or form-hack templates? Hit reply and let me know.

Until next time—
Stay smart. Stay skeptical. Stay automated.