From ChatGPT Sign-Up to Paid Plan: A 10-Minute Complete Setup Guide

From ChatGPT Sign-Up to Paid Plan: A 10-Minute Complete Setup Guide

A step-by-step hands-on guide for B2B sales reps and office workers. Follow it and you can finish account creation → free trial → paid plan → GPTs setup in 10 minutes. Every click location and input value is spelled out in detail, so you can follow along with text alone, no phone or PC screen needed.

Pre-Setup Checklist

Have the items below ready and you can cut setup time to under 10 minutes.

• Email address: Gmail or a work email both work (Gmail recommended: linking your Google account lets you skip the second verification step)

• Mobile phone: to receive a verification code (SMS verification may be required at first sign-up)

• Payment card: a credit or debit card that supports international payments for a paid plan (Visa, Mastercard, and most Korean cards work)

• Web browser: latest version of Chrome recommended (Safari and Edge also work)

💡 Pro tip: If you sign up with your work email, it is easy to share a workspace with teammates on the same domain when you later switch to a ChatGPT Team plan.

STEP 1. Create Your ChatGPT Account (Time: 3 minutes)

1-1. Go to the OpenAI Website

1. Type chat.openai.com into your browser's address bar and press Enter.

2. You will see a "Get started" or "Sign up" button in the center of the screen.

3. Click the "Sign up" button.

1-2. Choose a Sign-Up Method

On the sign-up screen, choose one of four methods:

Signing up with a Google account (the fastest way):

1. Click the "Continue with Google" button.

2. When the Google sign-in pop-up appears, select the Gmail address you want to use.

3. Enter your Google password and click "Next".

4. You’ll go straight to the ChatGPT Terms of Use screen.

Signing up with your email:

1. Enter your address in the email field. (e.g., honggildong@company.co.kr)

2. Click "Continue".

3. On the password screen, enter a password of 8 or more characters.

4. In your inbox, open the email titled "Verify your email address" and click the green "Verify email address" button.

1-3. Enter your profile information

1. First name: Enter your first name (e.g., Gildong)

2. Last name: Enter your last name (e.g., Hong)

3. Birthday: Select month/day/year

4. Click the "Continue" button.

1-4. Phone verification (optional)

• Some accounts require SMS verification.

• Select the country code +82 (South Korea) and enter your number without the leading 0.

  • Example: 010-1234-5678 → 1012345678

• Enter the 6-digit verification code you receive, and your sign-up is complete.

💡 Practical tip: If the ChatGPT chat screen appears right after you finish signing up, you’re set. You should see a "Message ChatGPT" input box at the bottom of the screen.

Before/After comparison:

• Before: No access to AI tools; writing a proposal took an average of 3 hours

• After: Account created, and you can start using the GPT-4o mini model to assist with work right away

STEP 2. Try the basic features on the free plan (Time needed: 2 minutes)

2-1. Start your first chat

Right after sign-up, you’re on the Free plan. Go ahead and type your first question.

1. Click the "Message ChatGPT" input box at the bottom of the screen.

2. Copy and paste the prompt below, then press Enter or click the Send (↑) icon.

I’m a B2B SaaS sales rep. Next week I have a first meeting with the CTO of a manufacturing client. Please write a 30-minute meeting agenda and three opening lines.

3. After a few seconds, ChatGPT generates a response. If you don’t like it, click “Regenerate” (🔄 icon) at the bottom of the response to generate it again.

2-2. Check the features available on the free plan

On the free plan, you can try the following features:

• Unlimited use of the GPT-4o mini model

• Limited use of the GPT-4o model (about 5–16 messages per hour, varies by time)

• Web search (real-time information lookup)

• File uploads (images, PDFs, Excel, etc.)

• GPT Store browsing (use GPTs made by others)

💡 Pro tip: When you use up your GPT-4o allowance on the free plan, ChatGPT automatically switches to GPT-4o mini. If response quality suddenly seems to drop, this switch may be the reason.

STEP 3. Free vs. Paid Plans: A Full Comparison

Before you pay, understand exactly how the plans differ so you can avoid unnecessary spending.

3-1. Plan comparison table (as of June 2025)

3-2. Recommended plans for B2B sales reps

• Fewer than 5 days a week: the Free plan is enough

• Daily use + writing proposals and reports: the Plus plan (best value ⭐)

• Teams of 5 or more: the Team plan (your data isn’t used for training, so security is stronger)

Measured impact:

• Time to draft a proposal on the Plus plan: 3 hours on average → 30 minutes (about 83% faster)

• Work time saved for a $20/month investment: 20–40 hours a month (worth roughly KRW 600,000 (≈ US$450)–1.2 million at an hourly rate)

STEP 4. Subscribe to ChatGPT Plus (takes 2 minutes)

4-1. Go to the payment page

1. Click your name or profile icon at the bottom left of the ChatGPT screen.

2. In the pop-up menu, click “My plan” or “Upgrade plan”.

   • You can also click the “Upgrade to Plus” banner at the top of the screen.

3. On the plan selection screen, click the green “Upgrade to Plus” button under Plus.

4-2. Enter Payment Information

The Stripe payment page opens. Enter the following information in order:

1. Card number: Enter your 16-digit card number (e.g., 4123-4567-8901-2345)

2. Expiration date: MM/YY format (e.g., 12/27)

3. CVC: The 3-digit security code on the back of the card

4. Cardholder name: Your name in English (e.g., GILDONG HONG)

5. Billing address:

   • Country: Select South Korea

   • Postal code: Enter the 5-digit code (e.g., 06164)

6. Click the "Subscribe" button (on a Korean-language screen it reads "Gudok").

4-3. Confirm Payment

• When payment succeeds, the message “You're now a ChatGPT Plus subscriber!” appears.

• In the model selection dropdown at the top of the screen, check that GPT-4o is selected by default.

• A payment receipt is sent to your email. (If you used a corporate card, keep it for expense reporting.)

💡 Pro tip: Most payment declines are caused by international payment blocking. Enable overseas online payments in your card issuer’s app and try again. Most Visa/Mastercard debit cards issued in Korea also work.

Before/After comparison:

• Before (Free): GPT-4o limited to 5–16 messages per day, limited image generation, no GPT creation

• After (Plus): 80+ GPT-4o messages per day, DALL·E image generation, advanced data analysis, unlimited GPT creation

STEP 5. Basic Settings to Maximize Work Efficiency (Time required: 2 minutes)

5-1. Set Up Custom Instructions

With this set up, you no longer have to repeat the same background every time.

1. Click the profile icon at the top right of the screen.

2. Click “Customize ChatGPT”.

3. Two input boxes appear:

First box — “What would you like ChatGPT to know about you?”:

I work in enterprise sales at a B2B SaaS company in Korea. My main clients are CTOs/CIOs in manufacturing and finance, and I write 3–5 proposals a month. I often create sales meeting materials, cold emails, ROI analyses, and competitor comparisons.

Second box — “How would you like ChatGPT to respond?”:

Respond in Korean using a polite, professional business tone. Always focus on actionable items and structure answers as numbered lists (1, 2, 3...). Skip unnecessary greetings and disclaimers and get straight to the point.

4. Click the “Save” button at the bottom.

💡 Pro tip: Custom Instructions automatically apply to all future conversations. Once set, response quality noticeably improves, often by 2x or more. You can update them anytime if your role changes.

5-2. How to Choose a Model

1. When starting a new chat, click the model name (e.g., ChatGPT 4o) at the top center of the screen.

2. Select the model you want from the dropdown:

   • GPT-4o: General work (emails, proposals, summaries) — most frequently used

   • GPT-4o mini: Simple questions or when you need fast responses

   • o1: Complex logical analysis, strategy planning, and mathematical calculations

STEP 6. Build Your Own GPT (Custom AI Assistant) (Time required: 3 minutes)

GPTs are your own AI assistants, specialized for specific tasks. Build one once, and you no longer have to retype the same prompt every time. One click calls up a specialist AI.

6-1. Opening the GPT creation screen

1. In the left sidebar, click "Explore GPTs".

2. Click the "+ Create" button in the upper right.

3. The GPT builder screen is split into two panels:

   • Left: Setup chat (configure by talking with the GPT Builder)

   • Right: Preview (test your GPT in real time)

6-2. Setting up your GPT through conversation

With the "Create" tab selected in the left panel, type the following to the GPT Builder:

I want to create a GPT that drafts B2B sales proposals. When I enter a client name, an industry, and three key pain points, it should write a proposal outline and a draft of each section (about 500 characters) in formal Korean business language.

The GPT Builder automatically suggests a name, description, and icon.

6-3. Detailed settings (Configure tab)

If you need more precise control, click the "Configure" tab at the top:

Example Instructions:

You are an assistant that specializes in writing B2B SaaS sales proposals.

Rules:

1. When the user provides [client name], [industry], and [three pain points], write a proposal draft right away.

2. Proposal structure: ① Executive Summary ② Client Situation Analysis ③ Proposed Solution ④ Expected Impact (ROI) ⑤ Implementation Timeline ⑥ Investment

3. Write each section in roughly 300–500 characters.

4. Use formal Korean business language.

5. Include specific figures and data.

6. Always mention how we differ from competitors.

6-4. Saving and sharing

1. Enter a test question in the preview on the right.

2. If you are happy with the results, click "Create" or "Save" in the upper right.

3. Choose who can access it:

   • Only me: Only you can use it

   • Anyone with a link: Anyone who has the link (for sharing with a team)

   • Everyone: Publish to the GPT Store

4. Click "Save" and you're done.

Before/After comparison:

• Before: Typing a 5-minute background-explanation prompt every time you write a proposal

• After: Click your GPT → enter only the client name and pain points → start generating a draft in 30 seconds

STEP 7. 3 Prompts You Can Use at Work Right Away

Now that setup is complete, let's test prompts you can put to work right away.

7-1. Writing a Cold Email

You are a B2B sales copywriter. Write a cold email based on the conditions below.

• Recipient: Production management team lead at a mid-sized manufacturer

• Our solution: AI predictive maintenance platform for factory equipment

• Key value: 40% less unplanned downtime through equipment failure prediction

• Tone: Professional but not pushy

• Length: About 100 words

• CTA: Propose a 15-minute online meeting

7-2. Post-Meeting Follow-Up Summary

Based on the meeting notes below, write a follow-up email to send to the client. Summarize the 3 key points discussed as bullet points, and clearly include the next-step action items.

[Meeting Notes]

• Attendees: Mr. Kim (Director) and Ms. Lee (Manager) from the client / Manager Park from our side

• Client pain point: Manual inventory management causes stockouts at least twice a month

• Features of interest: Real-time inventory dashboard, automatic reorder alerts

• Budget: Around KRW 50 million (≈ US$37,400) per year

• Next meeting: Client requested a PoC demo within 2 weeks

7-3. Generating a Competitor Comparison Table

Create a table comparing the SaaS products of our company (ABC Solutions) and two competitors (Company D and Company E). The comparison criteria are: price, key features, implementation time, customer support, and differentiators. Make it favorable to our company while still looking objective. Output it in Markdown table format.

💡 Pro tip: If your prompt includes a **role (You are a ...) + specific conditions (tone, length, format) + context (background information)**, response quality improves 3–5x compared to a bare request. Make it a habit to always include all three.

Troubleshooting FAQ

Q1. My payment keeps failing.

• Fix: In your card issuer's app, check that international online payments are allowed. KB Kookmin, Shinhan, and Samsung Card all let you enable this instantly in their apps. If it still fails, try a different card.

Q2. I see a message saying my GPT-4o usage is used up.

• Fix: Even on the Plus plan, there is a limit of about 80 messages per 3 hours. Switch to GPT-4o mini for simple tasks and save GPT-4o for the important ones.

Q3. I'm worried about data leaks under my company's security policy.

• Fix 1: Go to Settings → Data controls and turn "Improve the model for everyone" OFF. Your conversations will then not be used for model training.

• Fix 2: The Team plan ($25/user/month) excludes your data from training by default, and the admin console lets you manage usage by team member.

Q4. I want to cancel my subscription.

• Path: Profile icon → "My plan" → "Manage my subscription" → click "Cancel plan". You can keep using Plus features until the end of your billing cycle.

Final Checklist

Check the items below to confirm your setup is complete:

• ChatGPT account created and logged in

• First conversation test done (response generated normally)

• Plus subscription paid (GPT-4o model selectable at the top)

• Custom Instructions set up (job role and response style entered)

• Confirm the training opt-out setting under Data controls

• First GPT created (e.g., a proposal assistant)

• Tested at least 3 real-work prompts

If you’ve checked off every item, you’re 100% ready to use ChatGPT at work. The first thing to try tomorrow morning: paste the most recent email or report you wrote into ChatGPT and ask, “Make this more concise and persuasive.” That’s the moment ChatGPT starts to feel like a colleague.