Practical AI Implementation To Get You Started with AI in Your Marketing Strategy
So how do you go on about integrating AI into your marketing strategy?
I know AI can seem overwhelming, but trust me, it's not as scary as it looks. Let's break it down into steps that anyone can follow, even if you're not a techie.
Step 1: Take a Good Look at What You've Got
Before we jump into all things AI, let's figure out what you're working with right now. It's like doing a little audit of your business. Here's what you need to do:
Grab a piece of paper or open up a blank Miro board.
Write down your main business goals. What are you really trying to achieve?
List out the key activities that help you reach those goals.
Think about who's responsible for these activities and what processes they follow.
Jot down all the assets and channels you're using - your content, your platforms, everything.
I like to use a mind map for this, but honestly, even a simple list works great. The important thing is to get it all out there so you can see the big picture.
Step 2: Spot Where AI Can Make a Difference
Now that you've got everything laid out, it's time to play matchmaker between your processes and what AI can do. Look for:
Tasks you do over and over again
Anything that involves crunching a lot of data
Places where you interact with customers
For example, I built a proposal builder AI tool that turns a conversation into a proposal in seconds. How this works is I’m in a call or f2f call with a potential client, and I turn my recorder on. The transcript of our conversation gets fed into my AI copilot that already knows the formatting of my proposal and just writes my proposal.
That's the kind of thing that can save you hours of work. Or think about how an AI chatbot could handle customer queries 24/7.
Step 3: Level Up Your AI Know-How
You don't need to become an AI genius overnight, but a little knowledge goes a long way. Here's what you can do:
Take some online courses or join workshops about AI basics.
If you're planning something big, consider bringing in an AI expert to guide you.
Join AI communities - like my WhatsApp group! It's a great place to ask questions and learn from others.
The goal here to understand enough to make smart decisions and work well with AI tools - not to learn how to code.
Step 4: Pick Your Tools and Start Playing
Now’s the fun part - getting your hands dirty with some AI tools. But remember, start small. Here's how:
Choose one simple thing to automate first. Maybe use AI to come up with social media post ideas.
Check out platforms like Launch Lemonade. It's like a playground where you can try out different AI tools without signing up for a bunch of different things.
Set some goals. How will you know if the AI is actually helping? Maybe it's saving you time or boosting your engagement.
Pro tip: Set aside a bit of time each week to play around with AI. Even just 30 minutes can lead to some really cool discoveries.
Step 5: Put It Into Action, See What Happens, and Tweak
You've done your homework, you've picked your tools, now it's time to actually use them in your business. But let's be smart about it:
Start with a small test run. Don't roll it out to your whole business at once.
Ask your team and your customers what they think. How's it working for them?
Look at your results. Are you hitting those goals you set?
Based on what you find, make some adjustments and then gradually use it more in your business.
Remember, this isn't a "set it and forget it" kind of thing. You need to keep an eye on it, keep learning, and keep making it better.
The Future is AI-Powered (But You're Still in the Driver's Seat)
AI isn't about replacing you or your team. It's about giving you superpowers. It's doing the repetitive stuff so you can focus on the big ideas that really make a difference in your business.
If you follow these steps and stay curious, you'll be amazed at what AI can do for your business. And hey, before you know it, you might be the one giving AI advice to others!
So, what do you say? Ready to give it a go? And this iswhat I always say: The best way is to test on low-cost, low-risk tools and experiment.