Introduction to AI in Marketing for Small Business Owners

AI: Not Just for the Big Players Anymore

Ever felt like the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a private club for tech giants and big-budget marketers? Think again!

I can’t help it – when AI first began to be talked about at length, my mind went straight to the cute kid played by Hayley Joel Osment (who is now 36!!) in the movie of the same name - A.I.

But AI is no longer the futuristic concept for the likes of movie robots and Silicon Valley, it’s becoming a key player in the marketing toolkit of savvy small business owners just like you.

Ever think that it’s so overwhelming you have no idea where to start?
I’ve got your back. This article is the start of a three parter easing you into AI.

What is AI in Marketing?

In its more formal sense, AI in marketing involves the use of intelligent algorithms and machine learning technologies to analyse data, predict trends and can personalise customer interactions.

By leaning on AI, small businesses can make more informed decisions, using data that can lead to more efficient marketing strategies.

Think of AI as a super smart assistant.

This assistant can take in heaps of data, analyse it in seconds and present you with information that you’d often had to wait weeks for.

It can also handle some of the more mundane tasks in marketing….i.e., what to write (particularly for social media).

I love writing but I know a lot of people don’t...and they sit with a blinking cursor for hours. AI can help you get started. Not write completely….but get started.

If you, as a small business owner, started your business for the freedom of never answering to another boss again, then AI will most certainly help you to (maybe finally) realise that dream of more freedom.

Why Should Small Businesses Care about Marketing and AI?

There are 100s of reasons why small business should care about how AI and Chatgpt can help with their marketing. Here are just three to think about:

1. Enhanced Customer Insights

Understanding the customer journey is a key element to ‘F – Foundation’, the first step in the six stage process that we use here at Achieve Marketing.

AI tools can analyse vast amounts of data to reveal patterns in customer behaviour and preferences, enabling business to craft targeted marketing campaigns along the customer journey that deeply resonates with your ideal audience.

While it doesn’t yet read your customers’ mind, it comes pretty close to it and can give you insights into what you need to do at each step on the customer journey.

2. Automate Routine Tasks

Lets be honest - there are so many tasks that are boring in marketing. AI tools can help with the boring ones.

One tool that springs to mind straightway is Canva..and it’s AI tool. It Canva uses the AI image generator, Stable Diffusion, to power its Magic Media tool. Have you tried it yet? With Magic Media, all you have to do is describe the image you want to see, and Canva will attempt to create it.

In fact, the image for this article was used this very way, just to show you how it’s done.

Delegating the boring bits of marketing to AI allows you to be more creative, more strategic – the bit where you own your difference and focus on that to stand out of the sameness of your industry.

3. Improved ROI on Marketing Spend

Y – Yield is the last of the six stages in our proven system, The FAY WAY to Marketing. You have to yield what you sow – track what works and what doesn’t.

AI helps optimise marketing budgets by pinpointing the most effective strategies and eliminates wasteful spending.

AI doesn’t just throw darts in the dark - It uses precise data to make sure your marketing dollars are spent wisely, targeting only the most effective strategies and channels. Imagine a world where you don’t waste money on ads that don’t work. It’s on it’s way….

First Steps in AI for Marketing

AI is overwhelming. Everywhere you turn it’s AI this or that. It’s accessibility for small businesses is only going to increase. Last year I froze when it came to AI, this year, after working with a variety of tools, I see it was an assistant, like I mentioned above.

So lets remove the overwhelm and here are a few tips for your first steps in marketing using AI:

1. Start with What You Know
Try to avoid over complicating things. As a small business or solopreneur, you’ve got data – perhaps from sales, website traffic, or customer feedback. Use AI tools to sift through this goldmine of information to uncover valuable insights and help guide your marketing decisions.

2. Choose the Right Tools

Not all AI tools require a PhD to use. Look for platforms that integrate easily with your existing systems and don’t break the bank. They should be user-friendly and, dare we say, fun to use.

If you are not doing A/B marketing testing at the moment, stay away from any of the AI tools that do that.

If you’re not writing blogs, don’t embark on a SEO tool, just because it exists.

Use the tools that are right for you, now. As you get more time due to the increased use of tools, then investigate some more.

3. Educate Your Team

Like everything, using AI has to have its own objectives. Explain to your team and that might include outsource designers, copywriters, editors etc, why you’ll be making more use of AI tools. Then everyone is aligned, no-one fears you increasing your use of AI tools. Explain why you’re moving onto the AI roadway and then have everyone know how to read a map of where you’re going.

AI is a game-changer that’s becoming more accessible each day. By adopting it now, you’ll not only keep pace with competitors but also pave the way for future growth. Think of it as planting a tree—eventually, you’ll enjoy the shade.

Now, time to read the next article in the series - Practical Applications of AI in Small Business Marketing. 

Curious about how AI can revamp your marketing? 

Contact us at [email protected].