As a marketing educator, I have to try to immerse myself in the latest industry trends through podcasts, workshops, articles, and social media posts. The end of 2023 and early 2024 brought an huge surge of discussions about AI and Marketing and how we all should embrace it. But if I, as a marketer, felt inundated, I can only imagine how overwhelming it must be for a non marketer ! So I want to mention just two AI tools that in my mind should be part of the daily toolkit for someone starting out using AI for their marketing. I also want to share my perspective on AI’s role in marketing, including how much we should engage with it.
The Impact of AI on Marketing
AI is undoubtedly transforming the world, enhancing productivity, saving time, and accelerating brainstorming and research processes. However, it’s important to remember that AI won’t alter the fundamental principles of marketing. Like many new technologies before it, AI can easily become a distraction , leading us to neglect core marketing concepts. Much of the current discussion around AI in marketing focuses on its applications in communication – advertising, promotion, content creation, video production, and brand awareness. While these are important, they should only constitute about 5-10% of a marketer’s responsibilities.
Maintaining Focus: Strategy Over Tactics
It’s vital not to let AI tools divert our attention from the strategic aspects of marketing. Many AI marketing tools are designed for tactical use, but we should avoid prioritizing tactics over strategy. The majority of a marketer’s efforts should be dedicated to diagnosis and positioning:
- Understanding customers, competitors, and market dynamics
- Determining market positioning and differentiation
- Adapting products or services as necessary
- Setting clear goals
Only after these strategic elements are in place should we consider tactics like online advertising, PR, sales calls, or email marketing.In my training sessions, I often find that people tend to overemphasize tactics at the expense of diagnosis and positioning. If you’ve been experiencing “AI Anxiety,” the following recommendations might help.
Two Essential AI Tools for Marketers
- ChatGPT: Excellent for idea generation, writing, and engaging in conversations.
- Perplexity: A powerful AI search engine that’s increasingly replacing traditional Google searches. It’s particularly useful for research and allows for follow-up questions.
While there’s certainly more we could explore in the area of AI, most marketers aren’t creating content daily. Our focus is often on planning, selling, cost reduction, profitability improvement, and customer acquisition.
If you feel you have AI Anxiety these two tools provide an excellent starting point. Treat them like a combination of a bright intern and Einstein working in your office. You would never let something an intern has produced out of the office without first checking it, and imaging how great it would be to pick Einstein’s brain every now and again.
Conclusion
This is just scratching the surface of AI integration in marketing and sales. However, I would have anyone to start 2025 with AI anxiety. Begin with these tools and gradually expand your AI knowledge and usage. Remember, while AI is a powerful it’s crucial to maintain focus on the fundamental principles of marketing. Use AI to enhance your strategies, not replace them.
Leave a Reply