🔎 Where Should We Start with AI in Marketing?

Start small, win big with low-hanging tasks

Over the next few issues, we will address a series of questions marketing teams are asking about using AI in marketing strategies and campaigns. This issue begins with the basics: Where do we start?

Marketing teams often feel overwhelmed by the wide range of AI applications, from chatbots and predictive analytics to generative content tools. If you hesitate to implement AI for fear of misallocating resources or choosing the wrong starting point, here’s where to begin.

Image generated by Adobe Firefly

Start Small with Your Most Repetitive, Time-Consuming Tasks

The best starting point for implementing AI in marketing is automating repetitive, low-impact tasks. This helps you see quick wins without overhauling your strategy.

💡 Example Use Cases to Consider:

1. Email Personalization
   AI can segment audiences and personalize email content based on customer behavior. Use tools like Dynamic Yield and Persado to optimize subject lines and copy to increase engagement.

2. Chatbots for Customer Service
   Deploy chatbots to handle common customer queries. Intercom and Drift are excellent platforms that use AI to improve response accuracy and reduce customer wait times.

3. Content Generation for Social Media
   Tools like Lately or Jasper can help marketers create social posts, blog outlines, or ad copy faster.

   ---

Case Study: HubSpot’s AI-Powered Content Assistant

HubSpot integrated an AI content assistant called Breeze into its platform to help marketers generate blog posts, social media content, and marketing emails. By starting with content creation—an area many marketers find time-consuming—the company saw a boost in productivity and creativity.

Result: Marketing teams reduced content creation time by 30%, allowing them to focus more on strategy.

---

How to Decide Your AI Starting Point

1. Audit Your Marketing Processes
   Identify tasks that are:

   • Repetitive

   • Time-consuming

   • Prone to human error

     » These are prime candidates for AI. «

2. Choose a Use Case That Aligns with Your Goals
   For example:

   • Want to boost customer engagement? Start with personalization tools.

   • Want to reduce operational costs? Start with chatbots.

3. Pick Low-Risk, High-Impact Solutions
   Avoid jumping into complex applications like predictive analytics if your data isn't ready. Instead, focus on tasks that yield immediate value.

---

Ethical Considerations

Before implementing AI tools, ensure you’ve addressed the following:

• Bias in AI: Are the personalization algorithms fair and representative?

• Transparency: Can your customers tell when they’re interacting with AI?

• Privacy Compliance: Does your tool adhere to data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA?

---

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Over-automation: Maintain human oversight for brand voice consistency.

• Tool Redundancy: Audit existing tools to prevent duplicate functionality.

• Integration Issues: Ensure new AI tools work seamlessly with your current stack.

Quick Action Plan

1. ✅ Conduct a Marketing Task Audit: List repetitive tasks in your team’s daily workflow.

2. ✅ Identify AI Vendors: Research vendors specializing in automating your chosen tasks.

3. ✅ Pilot a Solution: Start with a small pilot project to test AI in action before scaling.

4. ✅ Set clear KPIs: Metrics could include time saved per task, productivity metrics, and cost savings.

   ---

Next week, we address the question, “What’s the ROI of AI in Marketing?”

---

Do you need to train your marketing team on the ethics of marketing using AI? Schedule a customized workshop! (Take advantage of special discount pricing through January 31st.)