This week the blog is Sponsored by Strider, a Christian-owned online marketing agency. Ryan Freeman has been helping to grow local businesses and non-profits for over 30 years. Book a free consultation with Ryan to learn if Strider is a fit for your goals.
In the 90s, clients wondered if a website was really necessary. Business email? You must be crazy! Ten years later, e-commerce was lunacy and social media was just going to be a fad. You can imagine (or maybe you remember!) the introduction of mobile phones, texting, and then smartphones!
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the new shiny object, and once again I’m seeing a very natural hesitation when it comes to change. Many people feel AI is too complicated to be of use, or they fear that AI might produce generic, low-quality, or inauthentic content. However, when implemented thoughtfully, AI can help to streamline repetitive tasks and enhance creative work without compromising authenticity. Here’s how you can harness AI to boost your business’s efficiency while maintaining genuine engagement.
Dos and Don’ts: Maximizing AI’s Potential
1. Crafting Effective Prompts
Don’t: Use vague prompts like “Write me an article about widgets.” This will give you generic content that fails to resonate with your audience and sounds like a robot wrote it..
Do: Provide detailed instructions to your AI tools. For example:
- Audience: Specify who you’re addressing (e.g., small business owners).
- Tone: Define the desired tone (e.g., authoritative yet friendly). Bonus: Point to previous articles you’ve written so that the AI can learn your style.
- Purpose: Clarify the objective of the content (e.g., to inform, persuade, or entertain).
This approach ensures the AI generates content that aligns with your business’s voice and goals.
Here’s an example of a quick but useful starter prompt for a blog post.
You are a marketing copywriter with deep experience in the dental medical care industry.
Help me to write a blog post promoting the importance of regular dental checkups for children. The audience is parents with children under 16 years old. Use a friendly tone and authoritative tone to show you have knowledge and experience while being relatable and empathetic. Use headings and bullet points so it’s easy to read.
Give citations for any data or facts that you use.
Suggest some ideas for graphics.
2. Managing Online Reviews
Don’t: Ignore customer reviews or respond with generic, copy-pasted replies. That’s a great way to broadcast that you don’t care about your customers.
Do: Utilize AI to draft personalized responses to each review. AI can analyze the review’s sentiment and content, assisting you in crafting thoughtful replies that address specific customer feedback. Edit the draft to add your final touches before you publish. This personalized approach demonstrates that you value customer input and are committed to continuous improvement.
3. Creating Unique Visual Content
Don’t: Rely solely on common stock images that other businesses also use. This can make your brand appear generic and uninspired.
Do: Leverage AI to generate custom photos, illustrations, and graphics. AI-driven design tools can create visuals tailored to your brand’s identity, setting you apart from competitors and enhancing your visual storytelling.
Here’s the first prompt I used to create the featured image for this post. Because of the conversational nature of ChatGPT, I was able to guide it through many revisions.
4. Enhancing Social Media Engagement
Don’t: Post sporadically or wait for free moments to come up with content, leading to an inconsistent and less engaging social media presence.
Do: Use AI to assist in crafting engaging posts, generating unique images, and scheduling content for consistency. This proactive approach keeps your social media channels vibrant and relevant.
5. Improving Customer Service
Don’t: Implement live chat features on your website without proper monitoring and staffing, resulting in delayed replies or missed messages.
Do: Add an AI website agent trained on your specific business information to handle customer inquiries in real-time. AI-powered chatbots can conversationally answer frequently asked questions, provide product information, and capture lead details efficiently. Additionally, consider using an AI receptionist to manage overflow calls, ensuring no customer query goes unattended.
We Can Help
Integrating AI into your business doesn’t mean sacrificing authenticity. With the right strategies, AI can enhance efficiency, personalize customer interactions, and drive growth. If you’re thinking about trying AI and online marketing to attract and convert more customers, contact me for a chat. The Strider team is here to help you navigate the evolving digital landscape and achieve sustainable profitability – whether you’re a one-person entrepreneur or a growing team of 40+
PS: To write this article, I created a bulletpoint outline, gave ChatGPT a prompt about the purpose and audience for the post, and then edited the text.
