How AI Tools Are Transforming Marketing: Opportunities and Limitations for SME Business Owners
The killer question that stopped me in my tracks from a client recently. Delivered, for the most part, in jest with an authentic human smile, it nonetheless silenced my efforts to explain the research time it might take to pull together an export market entry plan for their business.
 (1).png)
Depending on who I work with, opinions can differ. It's a bit like Marmite. Or Bovril. Or Brussel Sprouts. You either love it or hate / fear / don't understand it. For some, it’s sort of a bit dirty, seedy and 'cheat-ey'. For others its ‘bloody brilliant'.
Like most marketers at this stage, I have more than dabbled with AI tools to explore their usefulness, their accuracy, their value. Tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, Midjourney and Copilot are rapidly changing how many SMEs approach marketing for things like content development, customer service, copywriting, digital strategy and indeed research. Our brightest minds demonstrate how they are (1) only as good as what you put into them and (2) they will never replace that human creativity. Phew!
While I agree with all that, in my opinion one of their best uses is helping the human to overcome procrastination - or to put it positively, I find they help with inspiration! They get the human moving. Most of the time. Once you put the right stuff into them.
If we are all honest, AI tools are chipping away at bits of the traditional marketers job, but I also find I can do more, move up the value chain, and find that inspiration and courage to move outside the comfort zone with task and activities normally outsource to someone else. Indeed, even the core stack of marketing tools and technologies are being positively infiltrated by AI for years, we just didn’t call it that until now.
That said, while the benefits and upheaval is significant, I think it’s also important for SME owners to be aware of their [current] limitations. So here goes:
A snippet of bloody brilliance:
- Content: AI tools can no doubt help generate blog posts, social media content, copy, and even images in a fraction of the time it would take a human, a marketer, a designer. This can be particularly valuable for Irish SMEs with tight resources.
- Service: Tools like ChatGPT can power chatbots and automated customer service responses, improving digital engagement without requiring constant human oversight.
- Branding: AI-generated content can help maintain consistent tone and messaging across various platforms, supporting brand-building efforts.
- Insights: Many AI platforms can analyse customer data and trends, helping SME businesses to make more informed decisions about marketing strategy.
Stall the AI digger?
- Generic: While AI is good at producing content quickly, it often lacks the originality and nuanced understanding that us human marketers provide. Marketers who rely solely on AI tools churn out generic and repetitive content. We end up missing the fundamental point of it all – i.e. be unique, differentiate, tailor, customise and segment.
- QC: AI-generated content still requires human quality control. If you end up using what it churns out, you’ll like end up with errors, the wrong tone and inappropriate messaging. We saw that recently here in the Irish political sphere with ‘human error’ leveraging online research tools.
- Task-focused: AI tools seem to excel at executing tasks but not yet able to replicate strategic, big-picture thinking required for effective marketing strategy and planning. Phew again!
- Dilution: Using AI-generated visuals or text without careful curation can lead to a disjointed brand presence, especially if content isn't tailored to you audience.
Therefore, while AI tools have powerful advantages for SMEs on a tight budget, they should be seen as purely assistive and not replacements for creativity or strategic oversight. With correct use they can enhance our efficiency and consistency, without sacrificing that authenticity and personal touch Irish SMEs trade on.
John Paul
PS – while no AI tools were used to curate this content piece, they were the inspiration.