Joe Walsh is the CEO of Thryv.
The topic of AI is unavoidable. It would be hard to read a news article or see an advertisement that doesn’t mention the power of AI. It’s already seamlessly integrated into much of our daily lives, from our internet searches to online ads to customer service interactions with our favorite brands. The good news for small business owners is that while major technological advancements may seem like they were designed for big brands, AI’s ability to impact small businesses is undeniable.
And SMEs are adopting it. They told us this in new survey data They believe AI can help them compete with larger competitors, and many fear that the longer they wait to use AI, the less competitive they will be.
The top three ways small business owners said AI would help them:
• Offloading repetitive tasks
• Give back personal time
• Overcoming resource constraints
Given the importance of staying up to date and helping customers easily find and interact with your business, it’s helpful to understand how you can use AI to advance your business.
Five Ways to Use AI Right Now
Small businesses currently using AI are gain in efficiency and improve their resultsHere are some effective ways to use AI right now:
1. Improve customer service.
Your current customers are your most valuable asset. Improving the way you communicate with them is a valuable asset to your relationship. Many small businesses are using AI to update their local listings and respond to positive and negative customer reviews. You can also use a simple AI-powered customer service chatbot to provide 24/7 customer support. From answering frequently asked questions to acting as personal shoppers, these chatbots can deliver exceptional customer experiences. And, with the ability to track the types of questions your customers are asking and the products they’re asking about, chatbots offer insight into your customers’ mindset.
2. Boost content marketing efforts.
AI can generate content ideas, optimize social media posts, and put your email marketing campaigns on autopilot. Optimizing your own email and social media channels is an affordable way to connect with your customers. When you pair ChatGPT with an image generator like DALL-E, you have everything you need to create powerful content campaigns with the push of a button.
Of course, you need to read and rework what the AI gives you to make sure your messages are communicated in your voice. In addition to compromising your authenticity, search engines like Google will penalize you if you try to pass off AI-generated content as your own.
3. Automate repetitive tasks.
Small business owners save time by using AI tools to automate repetitive tasks that, frankly, most people dread doing. Tasks like data entry, sending surveys and invoices, and scheduling appointments. For example, AI schedulers can automate appointment scheduling, so you no longer waste valuable time on phone and email back-and-forth.
4. Get customer information.
Knowing your customers is critical to your business success. But the idea of collecting and analyzing customer data can seem complicated and time-consuming. Use AI to analyze the data you already have access to, like customer reviews, ratings, and reviews, website visits, and social media mentions. Once you understand your customers’ buying habits and perceptions of your business, you can tailor your offers and marketing messages to better meet their preferences.
5. Improve efficiency.
You may be just one person, so you don’t have time to do everything you want with your business. AI can increase your production so you can do more with fewer resources. While it can’t actually add more hours to your day, it will allow you to get more done in the same amount of time. The insights provided by AI can help you manage tasks like inventory management and distribution, and prepare for the busiest times of the year while freeing up time to develop ideas to boost your business during slower times.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Using AI
As with any new technology, AI requires a learning curve. To get acquainted with the basics, consider taking a free online course with Coursera or Udemy. Both offer introductory courses on AI. Then, test out one of the use cases that interests you. For example, create a draft email campaign using ChatGPT or Jasper AI and send it to your friends for feedback. Using the free versions of these tools also helps alleviate budget concerns as you explore AI options.
Unexpected consequences
One of the biggest assets of a small business is its unique brand voice: there is no one-size-fits-all corporate language. However, using generative AI for customer communications and social media posts can result in losing that personal touch your customers value. Businesses should also be aware of potential security issues, as AI systems can be prone to vulnerabilities. AI can also perpetuate societal biases if it is trained on biased data.
Overcoming these challenges to harness the potential of AI
AI users should exercise caution. That means reviewing and editing all content created with generative AI to ensure it reflects your authentic voice. It also means ensuring that the AI tools you use for everything from scheduling to chatbots to content creation have robust security protocols and the necessary checks and balances to ensure the data used is inclusive, representative, and fair. If you’re using a reputable marketing platform with built-in AI capabilities, chances are these issues have already been addressed.
Conclusion
The concept of AI may seem complicated, but in reality, AI tools can be quite simple to use. Some marketing software and customer relationship management (CRM) platforms already have AI tools built in, creating a seamless AI experience. You can also experiment with the many AI tools available free AI tools available. Small business owners tell us that AI improves their efficiency, profitability, and competitiveness. It’s time to try it and discover its potential to transform the way you run your business.
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