How Generative AI Can Supercharge Your Marketing
What is Generative AI?
Generative AI is a subfield of artificial intelligence focused on creating entirely new content, from text and audio to images and even code. Unlike traditional AI that analyses existing data, generative AI utilizes powerful algorithms to learn patterns and relationships within vast datasets. This allows it to produce original content that mimics human creativity, but at a significantly faster rate.
The main USP of generative AI is it’s creativity.
How Can Generative AI Benefit Your Marketing?
The applications of generative AI in marketing are vast and extend far beyond simple content creation.
- Content Ideation and Creation: Struggling with writer’s block? Generative AI can help brainstorm fresh content ideas, craft compelling headlines, and even generate initial drafts of blog posts, articles, or social media captions. You can provide the AI with a starting point, like a target keyword or brand voice, and it will use its knowledge to create unique and relevant content.
- Personalized Marketing: In today’s digital age, personalization is king. Generative AI can analyse customer data and preferences to create targeted marketing messages that resonate with individual audience segments. Imagine crafting personalized email campaigns with AI-generated product recommendations or tailoring social media content based on user demographics and interests.
- Enhanced Customer Service: Chatbots powered by generative AI can provide 24/7 customer support, answer frequently asked questions, and even resolve simple issues – freeing up your human team to handle more complex inquiries. Generative AI can also personalize the customer service experience by mimicking natural conversation patterns and adapting to user sentiment.
- A/B Testing and Optimization: By generating multiple variations of marketing materials, such as ad copy or landing pages, generative AI can facilitate A/B testing at scale. This allows you to quickly identify the most effective marketing elements and optimize your campaigns for maximum impact.
- Unlocking New Creative Formats: Generative AI can help you explore new and innovative ways to engage your audience. It can create eye-catching visuals, compose captivating music, or even develop scripts for engaging video content. This opens doors to new storytelling formats that can set your brand apart from the competition.
The Future of Marketing Automation with Generative AI
As generative AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more advanced marketing automation capabilities. Imagine AI-powered tools that can automatically generate personalized video ads, create dynamic landing pages in real-time, or even craft personalized chat scripts for customer service interactions.
By embracing generative AI as a strategic partner in your marketing workflow, you can free up valuable time, boost efficiency, and unlock new creative possibilities. This allows your marketing team to focus on high-level strategy and forge deeper connections with your target audience. So, step into the future of marketing automation and harness the power of generative AI to propel your brand to new heights.
Here are 5 generative AI tools to help you
- Jasper (formerly Jarvis): This AI writing assistant excels at crafting compelling marketing copy across various formats
- Creare: If you’re looking for an AI tool that specializes in visual content creation, Creare is a great option.
- Phrasee: Optimizing email subject lines can significantly impact your open rates
- AnyMind AI: This comprehensive AI marketing platform offers a variety of tools to streamline your marketing efforts.
- MarketMuse: Looking to create SEO-friendly content that ranks high in search results? MarketMuse utilizes AI to analyze your competitors’ content and identify potential topics and keywords for your marketing strategy.
Low Effort Marketing Tips for Busy Business Owners
We get it, you’re a business owner. Always busy handling clients and in meetings. Always in a rush, managing your team and planning your next move. In all this hassle business owners often forget to invest time in marketing for their own company.
It is understandable, I have been a victim of this problem as well. Therefore, here are a few extremely low effort online marketing tips for you that barely take any time but can have a lasting impact.
- Engage on LinkedIn – Planning your strategy, making content and scheduling can be time consuming. But engaging is very easy. Just go on LinkedIn and search for relevant topics. It can be from your company page or your personal account. Like and comment on posts that you think are valuable and relevant. Repost so people can see it on your profile as well. Create an image of someone who is willing to help their audience.
- Google My Business – Create a google my business account for your company. This makes it a lot easier for your target audience to find your business on google. Especially if you are a local business. You will have to add your company address, a few pictures and a description of your business. Pro Tip! Try to convince your existing client to put in a review for you on google my business. The better ratings you have, the better trust it creates for your brand amongst your target audience.
- LinkedIn Outreach – Cold outreach might seem like a tedious task but trust me it’s not. All you have got to do is prepare a message. Make sure it’s personalized and keep it within the character limit of a connection request for LinkedIn. People usually use LinkedIn sales navigator for this task but if you’re not willing to make that investment yet. Just search for your target audience on LinkedIn, click on profiles and send out 10-15 connection requests every day. If you have the message ready with you, this task shouldn’t take more than 15 mins of your day. Give them a week’s time. See who has accepted and follow up
- Content Recycling – If you have previous content ideas with you, just recycle them. You don’t have to come up with something unique every time. Just use your previous ideas and present them differently. Your old blogs can turn into infographics. Your videos and be converted into social media posts. The opportunities are endless. But make sure it doesn’t seem obvious. The idea of content recycling comes from the theory that you’ll most likely have a different audience seeing your content on different platforms. People who engage with your content will likely be very different from people who watch your content on LinkedIn. So, make sure the same audience doesn’t get the same content again and again.
Amidst all the chaos of running a small business, make sure you don’t forget your own company. Marketing your own brand is what will grow your business and bring in more revenue. Use the above tips and start your marketing journey right away.
How To Get An Interest Free Loan of $100,000 for Your Business
The BDC is offering 0% interest rate loans to small business owners in Canada for an amount of up to $100,000 and a grant of up to $15000 to grow your business online. There is no doubt about it, businesses need an online presence to flourish in this digital age. With this excellent The Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP),the BDC aims at giving every Canadian small business a chance to create a digital presence of their own.
In this blog, we discuss the eligibility, cost covered and how to apply for CDAP.
The program includes two grants:
- Grow your business online
- Boost your business technology grant
What You Get
Boost Your Business Technology
- Get up to $15,000 in funding to plan.
- Get up to $7,300 to hire skilled youth to implement the technologies.
- Get up to $100,000 on 0%.
Grow Your Business Online
- Get up to $2,400 in funding to set up e-commerce.
- This helps in accessing a network of over 11 thousand e-commerce advisors.
CDAP Eligibility Criteria
- Be a for-profit business
- Be registered or an incorporated business
- Be a consumer-facing business
- The business has at least one employee on a payroll.
- Commit to maintaining a digital adoption strategy for 6 months after participating in the program
Agree to participate in follow-up surveys.
Still unsure about your eligibility?
Canada Digital Adoption Program— Grant assessment tool
The BDC have made a tool for you, head on and answer a few basic questions about your business to know which grant you’re eligible for.
How to Apply?
Boost Your Business Technology
- Register on Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s (ISED) website.
- Create your digital plan with the help of an ISED-approved partner.
- Submit your plan and invoices to ISED for approval.
- Once your plan is approved, login to the CDAP portal on ISED’s site to gain access to the link to apply for the grant.
Grow Your Business Online
- Read the eligibility criteria and make sure you meet the requirements.
- Get in touch with your local service provider.
- Apply for the grant.
How to Use LinkedIn to Generate Leads?
Lead generation is of paramount importance for small businesses in the GTA as it serves as the cornerstone for customer acquisition and revenue growth. Generating a steady stream of leads allows businesses to expand their customer base, fostering competitive advantages in the market. Beyond merely acquiring contacts, effective lead generation involves building relationships, establishing brand awareness, and implementing targeted marketing strategies.
LinkedIn Marketing
There are more than 58 million businesses registered on LinkedIn worldwide. If there is one social media platform where you can expect generating leads as a B2B company, its LinkedIn.
LinkedIn can be utilised for this purpose in two ways, you have your personal LinkedIn account ofcourse, and the company page. Both accounts require attention and efforts in order to actually create a brand identity on this platform and eventually start generating leads.
Owner’s Individual Account
For the individual’s account, put up LinkedIn articles giving valuable information to your target audience. Newsletters and poll questions are also great for engagement. Make sure your content here is hyper personalised. However, to have a network full of your target audience prospects you need a good LinkedIn outreach system.
Pull up a list of LinkedIn profiles of your target audience. LinkedIn Sales navigator makes this a lot easier. Draft a message to send out with a connection invite. Make sure this message is personalised with the person’s name and the company name. Send out connection invites regularly, 80 connection requests per week seems to be the sweet spot for us. Once your connection requests start getting accepted, send a follow up message introducing you and your company. Remember not to sell directly, try to start a valuable conversation, add value and take things from there.
Company Account
Post regular content with your company’s account. This content should again be hyper personalised for your target audience. Try to add value.
You should also be sending page invite requests to your connections. That’s how you bring your audience from your network to your company page.
Here are a few LinkedIn best practices that you should always keep in mind!
- Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile
Ensure your LinkedIn profile is complete, professional, and aligned with your business objectives.
- Create a Company Page:
Establish a compelling LinkedIn Company Page with detailed information about your business, including a concise yet engaging company description.
- Logo and cover
Use a high-quality logo and cover image to enhance brand visibility.
- Leverage LinkedIn Analytics
Use LinkedIn Analytics to track the performance of your posts, ads, and overall engagement. Analyse the data to refine your strategy
- LinkedIn Events
Use LinkedIn Events to promote webinars, conferences, or product launches. This feature can help you reach a wider audience and track registrations.
- Build and Join Relevant Groups
Join and actively participate in LinkedIn groups related to your industry. Engage in discussions, share insights, and connect with group members.
With the given strategies and best practices, you can establish a lead generation system for your small business in the GTA. Need help? Visit https://www.marketingrow.com/services/linkedin-marketing/
How Much Should Your Marketing Budget Be for A Small Business in the GTA
One of the most common conflicts with small business owners in the GTA comes when they are supposed to allocate a budget for the marketing efforts in their company. There are no two ways to put it, marketing is one of the most important functions of any company. It’s how you expand your business and earn more revenue.
However, most of the GTA business owners are confused as to how to do it. As per a common rule of thumb by the BDC, a B2B company should invest anywhere between 2-5% of their annual revenue into their marketing efforts. As a Business owner in the GTA are you doing that?
Pre Budget-Planning
First things first, know your target audience. Who is it that you what to reach through your marketing effort? Set a clear picture of it. What is the age that you want to target? What are their demographics? What are their likes and dislikes? Remember, when targeting a local area, hyper personalization is the key to your success.
Secondly, Set a clear marketing goal in your mind. What exactly do you want as a result of your marketing efforts. Do you want more website traffic? More social media engagement? And more leads of course. At the end of the day everything that you do through your marketing efforts is to get more leads and more revenue.
Budget Allocation
A BDC survey of more than 1400 Canadian businesses, small businesses’ marketing cost average at around $30000 a year. While those with 29-50 employees spend nearly $60000 on marketing annually. However, this is subjective. As discussed earlier, let’s apply the common rule of thumb of 2-5% of the revenue.
Assuming you generate a gross revenue of 1.5-2 Million Canadian Dollars, you should be spending anywhere between $30000 – 50000 in your marketing efforts.
| Gross Revenue | 1.5-2 Million | 2-10 Million | Over 10 Million |
| Average Marketing Budget | $30,000 – $50,000 | $50,000 – $80,000 | Over $1,000,000 |
This rule of thumb also checks out in the BDC survey of 1400 Canadian businesses.
How to spend your marketing budget?
Now you have a clear idea how much you should be investing in your marketing efforts. You must set a clear plan of where you will spend that budget. In today’s digital landscape the majority of every small company’s marketing budget goes into online marketing. Here are a few online marketing channels and you as a business owner has to decide what weighs more importance for your business so you can allocate your budget into these channels smartly and strategically.
1. Website
Everyone is aware of how your website is your online storefront. It is where your target audience can reach out to you 24/7. Therefore, as a small business owner you need to make sure your online storefront is updated and attractive to pull in traffic.
2. Social Media
People of all age demographics use social media. Leveraging the power of social media can be your biggest advantage. However, make sure you know which social media channel is more beneficial for you and focus on that more than other channels.
3. Email Marketing
On average email marketing is known to pull in revenue of $36 for every $1 spent. That stat alone makes it impossible for any marketer to look beyond it.
4. LinkedIn Marketing
LinkedIn is the go-to platform when it comes to marketing of B2B companies. Your customers are actively looking for valuable information and business solutions on LinkedIn, make sure they find you there.
These are a few of the channels you can think about investing in. Remember, in the field of marketing nothing is concrete. The landscape changes regularly and so should your marketing efforts.
