AI Skills: The Competitive Edge Marketers Can't Afford to Ignore
These days every company is a technology company.
Tech is at the core of every industry and every function. And marketing is no
exception.
We are at the intersection of marketing and high tech,
working in industries that focus on using technology to improve people's lives
and work—telecommunications, networking, weather technology, artificial
intelligence, and digital learning. So, it hasn't been too big a leap for us to
embrace all the ways that marketing has evolved in the digital age.
Of course, tried-and-true marketing methods are still
valuable—but we must augment and enhance those efforts to drive effective
programs that deliver results for our companies. For instance, many marketers
have long used technology to improve precision targeting, drive personalized
recommendations, and predict optimal timing of seasonal promotions.
It is thrilling to watch AI redefine the customer
experience and go-to-market strategies—among many other applications—for
so many organizations around the globe.
And now, the most significant innovation—likely since the
onset of the Internet and the advent of the iPhone—is generative AI (genAI).
Hyperbole? Not at all
GenAI is something entirely new and totally game-changing
because it's made artificial intelligence far more accessible. You need only
look at the latest industry headlines to see how genAI is transforming the way
we do business, how we learn, and how we work.
Quite simply, genAI will affect virtually every member of
the workforce. In fact, a study this year by University of Pennsylvania and
OpenAI predicts at least 80% of all jobs will be influenced, changed, or
augmented by genAI.
All knowledge workers, including marketers, will use this
technology very soon—if they aren't already.
GenAI has the human-like capacity to create content, such as
blog posts, social media updates, scripts, artwork, video, music, and
more. Conversation-based tools, such as ChatGPT, the fastest growing app in
Internet history according to a UBS study, demonstrate impressive
capabilities in understanding context and delivering relevant responses.
As a result, marketers now have a world of opportunities to
create compelling content at scale, engage with customers in real-time, and
deliver personalized experiences—faster than ever before.
But incorporating AI into marketing goes beyond mere
efficiency gains; it's mission-critical to succeeding in today's
hypercompetitive landscape.
At least for now, genAI lacks the most critical and
valuable characteristic of all: humanity.
There is no technology that can empathize or demonstrate
true compassion, or even read between the lines to understand intent without
quite specific human prompts.
And what about the harder to describe—but equally
palpable—qualities that make a piece of marketing truly powerful? Nuance,
irony, personal experience, or fresh perspective, for instance. The human touches.
Good marketers possess classic skills that will remain
critical, even in the age of genAI. For instance, you still need to understand
your target buyer, identify your personas, and know what business challenges
you can help them solve. You can then input that information into genAI tools
to inform your targeting strategy and help you craft the best possible
messages.
Ensuring your team is empowered with technical AI skills and
"power skills"—such as communication, problem-solving, critical
thinking, collaboration, leadership, creativity, and emotional
intelligence—will ensure a more successful and well-rounded team.
Nicole Leffer, a senior marketing leader who has a passion
for AI. Nicole encourages marketers to open themselves to AI's full potential,
but to remember that although AI is an innovative and valuable tool, it needs a
human operator to conceive an idea, give direction, set parameters, provide the
intel and resources the technology needs, and then to edit, adjust, and
improve.
For example, if you're enlisting genAI to help you produce
marketing content, you need to "teach" it your brand's voice by
providing samples, describe the thesis you want it to explore, and explain who
the target audience is. Ask for an outline first, just as you might from a
human writer. Then, work "together," section by section, until
there's output that's ready to review.
The human half of the equation is never far from the
process
To look at it another way, think of genAI as the car and
yourself as its driver. As Dom Toretto in The Fast and the Furious movies
reminds us, "It doesn't matter what's under the hood. The only thing that
matters is who's behind the wheel."
The AI revolution is undeniably having an impact on every
facet of business (and our lives), and that certainly includes marketing.
Consequently, adapting to and embracing new technologies like genAI is not an
option; it's a necessity.
By harnessing AI, we can efficiently and effectively create
highly personalized, data-driven campaigns that resonate with our audience and
deliver exceptional results.
Education plays a crucial role in empowering all of us to
embrace AI with confidence. Upskilling and reskilling initiatives can bridge
skills gaps, ensuring we stay relevant and valuable assets to our
organizations.
AI is not here to replace marketers. Instead, it
is here to empower us to work smarter, make data-driven decisions, and
continually improve our work.
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If you need help with your email, web site, video, or other presentation to promote your company, product, or service, please give me a call at 330-815-1803 or email me at john@x2media.us
Until next month. . . .remember. "you don't get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression." Always make it a good one!!
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