Through leaps and bounds, artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed marketing of our enterprises with more certainty in business strategic market planning amongst other critical matters.
Of course, it has helped in various integrations from human resources, financial modelling to the strengthening of overall business structures but here we focus on its marketing refinement.
It is imperative for our entrepreneurs to also move with this development bearing in mind that AI is here to stay such that if you snooze you lose.
Just to give an insight of this technological advancement in overall marketing of our businesses, it is an outcome of computer generated algorithms that have helped to create some personalised recommendations of our customers, data analysis and real time responses to marketing solutions.
The advancement has helped marketers/businesses to clearly understand and promptly/precisely respond to needs/wants of targeted customers for an improved experience.
Life has been made easier for the entrepreneurs as they are only supposed to ask for that data/information they want about their markets and competitors and get highly intelligent responses with detailed reports on their interfaces.
Our entrepreneurs have been operating not knowing the numbers, demographics, likes, characters and any other critical elements of their customers for them to develop customised products/services.
In the current, they are now able to make well-informed decisions from the detailed reports generated through AI.
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Unlike in the past where a business had to hire/employ a number of data collectors/capturers which was costly.
The needed data/information is now cheaply retrieved instantly and in real time.
Also besides being less-costly in carrying out marketing activities, AI has removed bottlenecks in processes, wastages, mistakes and unjustified judgments, thanks to the inventors of our time.
Sure marketing will never be the same again in this era going forward.
That is why our interest for this edition is to explore some of the benefits and task performances that AI has done for some of our progressive entrepreneurs and also can do for your business.
As we proceed, there is need to remind each other that entrepreneurial survival and growth is anchored on a customer-centric operation.
A customer is at the pivot of us and competitors. Hence that is critical in making AI also being at the center.
The good news is that our entrepreneurs are not supposed worry as AI for marketers has a 24/7 customer service embedded in the algorithms.
Unlike with humans, AI doesn’t sleep; it is always there for the customers in our absentia.
Together with the sense that these intelligence systems don’t have some human emotions/attitudes that can be negative in responding to some customer queries/matters.
This also means that disappointments of our customers will be minimum if not totally eliminated.
Also marketing promotional campaigns for the entrepreneurs have been made easier in all aspects through AI.
Where channels to convey marketing communications are well defined in their fitness for that particular type of business and customers.
In most times, entrepreneurs apply the wrong channels that are not part of the community where their customers belong.
Not every customer is a Facebook or X user but that with AI, the marketer will be precisely informed on which channel to follow and meet with which customer(s).
The entrepreneur will not waste time, effort and money using wrong channels thus contributing positively to the overall bottom-line of the business.
The power of AI is endless to the marketers of our generation and beyond. Also besides assisting in the selection of a best channel to apply, AI also provides intelligent advice/guidance on the content creation to use even the designs, pictures, writings, voice and any other critical content creation matters.
Web-content creation gives a competitive leverage to an entrepreneur through not only broadening business voice in all targeted markets but also through showcasing unmatchable designs, story-telling and branding creativity.
This helps in coming up with differentiation that will future develop to monopoly power.
As we then look into the future of our intelligent organisations, we should strike a balance such that human-marketing activities are not eliminated but augmented.
Abovementioned was the elimination of human related costs but not to say they no longer have a productive/profitable role.
In fact, AI has helped in improving their judgement and efficiency with better accuracy than before.
People want to talk/interact/share experiences with people. So as to share feelings, emotions and other human factors that cannot be done by machines.
Even marketing content creation and management in public domains should be carefully done as privacy and strategic other matters of an entrepreneurial business still needs to be safeguarded for a competitive advantage. Till then I leave you to reflect.
*Dr Farai Chigora is a businessman and academic. He is the head of management and entrepreneurship at the Africa University’s College of Business, Peace, Leadership and Governance. His doctoral research focused on business administration (destination marketing and branding major, Ukzn, SA). He is into agribusiness and consults for many companies in Zimbabwe and Africa. He writes in his personal capacity and can be contacted for feedback and business at [email protected], www.fachip.co.zw, WhatsApp mobile: +263772886871
