If You’ve Been in Business as long as I have (17 years) then this is Awesome!
Something I’ve been pondering, having researched another 20 innovations in Artificial Intelligence this week: Why is there so much focus on Marketing for AI in the SME space?
If you read through the archives of this newsletter, you will see that for every LaserWeeder we have multiple tools designed to make your business marketing better. At this stage of the AI Hype Cycle, I think there are several reasons for that:
- Every business needs marketing. There are AI tools for process management, recording video meetings, creating team quizzes, or cloning your voice … but each of them has a much smaller target market than creating tools which can be used by any business with a website and a social media presence (ie, all of us).
- It’s technologically easier. I can’t wait for the AI tool that can analyse and benchmark my Profit & Loss statement – but doing that in a meaningful way is way, way harder than creating a Large Language Model with acceptable levels of hallucinations.
- The really sexy IP is proprietary, not readily accessible for SMEs. The most powerful AI tools won’t be released for $99/mth, but will be bundled into Enterprise-level EAPs and CRMs not readily used by SMEs.
- We just don’t have the Data. For years we’ve been told “Data is the New Oil“. Unfortunately, most SMEs just don’t pump enough out of the ground. Some of that is our lack of process (do you ask where every new lead comes from?); Some of it is not needing large software programs (that store data) in order to help our clients; and Some of it is just not having the volume of clients to collate sufficient volume of data (Since I only work with 12 businesses per year, it’s impossible to extrapolate far beyond that information).
So yes – this week’s AI Tool is another one to help with consistency of marketing. And it’s awesome (see below!). But hit ‘Reply’ and tell me what you think. Do AI discussions have too much focus on Marketing? Which area of your business is most in need of additional intelligence to help your SME?
The good news is there are smart teams working on non-marketing applications all over the world. And when I find them, you’ll be the first to know…
- Blackboard Fridays Episode #9 helps you calculate your business’s most valuable investment
- Your AI Tool of the Week will rapidly and effortlessly populate your YouTube / TikTok / Insta Reels
1. Blackboard Fridays Episode #8
Over the past two weeks we’ve discussed the investment of your time as a business owner, and how to do more of the functions you value (and less of the ones you can delegate or delete).
Now look more broadly at your team. It’s a cliche to say your people are your most valuable resource, but in terms of cost they almost certainly are the largest expense on your financial reports.
If you’re investing that much in your people, what’s the return you expect – Wealth, Growth, Revenue, or Margin?
Watch this week’s video or read the article here.
2. Lumen5 Videos – From Blog Post to YouTube in 5 Minutes
Watermark Videos for $0 | Pro Features US$29/mth | Your Brand US$79/mth
The Pitch: “Video creation software that creates video content in a breeze, without any technical expertise.”
It’s now more than 20 years since my first TV show Roadtrippin’ aired in Australia, so I’ve been editing videos for a LOOOOONG time (as an Editor, I make a great Presenter). So how do you embrace the importance of video in your marketing if you don’t have decades of experience or months to learn?
Lumen5 automagically turns blog posts / articles into short videos using stock imagery, videos, and music to liven up the text. Remarkably, even using the zero cost demonstration account like I have below, in just a few minutes even a rookie editor can:
- Select from more than 30 templates and tweak colours
- Optimise for desktop or mobile
- Import direct from a URL, post your own text, or type directly
- Record an optional voiceover
- Amend wherever the AI-generated text, imagery, or music isn’t quite right
Click to see my 60 second Blog-to-Video example.
See the original article it summarised here. I added text for the last graphic with the CTA.
How to use Lumen5 Immediately
- Consistency is the key context for marketing. But it can be hard to find the time to consistently create new content.
- How about all those existing website pages and old blog posts? Turn them into fresh videos, and start publishing them on your social media accounts now. I’ll bet you have enough to share a weekly video for the next few months.
- And when you run out of content, AI gets really cool … head over to that ChatGPT account I had you set up in March, and use that to create (1) A list of helpful blog posts, and then (2) the first draft for each of those ideas.
- I’ll expand on the instructions for this end-to-end solution soon … for now, head over to Lumen5 and paste the URL for your favourite previous page.
With love,
Jacob Aldridge
International Business Advisor
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