How to evaluate your marketing processes before integrating AI

We talk a lot about AI and all the new tools in marketing.

Before we try the new shiny toys, we need to review our current processes to find what’s working and what can be improved.

Why you need to start from your current processes

You don’t know what you need until you spend some time evaluating your current situation.

“Generative AI” can mean a lot of things.

It’s time to make it more specific.

Today we are looking at a step-by-step process for evaluating your current marketing activities (before you add AI to the mix)

Step 1: Document your current marketing workflows

Start with a deep dive into your existing marketing workflows. Take the time to document each step.

Let’s say you want to document your campaign planning process.

Create an overview of the steps that the workflow includes.

Here is an example.

This process will provide a solid foundation for assessing where AI can make a meaningful impact.

Step 2: Identify pain points and challenges

Within your marketing processes, there are inevitably pain points and challenges. These may be time-consuming tasks, manual data analysis, or scalability issues.

Identifying these challenges is crucial as they often represent prime opportunities for AI intervention.

Let’s go back to the example of campaign planning.

If you look at the workflow, you may identify areas where you need more support.

Step 3: Analyse data and insights

Your marketing efforts have likely generated a wealth of data.

Dive into this data to uncover insights about customer behaviour, campaign performance, and engagement metrics.

Step 4: Engage your marketing team

Your marketing team members are important in gaining insights into current processes and the challenges they face. Their input can offer a unique perspective on where AI can streamline operations.

Step 5: Monitor the latest industry trends

The best way to integrate the right AI tools into your process is to keep up with industry best practices and how other businesses are successfully integrating AI.

This benchmarking not only provides inspiration but also helps set realistic expectations.

Step 7: Evaluate scalability

Consider the scalability of your marketing workflows. As your business grows, manual processes may become overwhelming. AI can help automate tasks and ensure processes evolve seamlessly with your business.

Step 8: Balance costs and benefits

Conduct a cost-benefit analysis to weigh the costs of AI implementation against the potential benefits. Consider factors like reduced labour costs, improved efficiency, and increased revenue.

Step 9: Review your marketing technology stack

Assess your current marketing technology stack for compatibility with AI integration. AI should complement your existing tools seamlessly.

Step 10: Ensure data privacy and compliance

Data privacy is paramount. Ensure your AI integration plans adhere to data privacy regulations and industry standards to safeguard customer data.

Step 11: Develop a comprehensive roadmap

Create a detailed roadmap for AI integration, specifying each step's tasks, objectives, and timelines.

START SMALL. You can create a roadmap but you don’t need to implement all the changes at once.

Step 12: Provide training to your team

Prepare your marketing team by providing the necessary training. Equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to work effectively with AI tools and platforms.

Step 13: Embrace continuous improvement

Lastly, cultivate a culture of continuous monitoring and optimisation. This iterative approach ensures that your marketing workflows remain efficient and effective as technology evolves.

To make this evaluation process even more straightforward, I've prepared a more visual step-by-step checklist.

Over the next weeks, we’ll look at the next steps you need to follow to ensure a successful integration of AI into your existing marketing workflows.

Next step: setting your objectives.

Make sure you subscribe to be notified of the next posts