With A Straight Bat

Marketing Automation | AI | Machine Learning (ML) | Analytics | Data Science

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The world of B2B marketing is changing, for real! With Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Predictive Analytics, AI technologies have opened up new opportunities for marketers. Most of us are flirting with multiple tools and tech that promise the moon. While some experiments are working—better reach, campaign optimization, driving incremental revenue gains—some are leaving us richer with lessons learnt. Both ways, it’s a positive gain!  

But if I’d to point in the direction of real profit, it has to be the ability to automate time-consuming and resource-draining tasks. Having spent many years in marketing, I always despised the idea of squandering productive professional hours on repetitive work or jobs that called for little intellect. But now I am happy. AI-powered chatbots have taken the weight off me by picking up a list of essential but cliche-ridden tasks. My smart colleagues don’t have to spend time on certain types of customer queries, stay stuck in scheduling activities or provide personalized recommendations that can follow a set rule.

Likewise, AI algorithms have taken a proficient ownership of analyzing vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends, providing insights into customer behavior, preferences, and needs. But while AI has proven its resourcefulness, the ability of marketers to ask the right questions is still suspect. In many instances, I’ve seen marketers putting AI on the wrong trail by asking a false question. Another challenge is our collective leaning towards returning to old mores, even when granular insights beg attention.

I didn’t have an answer until I read the article—Why You Aren’t Getting More from Your Marketing AI—in Harvard Business Review. The authors skillfully explain why “Fewer than 40% of companies that invest in AI see gains from it,” and provide a framework that offers clarity. Here’s a link for you to check.  

Why You Aren’t Getting More from Your Marketing AI (hbr.org)   

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash