I’m sure you’ve seen chatter about Chat GPT and how it’s going to revolutionize marketing, or depending on who you follow, steal all of the marketer's jobs. I resisted the platform for a while, my excuse being that I didn’t want AI to replace my creativity or tell me what to think. I do genuinely believe that we need to be mindful of not allowing algorithms and AI to replace our critical thinking skills, but the flip side is the time-saving power that we now have at our fingertips. 

So, how can Chat GPT help marketers, and small business owners streamline their marketing? 

Well, if you ask Chat GPT…

Chat GPT can be a useful marketing tool for small businesses by generating personalized content for social media and websites, automating customer support to save time and improve customer service, and assisting in lead generation by creating targeted advertisements and email campaigns based on customer data.

If I wanted to, I could have asked it to expand on that and write this whole blog post for me, but instead, I’ll tell you how I’m actually using it day to day. 

I’m finding the platform a useful point to start brainstorming ideas, particularly now that I’m working on my own 90% of the time, and don’t have another person to bounce ideas off. For example, I might ask Chat GPT for some content pillars for a new social media client that I’m onboarding, then I’ll ask it to expand on those and give me 10 content ideas for each of these pillars. These outputs certainly aren’t what’s being used in the strategies that I create for my clients, but they provide a great starting point for me to flesh out. One of those content ideas will likely spark 10 original ones, just like what would happen if I was in a room with someone else throwing ideas back and forth.

I also use it when I’m writing copy for ads. I’ll say something like “write me ad copy for a Tasmanian small business that makes knitted children's clothing”.

Looking for high-quality, cozy and stylish clothing for your little ones? Look no further than our Tasmanian small business!

We specialize in hand-knitted children's clothing made from premium materials that will keep your kids warm and comfortable all year round. Our knitted designs are not only practical, but also trendy and fun, with bright colors and playful patterns that your kids will love.

Again, this isn’t what I’d use for my client, but I can take this and use it as the base, then add in the brand’s unique selling points, highlight their brand values, talk about specific features of the collection we’re promoting, and mention the founder and their ‘why’. If I wanted to take it further, I could input 5 pieces of the clients existing content, and ask Chat GPT to re write the content in the clients brand voice.

Ultimately, I currently see Chat GPT as a brainstorming tool, and I’m sure as time goes on, I’ll dive deeper into its true power and use it in all the incredible ways that I know it’s capable of, but just haven’t had the time to explore yet.