Episode Transcript
[00:00:03] Is your marketing feeling a little stale?
[00:00:06] In a world of AI, automation and endless trends, it's easy to get lost.
[00:00:11] But what if you could market your business in a way that feels authentic, impactful and, well, natural?
[00:00:19] Welcome to the Natural Marketer Podcast. I'm your host, Victoria.
[00:00:23] This isn't about keeping up, it's about getting ahead.
[00:00:27] I'm going to give you real, actionable strategies to build a business that connects with your customers on a human level.
[00:00:35] Welcome back to the Natural Marketer Podcast.
[00:00:38] Starting off season two with Impact, the show that's dedicated to helping small business owners and digital creators thrive in an ever changing landscape. I'm your host, Victoria the Natural Marketer, and today we're tackling a topic that's not just buzzing, but fundamentally reshaping our lives.
[00:00:57] It's the evolving marketer. How we're adapting to AI and automations.
[00:01:04] Now, I know what some of you are thinking.
[00:01:06] You hear AI, your mind jumps to robots taking over, or carefully crafted marketing strategies being replaced by an algorithm. Is AI going to take my job?
[00:01:16] Is automation going to make my marketing efforts obsolete? These are all valid questions and it's easy to feel overwhelmed by this rapid pace of technology, technological change.
[00:01:26] But here's the truth.
[00:01:28] AI and automation aren't here to replace us. They're here to evolve us.
[00:01:33] Think of it as a less like a threat and more like a new, incredible powerful tool in your toolbox.
[00:01:40] Think Chat, gbt, Gemini and Facebook all in one.
[00:01:47] These are pretty powerful tools, right?
[00:01:50] The best marketers in the coming years won't be the ones who ignore AI, but the ones who master how to use it to their advantage.
[00:01:58] That's what I'm doing and I'm here to help you do the same.
[00:02:02] They will be the ones who understand how to use these tools to enhance their creativity, not to replace it. It's about using it for thought process and not scripting.
[00:02:15] So where is this actually happening right now? For small business owners like you, the changes aren't just about big tech companies. They're already in the tools you use every day. We're talking about tools like AI to write first drafts of social media posts or to generate a quick email search subject line.
[00:02:32] We're seeing automation handle tasks like scheduling those posts or sending out a follow up email to a customer who abandoned their cart. These aren't futuristic concepts. They're happening right now. They're freeing up your time so you can focus on the bigger picture.
[00:02:49] That's what we're going to dive into today.
[00:02:52] We'll be exploring the current trends you need to be aware of and the challenges they present.
[00:02:58] Most importantly will be giving you practical, actionable strategies not just to adapt, but truly understand these powerful tools. We're going to talk about which tasks you should be automating, which tools are actually worth your time and money, and how to maintain those authentic voice and personal touches that your customers love, even when you're using this technology.
[00:03:24] By the end of this episode, my goal is to give you less intimidated and more empowered. You'll have a clear understanding of how to integrate AI and automation into your existing marketing efforts, giving you a competitive edge and freeing up time for the truly strategic, creative and human work that machines cannot do.
[00:03:48] So let's get into it. It's time to evolve, not panic. Get your move.
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[00:04:01] It's time to elevate that show.
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[00:04:36] Visit trimradio.com now.
[00:04:41] Welcome back.
[00:04:43] Let's start by really understanding what we mean when we talk about AI and automations in marketing.
[00:04:50] We're not talking about robots taking over your email campaigns. We're talking about sophisticated algorithms that can analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, personalize content and scale, and even predict future trends.
[00:05:08] One of the biggest current trends is the rise of AI powered content creation tools.
[00:05:13] Think about tools that can help you brainstorm blog ideas, write social media captions, or even draft entire email sequences.
[00:05:23] This isn't about replacing human creativity, but augmenting it.
[00:05:27] For instance, a small business owner who struggles with writer's block can use a tool like Jasper or copy AI to generate initial drafts, then refine them with their unique brand voice.
[00:05:41] It helps you from a blank page to a finished project faster than ever before.
[00:05:46] This is a game changer for those who are a team of one.
[00:05:53] It makes you look like a team of many.
[00:05:55] Let's be honest.
[00:05:56] Another significant trend is intelligent, automated in customer service and lead nurturing chatbots. We've all seen them. Chatbots can handle routine customer inquiries 24 7, freeing up your time to focus on Complex issues.
[00:06:13] Imagine the chatbot on your website answering common questions about your store hours or shipping policies, allowing you to spend more time on strategic business decisions.
[00:06:22] Similarly, automated email sequences triggered by specific user behaviors like signing up for your newsletter or viewing a product on a website, ensure that leads are consistently nurtured with relevant information, increasing conversion rates without constant manual intervention.
[00:06:40] Tools like HubSpot or Mailchimp have been going for this for years. But with a new layer of AI, this personalization can be even more effective.
[00:06:49] I personally use either of those tools anymore because I found a simpler way and a more user friendly way.
[00:06:58] So we're going to jump into some more things. But let's understand automation and AI.
[00:07:05] It's here to make your life easier. It's here to make your business more customer friendly. Now let's talk about navigating the challenges.
[00:07:16] Now, with these exciting advancements come common challenges.
[00:07:20] The biggest one I hear is data quality and privacy concerns.
[00:07:25] AI is only as good as the data it's fed.
[00:07:28] If your customer data is messy or incomplete, your AI output will be too.
[00:07:33] Remember, garbage in, garbage out.
[00:07:36] You need to make sure your data is clean and organized for those tools to work effectively.
[00:07:41] You also need to be aware of privacy regulations and transparency with your customers about their data that's being used.
[00:07:50] Another challenge is the black box phenomenon, when it's not always clear how an AI arrived at a particular conclusion, making it difficult to troubleshoot or optimize. You might get a great recommendation from an AI, but if you don't know why it was made for that recommendation, you can't learn from it or apply that insight yourself in the future.
[00:08:15] Finally, there's a risk of losing a human touch if we rely too heavily on automation. Without strategic oversight, your brand is built on a unique voice, your story and your personal connection.
[00:08:27] So automation should be used to support that, not to replace it.
[00:08:33] And of course, we have to find the balance.
[00:08:36] So how do we find that right balance?
[00:08:38] Let's consider a hypothetical online boutique.
[00:08:41] It might use AI to customer browse history and purchase patterns that automatically recommend personalized product bundles. For example, if a customer browses a different kinds of candles, the AI might automatically send an email suggesting a specific scent based on their behavior.
[00:09:00] The challenge here isn't just about setting it up, but ensuring the recommendations feel genuine and not simply generic.
[00:09:09] The effective approach involves human oversight to ensure that the personalization aligns with the brand's unique customer experience. Experience.
[00:09:15] Maybe you would add an AI human touch.
[00:09:19] Maybe you add a human touch to automate the Email like a short personal note from you, the owner.
[00:09:25] It's about balance. Using the data to inform your intuition, not to replace it.
[00:09:31] So where do you start?
[00:09:32] Don't try to automate everything at once. Start with a single repetitive task. Maybe it's scheduling your social media post or setting up simple email sequences for for new subscribers. Experiment with free low cost AI writing tools like Grammarly or Jasper for just a few blog post titles.
[00:09:55] The key is to make small manageable steps. By doing so, you can gradually integrate these tools into workflow.
[00:10:03] So where what works for your business and truly evolves your marketing efforts.
[00:10:08] It's time for you to evolve in your marketing, not panic.
[00:10:13] My preferred tool and I'm going to put this out there. I prefer Google Gemini.
[00:10:19] I like Google Gemini because it's about having a conversation.
[00:10:23] You type in questions, you talk to Gemini like you do your Alexa or your.
[00:10:31] I don't know what the other tools are. I have an Alexa myself. So let's just say it's like talking to Alexa or Siri. There we go. Suri was the other one. I knew it would come to me guys. But in the meantime, you know, think, think about things that you do on a daily basis that could take away less headaches for you.
[00:10:49] Is it about sending an automated email to email new email subscribers without having to you do it yourself? These should already be things should already be automated yourself because that, that has been an evolution for the last five to 10 years.
[00:11:06] So we're really taking it to the next level. We're creating a personalized automated email for new subscribers. So let's say an email subscriber comes into your website and they click on the page about I'm going to use my website, for example, they go to real estate marketing. You don't want to give them your entire business plan. You want to give them tools that are available for real estate marketing, not home services, not e commerce and not digital creators.
[00:11:36] Those of course are the four areas that I cover on my company, but those are examples. So the customer comes into a landing page that's related to real estate marketing. You want to have them subscribe and based on that form that's on that page, you then create an automation that goes out to that new subscriber related to real estate marketing and that's it. So you're welcoming them with the information that they just looked at, not all of the information about your company.
[00:12:04] Okay, so it's, it's about making them feel like you saw them and you heard what they're looking at or you overheard them talking to themselves on the website and you're, you're, you're, you're thinking, oh my God, I get that from Facebook all the time. Yes, we all have that. Facebook can hear you, everybody. Facebook has these little algorithms that read the data within your Messenger. Okay, And I'm going to give you example. I've had conversations with relatives on messenger and I talk to the person, these couple of people on messenger all the time because they're out of the country. So I'm talking to them on messenger and the next day I'll start getting messages about things that we talked about. So if you're like me, you're like, oh yeah, AI is out there, AI is taking over the world. No, that's just their way of marketing the, the advertisements that are available to them based on what you talked about. So it's using the data that's giving garbage in, garbage out, remember? So in this instance the data from our conversation was the data that meta was collecting.
[00:13:08] Don't like that idea because I never opted into it with meta, but that's what they do, so be careful with that.
[00:13:15] The other thing you have to think about too is when you're searching on, on Google and I'm an avid Google user, so this is a perfect example. You go into Google, you start searching for specific topics. All of a sudden you start seeing all these random pop ups coming up about that topic that you were just searching. It's an algorithm, guys. It's how data is being crunched and managed and manipulated based on your location and etc. Etc.
[00:13:40] So how do you stop this from happening? Well, there's ways to turn off, turn off, you know, searches in Google. You can go with a non data encrypted browser like DuckDuckGo.
[00:13:53] Apple uses a non encrypted version as well. So there's, there's ways to getting around this. But for small businesses like mine, and I'm sure like yours, you need ways to take advantage of these tools. You need to leverage the data that's out there, but leverage it in an ethical manner. Don't manipulate it to take advantage of people because that will be done with AI. That's what we mean by, you know, AI taking over the world. We're not going to go there, we're going to go into a strategic manner of how we handle this. So it's again, it's about finding the tools that are useful for you using automations to enhance your daily activities. It's about navigating the challenges that you face. And it's about finding the right balance to those those challenges.
[00:14:40] So we're going to continue on in just a minute, but stay tuned. Come back with more. We're going to have some actual insights to take in from here.
[00:14:49] Are you tired of a website that's just there? Are you a realtor closing deals? A creator building your brand? An e commerce guru with products to sell? Or a home services pro making houses shine? Your online presence should be as dynamic as you are at V. Smith Media. I don't just build websites. I craft digital storefronts that convert from stunning showcases, showcases for real estate listings, to seamless e commerce platforms that drive sales to portfolio sites that make your creativity pop.
[00:15:18] I build the digital foundation for your success. VSmith Media designed for your future. It's your move. Visit VSmithMedia.com welcome back to the show.
[00:15:30] So in the first half we laid out the groundwork discussing what AI and automation really mean for small business owners and digital creators.
[00:15:37] We talked about how these tools are here to evolve us, not to replace us.
[00:15:41] But the big question still remains.
[00:15:44] How do we as natural marketers practically apply these powerful tools without losing our unique touch?
[00:15:51] It all comes down to strategic integration.
[00:15:54] You don't need a massive team or a huge budget. What you need is a framework, a simple guide to help you make smart choices. And that's exactly what I'm going to get give you today.
[00:16:05] So I've broken this, this practical framework down into three steps. I call it the three Rs of AI and automation integration.
[00:16:16] So here they go. Step one research and identify.
[00:16:21] The first R is Research and Identify.
[00:16:24] Before you can download a single app or show up for a new service, I want you to take a close look at your existing marketing flow workflow. Grab a notebook or document and jot this down all the tasks you do on a weekly and a monthly basis. Which of these tools are repetitive, data intensive, or require quick personalized responses at scale?
[00:16:51] So example, maybe you spend hours writing social media posts from scratch.
[00:16:56] You're constantly answering the same questions in your DMs. Or perhaps you're struggling to come up with the new content ideas for blogs.
[00:17:05] These are perfect opportunities for AI and automation.
[00:17:09] You're looking for the tasks that feel like a grind, the ones that are necessary but don't necessarily spark your creative passion.
[00:17:16] Identifying these areas is most critical first step because it prevents you from jumping on the bandwagon and ending up on up with a real tool that doesn't actually solve a problem for Your business.
[00:17:29] So what are yours? Why don't you take a minute and start writing those down?
[00:17:34] In the meantime, let's talk about step two. That's the ramp up and test phase.
[00:17:39] Once you've identified a couple of key areas, don't try to automate everything at once. This is a common pitfall. Small business owners get excited and they over automate leading to frustration and sense of being overwhelmed.
[00:17:53] Instead, choose just one or two specific tasks where AI and automation can help have a significant and measurable impact on your day to day.
[00:18:02] For instance, if your biggest time suck is social media, try an AI content generator like Jasper or Copy AI for your first drafts.
[00:18:13] Give it a clear prompt. Write three social media captions for a new handmade candle scent called Forest Retreat.
[00:18:19] It'll give you a starting point saying that you have saying that you have time and start staring at the screen if you're drowning Customer Service Emails Explore a simple chatbot for your website FAQ section.
[00:18:33] The key here is to start small, test and measure the results.
[00:18:39] Did using the AI tools save you time? Did the chatbot successfully answer a percentage of your customer inquiries?
[00:18:45] This focused, measured approach helps you learn what works for your unique business without massive investment of time and money.
[00:18:54] Let me tell you how it helped me and this is real world truth guys.
[00:18:59] So when I attended the Google Marketing Live event this year for the first time, it opened a lot of passion and new drive for me because obviously I work with E commerce and Google is a big part of my day to day, okay? And I told you earlier that I prefer Google Gemini. Here's why.
[00:19:21] So after the Marketing Live event I started outlining which direction I wanted to go with my business and I had a few thoughts, few ideas and I pulled up Google Gemini and I said Gemini outline, a 12 week program for digital marketer looking to market small businesses, real estate agents, home service companies and E commerce. Okay. And it spit out this nice documented Word document or Google Doc with a lot of great ideas. And so from there what I had to do is I said okay, next step is let's think about what it gave us. It didn't just come up with this because this is stuff that it found online that has worked for people in it and it uses the data. So I thought okay, this is pretty cool. This is pretty cool. This is the first time I'd ever used it. Okay?
[00:20:14] So that was my first, that was my first run at it. Well then as Google Gemini started expanding after Google Marketing Live, they then came out with the, you know, Google Video, Google, you know, Google Gemini for video and Google Gemini for research and creating images. And now they have guided learning. So they've expanded it already in the last three months since they, they've officially launched it to the public.
[00:20:40] But I was obviously using it in beta, so it was pretty cool. But needless to say, the reason I chose Gemini as my AI tool was because like I said earlier, it's like having a conversation. I was able to converse with this chatbot per se and give it my thoughts and it would generate information. It was pretty cool. So me being a graphic designer, from there I just took it and I ran with it and I created some elements that I needed, etc. Etc.
[00:21:11] So now what I do on a regular basis is every quarter I sit down and I outline what I want to cover for that quarter and I put it into the algorithm and, or Gemini in this case and I create my plants. Okay, now it's just an outline, it's not giving me specific details. From there I have to come up with the thought preferences and the, and the language and the brand voice, etc. So you know, it's, it's, it's fun for me. But that's where it comes up with ramp up and test. So I knew that my biggest struggle was coming up with the content for a three month period. So that was my tool that I knew I needed to do on a weekly or monthly basis. I had to find that information that I needed to automate and I researched it, I collected it and I identified it. So that was my step one. My step two was then I found out which tool I wanted to use. I generated the AI content in Google Gemini and it gave me some information so it measured the results for me. I did a small test that first quarter, this was back in April when I did that after that. And then now I'm in the refine and rehumanize. So now what I'm doing is taking it to the next level by incorporating it into obviously the podcast that you're hearing today. So I outlined my season of the podcast because that's what I always struggled with. I have lots of information, but organizing it in a fashion that is meaningful for my audience. I had to use that. And as you hear me losing my voice, it's because I'm passionate about the things I do. And so when I start losing my voice is because I'm excited. So you'll get used to to that over time.
[00:22:47] But so that, that was our step one and our step two. Now we're going into step three, we're going into the refinery Humanize, which is the third and most critical R in the. R in the, in the, in the process.
[00:22:58] So once you've implemented AI or your automation, don't just set it and forget it. This is where you, you are the natural marketer like me. That's where this part comes in consistent. Continuously refine those outputs.
[00:23:12] If you're using AI content tool like Gemini or ChatGPT, in most cases the words it gives you should only be the clay, it's not the final sculpture. So you need to add your unique voice and your personality. My catchphrase is it's your move. So I try to incorporate that into the, into the algorithm. So a chat might answer a question, but you can still follow up with a personalized message to build that real connection.
[00:23:37] So you're again, you're conversating but then you're coming up with the final answer.
[00:23:42] So remember our online boutique earlier that we talked about, they might use AI to recommend products to customers based on their browse history, but the rehumanization comes in when they add a little note to the automated email. Just the thought, since you loved our cozy fall candle, you might also like our warm hearth one. Let me know if you have any questions. I'm happy to answer it. Answer any questions.
[00:24:08] So that's a common pitfall included over automating and losing that personal connection. Remember, our audience still wants to connect with real people. They want to hear from you.
[00:24:19] They don't want to be talking to, you know, Bob in India at the call center, they want to be talking to new being. So you have to remember to personalize that chat thought or the automation.
[00:24:30] Remember our audience are still real people so we need to make them feel like they're still connecting with real people so they want to hear from you. So the solution here for you is set clear boundaries for your automation and to consistently review its effectiveness, allowing prioritization and genuine engagement. The goal is to free your time for those high volume, high value, high touch interactions, the conversations, the strategy, the creative work that truly define your brand.
[00:25:00] So remember, it's strategy, it's not the final product.
[00:25:06] All right, welcome back.
[00:25:08] Wow. We've covered a lot today about adapting to the evolving marketing landscape with AI as an automations.
[00:25:15] Let's look, let's quickly recap.
[00:25:17] Today we've discussed how AI isn't about replacing but empowering you.
[00:25:22] We've explored current trends like AI powered content creation, intelligent automation and customer service and of course leadership Nurturing like the online boutique. And we've looked at challenges emphasizing the critical need for strategic information to maintain your unique human touch. The key takeaway here is that these tools are your new assistants. You're not your replacements.
[00:25:45] Now, for those of you feeling inspired and ready to dive in, here are two to three specific concrete, actionable steps you can take right away after listening to this episode. No need to feel overwhelmed or starting very small.
[00:25:59] So here's your tasks for today.
[00:26:02] Number one I want you to identify one task that's repetitive in your business that could potentially be struggling with automation or AI.
[00:26:12] Don't try to solve any of these problems at once.
[00:26:15] Focus on the single task that consistently drains your time. This could be anything from scheduling your social media post for the week, generating a list of blog ideas, or writing your first draft of an email subject line.
[00:26:28] Picking just one of these makes this whole process much more manageable. Step number two Task number two I want you to research one tool.
[00:26:38] Once you have that task in mind from the first step, I want you to research one AI tool or automation platform relevant to that task.
[00:26:48] Many platforms offer free trial so you can experiment without commitment. For example, if you want to help with your social media, you might look into a tool like Buffer or hootsuite, which have free plans.
[00:27:01] If content creation is your focus, you could try a tool like Jasper or free versions of chatbeat, GBC or Gemini for brainstorming ideas or drafting content.
[00:27:12] The Internet is full of resources. A quick search of free AI tools for social media content or marketing automation for small businesses will give you plenty of options to explore.
[00:27:22] The goal is to find a tool that solves your specific problem.
[00:27:27] Now, after you've done step one and step two, I want you to experiment for one week.
[00:27:32] Okay?
[00:27:33] In that one week, I want you paying close attention to how the impacts your time and the quality of your output.
[00:27:41] Remember the R from the framework. Refine and rehumanize.
[00:27:44] Don't just copy and paste what you find. Use this will get 80% of the way there.
[00:27:49] Then infuse it with your unique voice, brand personality and expertise. This is where your true value as a natural marketer comes in. In now's your move.
[00:28:01] I encourage you to take these steps and start integrating AI, automation automation thoughtfully into your marketing efforts.
[00:28:09] It's about working smarter, not harder. So just to free up your time to focus on strategic, creative and human parts of your business that can only that only you can do. And when you do, I want to hear from your experiences. I want you to share your biggest takeaways from today's episode and how AI automation your business on social media using the hashtag Natural Marketer. Remember, that's naturalmarketer.
[00:28:36] For more in depth resources, guides and a list of recommended AI automation tools, you can visit my website, vsmithmedia.com that's vsmithmedia.com you can also join my new community, digital footprints101 that's digitalfootprints101.com to connect with other small business owners and digital creators navigating this exciting landscape.
[00:29:00] Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode of the Natural Marketer Podcast. I hope you feel more confident empowered to embrace the future of marketing with AI and automation.
[00:29:09] Remember, the goal isn't to be replaced by technology, but to leverage it to amplify your unique skills and grow your business more effectively.
[00:29:18] In two weeks we're going to shift gears and talk about something equally vital for long term success and that's building unshakable brands loyalty in a saturated market. You don't want to miss that episode.
[00:29:29] That's going to be August 21st. Until then, keep creating, keep adapting and keep marketing naturally. I'm Victoria and this has been the Natural Marketer Podcast.
[00:29:40] It's your move.
