To AI or Not to AI?

Welcome back to Marketing on Main Street. In this series, we focus on practical ways small businesses can market themselves without overcomplicating the process. Today, let’s talk about AI.

If you have been on social media lately, you have seen the AI flyers. So. Many. Flyers.

I understand why. Graphic design takes time. Hiring a graphic designer costs money. Even Canva requires you to actually sit down and design something. AI can make something in seconds. But I think we may be overlooking some of the best uses of AI for small businesses.

Think Before You Create

Let’s say you have a new product you want to launch. You know what you are selling. You have a rough budget. You have some ideas. But you aren’t quite sure what to do next. Try asking AI.

Tell ChatGPT, Claude, or another AI tool about the product, your customers, your budget and your timeline. Ask it to help you build a basic marketing plan.

• What should you post on social media?
• When should you start promoting?
• Who is your target audience?
• What kinds of advertising should you consider?
• What questions should you ask when you meet with a media company?

It won’t replace a marketing professional, but it can help you organize your thoughts before you get there.

And you don’t even have to type it all out. I use voice transcription all the time. Talk through the idea while it is fresh. Let AI organize it. For small business owners doing ten jobs at once, that can be incredibly useful.

AI Is a Starting Point

There is still a reason professionals exist. AI can suggest that you advertise in local publications. It doesn’t necessarily know which publications make sense, what advertising packages are available or how to get the most out of your budget. A media company, consultant, designer or advertising professional brings real-world experience to the recommendation.

And there is a pretty good chance they are using AI, too. The difference is knowing what to keep, what to change and what simply won’t work in the real world.

One Important Warning

AI is not a truth machine. It can give you a very confident answer that is also very wrong. Check statistics. Verify important information. Be careful about what business information you share. Treat AI-generated information with the same healthy skepticism you should already be using on the internet.

So, to AI or not to AI?
I say AI. Just stop with the flyers.

Use it to brainstorm. Organize. Research. Ask better questions. Build the first draft of a strategy. The flyer might be the flashy part. The thinking may be where AI actually saves your business the most time.

Main Street marketing, done right.

Until next time,
Alice