Why small businesses should embrace AI and automation
It seems like everyone is talking about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation these days. But for a small to medium enterprise (SME) like yours, it’s not about the hype; it’s about getting more done with a smaller team. Think of AI as your newest, cheapest, and most tireless intern, ready to tackle the tasks that slow you down.
By automating the routine, you free up your sharpest minds to focus on high-value initiatives, like improving your Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) or finally launching that website development project.
Simple marketing wins with AI
AI is brilliant at generating the “grunt work” content that eats up hours. Your marketing manager doesn’t need to spend all morning writing social media captions when tools can deliver a dozen options in seconds.
- Content ideas: Use free tools like ChatGPT to brainstorm blog post ideas tailored to your audience.
- Drafting: Get the first draft for email subject lines, short summaries, or ad copy done fast, then refine it with your human touch.
- Visuals and polish: Platforms like Canva (with its AI features) can help create marketing graphics, and tools like Grammarly ensure your communication is always professional.
This shift means they can focus on the big-picture SEO strategy that drives long-term traffic, rather than the daily grind.
Putting admin on autopilot
Automation is all about connecting the dots between the apps you already use. It’s about ensuring your business processes flow automatically, reducing manual data entry and human error.
- Invoicing and scheduling: Automate routine administrative tasks like drafting invoices when a project hits a certain milestone, or using scheduling tools to remove the back-and-forth of booking meetings.
- Instant communication: Use tools like Zapier or Make to automate messages from various systems into one place, like Slack. For example, automatically send a notification to your team’s channel the second a new enquiry form is submitted on your website. No more waiting on email alerts!
Starting your automation pilot project
Ready to try it out? Start small to ensure success and build confidence within your team.
- Identify one pain point: Choose a single, highly repetitive task that is rules-based and low-risk. For example, the manual process of adding new leads from your website into your CRM.
- Set clear, measurable goals: Define success, e.g., “Reduce the time spent on lead entry by 75% in the next month.”
- Choose a low-code tool: Use a simple, accessible tool (like Zapier or Make) that doesn’t require complex coding.
- Test and tweak: Start the pilot with a small group, gather their feedback, and refine the workflow before expanding. A successful small win builds momentum for bigger projects later on.
Want to improve your website’s ability to seamlessly integrate with your other business systems? We’re the experts in custom connections, and our Website Care service keeps your automations running smoothly. Reach out to us to discuss how we can build a smarter flow for your website’s data, or call us on (07) 3333 2932.