It’s no surprise marketers everywhere have leaned into the wide range of softwares and AI tools available today. Data and automation are such powerful pillars to lean on, but every once in a while we need to broaden our scope. Let’s zoom out a little bit, and do an audit on WHO we should be, HOW to create an ideal client experience, and WHEN to take a quick break from the numbers and shift our attention to the bigger picture.

Here are five human elements AI can’t bring to the table.  

 

1) Be present. Show up! When’s the last time you showed your face on a Zoom call, or took your client out to lunch? If you don’t prioritize your working relationship, they won’t either. There’s a trickle down effect with everything and if you put in the time, they will too. “I just feel like we need more pizazz in our posts” is a human conversation, and we should be there to have it. 

 

2) Be approachable. YOU teach people how to treat you. We are more in control of the information we receive than we think. “Our client seems happy, they haven’t said anything” is an easy thing to tell yourself. Or, “I can’t force them to be more honest than they’re willing to be.” But – are you approachable? If they give you truthful negative feedback, do you seem willing to receive it? Presenting a polished, professional front during your meetings is good – but being viewed as “one of them” is even better. Break down the barrier. If they’re not happy, you want them to seek you out for advice – not secretly Google other initiatives (or companies) behind your back.

 

3) Break from the routine. Throw some darts at the wall every few weeks. Did you see something interesting while scrolling Instagram? Have an interesting shower thought? Make sure these thoughts don’t fizzle out. Carve out some time for a brainstorming session during your check-ins, or toss an “anything goes” doc in the shared drive. It’s great to hit a stride and continue to do what works, but if you bury your head in your AI-driven marketing regimen, you may miss a simple TikTok trend that would give your client’s social media a breath of fresh air.

 

4) Provide human insights. There’s no reason to labor over things that technology does quicker, and frankly, better. Let Excel crunch the numbers, you can even let ChatGPT create a list of competitors. Instead, spend your time supplementing these services with meaningful feedback. “Here’s a chart showing your website traffic” is an AI insight. “Your clients shouldn’t be bouncing from the home page so quickly, I just don’t think the font feels inviting enough” is a human insight. 

5) Be honest. Brands don’t always know what’s best for them. It’s tempting to take on a client that wants 5k new Instagram followers, and is willing to pay for it. But, is that really where they should be focusing? AI might be able to create a social media growth plan, but we have the perspective and context to make tailored recommendations based on our experiences. “How to gain 5k followers in 6 months” is an AI prompt. However, saying “Your target market doesn’t use social media effectively and your new followers likely won’t convert to measurable sales” is a human recommendation. Or, since we’re “being honest” – “Your market is a bit boring for Instagram, let’s try Linkedin”. 

 

There’s no doubt that AI tools and data softwares have revolutionized the world of marketing. As users of these tools, we have the opportunity to shift our focus from “busy work” to providing a creative, insightful, and personalized experience to our clients. Let’s make sure we maximize that at all times. 

To put a bow on it – I asked AI to “create an infographic for a blog post about marketing tips and tricks”, and got this image below. Could it pass as a stock photo? Sure. But is it effective? Does it send a clear message? Is it useful for this blog post? Let a human decide.

Get in touch with our team to stand out from the rest!