How AI is Reshaping Small Business Marketing
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I'll be honest - as a solo business owner, my marketing to-do list sometimes feels endless.\
Maybe you can relate?
Between creating content for your business, nurturing your email list, and connecting with potential clients, marketing could be a full-time job. (And for most solopreneurs and freelancers, it's just ONE piece of running our businesses.)
That's partly why I've been studying how AI fits into marketing lately.
Not because it's the only way forward, but because I'm interested in tools that might make our lives as online business owners a bit easier.
Let's look at some ways AI can work alongside your existing marketing approaches.
Making Marketing More Manageable With AI Tools
The interesting part about AI in marketing is how it can help us understand and connect with our audiences. Through AI-driven customer segmentation, online businesses can learn more about who they're serving, and what those people might find helpful.
So, what does this mean?
Here's what this might look like in practice:
Your email list organized into groups based on what your subscribers read and click
Your website suggests relevant content or services for each visitor
Your ads learn and adjust using machine learning in ad optimization
Your customer service helps with questions through conversational AI while you're focused on client work
What AI Marketing Means for Your Business
As a solopreneur or freelancer, you might be wondering HOW this fits into your business.
The tools have gotten simpler and more affordable, making them more accessible for independent business owners.
You don't need to be a tech expert or have a big budget to try them out.
Some ways this could help:
More time for client work and business development
Better insights about your audience (using predictive analytics in marketing)
Smarter spending on ads that reach the right people
Space to focus on the parts of your business that need your personal touch
And it's not just me seeing the potential here - the numbers around small businesses using AI are pretty eye-opening. In 2024, about 39% of small businesses are using AI - that's more than double from just last year!
And here's what I find exciting for us solo and small team business owners: even the smallest businesses (solopreneurs and tiny teams of 1-4 people) are increasingly embracing AI tools. Of the businesses actively using AI, 91% say it will help their business grow in the future. That's pretty encouraging for those of us considering adding these tools to our workflow!
And another interesting note: Millennial and Gen Z small business owners are using AI at a much higher rate (68%) compared to Gen X and Boomer owners (45%) (As a 1980’s baby, I’m solidly between Millennial and Gen X, so not sure where that puts me…)
But to be real - those numbers only matter if we're using AI in ways that respect our audiences and build genuine connections. As solopreneurs, we know our personal touch is what makes our businesses special, so any AI tools need to enhance rather than replace that connection.
Getting Started: Here Are Some Simple Ways to Try AI in Your Business
Let's look at what might fit into your day-to-day operations as a solo business owner:
1. Making Content Creation More Manageable
AI content generation tools can help with:
Brainstorming or first drafts of blog posts for your business
Different options for social media captions
Ideas for content your audience might find valuable
Newsletter drafts and email sequences
2. Smarter Email Marketing
Some ideas to consider:
Organizing your email list based on what interests different subscribers
Creating subject lines that resonate with your audience ( ← click this link for free access to a subject line generator GPT I made for you)
Sending emails when your subscribers tend to read them
Building sequences that adapt to subscriber interests
3. Client Communication
Some possibilities:
Quick responses for common inquiries about your services
Help for potential clients when you're working or sleeping or leisure-ing
Understanding patterns in what clients often ask about
Following up with leads while you're focused on current clients
The Long View: What This Means for Our Work
What to consider as we move forward
As business owners exploring AI, we need to think about both the immediate benefits and the bigger picture.
Here's what I'm paying attention to:
01. Our Unique Voice & Personalization
AI helps with tasks but YOUR perspective and experience are what make your business special!
Think of AI writing as a collaborative starting point, NOT a replacement for anything
Keep building genuine connections with your audience
02. Privacy and Trust Matter More Than Ever
Being clear with your audience about how you use AI
Protecting customer data (and only collecting what you actually need)
Making sure personalization helps, rather than feels intrusive
Giving people control over their information
03. Small Steps Work
Try ONE tool that interests you (like ChatGPT for brainstorming, Gamma to create a slide deck, Perplexity to search the interwebs)
See what helps your specific business
Build on what feels right for you
Changes in How We Work
Marketing is shifting, and that means our skills need to evolve too.
I'm seeing more focus on:
Strategic thinking about how to use AI effectively
Understanding both data and human psychology
Balancing automation with authentic connection
Learning when to use AI and when to keep things personal
I see AI as another tool in our online business toolkit - working alongside our creativity, personality, and specific expertise to make certain tasks more manageable. It’s not about taking over people’s creativity or replacing whole teams, it’s about finding what works for YOUR unique business and brain, and about making AI fit into your business in a way that feels authentic to you.
Prompt Like a Pro:
Free AI Strategy Guide for Small Business Owners & Solopreneurs
Want to cut your workload in half?
Learn how to strategically use AI to handle those time-consuming tasks (so you can focus on the big-picture growth your business deserves).
Made for for service providers and creative entrepreneurs who are ready to work smarter, not harder.
