With so many businesses trialling AI—Chat GPT-4, Gemini, Claude, and the list goes on—it can quickly get overwhelming. AI can be used in all areas of your business, from creating reply emails to prospective clients to enhancing your presentations in Canva. But to truly benefit from AI, it’s essential to go back to basics. Here are some steps to approach AI effectively:
Identify the Problem
Be very clear about what you want AI to help you fix. Define your main challenges in detail.
Example: If you find that responding to customer enquiries is taking up too much time, define this as a specific problem to address with AI.
Pinpoint Issues
Use data to find areas where you’re wasting time or missing opportunities to connect with customers. This helps you focus on areas with the highest potential for improvement.
Example: Review your onboarding workflow to identify tasks that take the most time, such as manually writing emails or creating bespoke instructions to send to new clients.
Understand Causes
Analyse your data thoroughly to understand why these problems are happening. This means re-evaluating underlying assumptions to ensure you address the root causes, not just the symptoms.
Example: Investigate why these tasks are time-consuming. Is it due to outdated processes, lack of automation, or inefficient use of tools?
Explore AI Solutions
Research and find AI tools that can automate tasks and address your specific needs. There are many AI solutions available that can streamline your efforts, such as automating email responses or creating training videos.
Example: Implement an AI-powered tool to create personalised video instructions (like Loom or ScribeHow) to save time and increase engagement.
Test and Implement
Start with small projects to see what works best before scaling up. Experiment with AI in controlled settings to learn and adapt without risking large investments.
Example: Launch a pilot program using AI tools to automate your onboarding. Track the performance and adjust the strategy based on the results.
By following these simple steps, you can effectively integrate AI into your business, boosting efficiency and improving your overall strategy.
Trending AI Apps
Superhuman
An email management tool designed to make email faster and more efficient with AI-powered features.
Pro: Superhuman significantly reduces the time spent managing emails with its speed and efficiency.
Con: It has a high subscription cost, which might not be ideal for smaller budgets.
Mailerbutler
A productivity extension for email clients that adds features like tracking, scheduling, and smart templates.
Pro: Mailbulter enhances email productivity with features like follow-up reminders and email tracking.
Con: Some advanced features require a premium subscription.
Heygen
A tool that uses AI to create engaging video content quickly and easily.
Pro: Heygen makes video creation simple and fast, perfect for marketing or client updates.
Con: The quality of auto-generated content might not meet all professional standards.
Devi
An AI-powered tool that monitors keywords in Facebook groups, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Reddit to find leads.
Pro: Devi helps businesses discover potential leads by monitoring relevant keywords across multiple social media platforms.
Con: The tool may generate a high volume of data, requiring time to filter out the most relevant leads.
ScribeHow
A tool that automatically creates step-by-step guides by capturing screen actions.
Pro: ScribeHow makes it easy to document processes and create training materials, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
Con: It may require some initial setup and adjustments to accurately capture complex processes.
By leveraging these AI tools, businesses can streamline operations, save time, and ultimately enhance their productivity and customer engagement.
