Artificial intelligence isn’t going to replace the marketer, but the marketer who uses AI is going to replace the marketer who doesn’t.
This summer, the number of Americans forecasted to use generative AI at least once per month exceeded 100 million, and more than ever, marketers need to seek ways to implement the technology in their organizations.
The challenge is that not all AI is created equal, as many platforms are simply repackaging otherwise table-stakes tools and calling them “AI.”
Here’s how retail marketers should vet AI products so they can be implemented effectively into their campaigns:
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- Start with a demo. Begin by getting a demo of the AI tools to help you understand their effectiveness and functionality. See how long the platform takes to generate output and look for errors or timeouts.
- Check references. Asking for references and existing client reviews can tell more of the story too, and help you see what other marketers say about their experiences with the tools.
- Scrutinize case studies. Next, review case studies and other visual examples; you can always push for more details if a case study features extreme results. If something feels off or too good to be true, that might be the case.
- Dig into the data sources. Go further by probing deeper into the data sources being used. Billions or trillions of data points as part of an AI algorithm sounds great in theory, but not all those data points will be relevant to your brand or related to your customers. Do you want the performance data of a brand entirely outside of your vertical and target demographic to determine how to craft your campaigns?
- Be sure to retain your power as a marketer. Ultimately, you know your brand best. Avoid tools that blindly operate or don’t allow for gut checks, and select ones that empower you and give you full visibility, oversight and control.
Bottom line, make sure the AI tools will improve program performance or scalability. You want to work with a vendor offering features that can help you reach your goals, not hinder them.
The topic of artificial intelligence continues to make waves across industries. In retail marketing, it can streamline daily operations, find new customers and prospects and even optimize marketing initiatives. But before you adopt a new AI technology, do your research, start testing, and see how your programs can benefit from this emerging technology – while you continue to own the overall direction.
Haleigh Beckman is Listrak’s Director of Product Marketing and serves as the organization’s lead go-to-market strategist. She has over a decade of retail digital marketing experience and has worked in multiple roles to passionately uncover insights that shape engagement and revenue-driving cross-channel strategies. She supports retail brands across verticals to grow programs and optimize at an enterprise level.
