Everyone’s talking about AI and how to use it in business.
But no one is talking about a real issue… overcoming the resistance to using it. Because the reality is, most small business owners don’t want more tech tools. They want less stress.
They want to get things off their list, get more time back and manage their businesses smoothly.
That’s possible with just a little bit of AI help. And that’s where an OBM like us comes in.
An OBM or Online Business Manager can help you smooth the path to more growth in your business. This is even more true with AI tools, which can help increase efficiency.
OBMs = Tool Commandos
We’ve mastered many tools with AI features. Name a marketing tool and we’ve likely used it for a client. And as Online Business Managers we’ve executed a wide variety of business plans and marketing strategies.
So one of our superpowers is knowing which tools can actually help your business. We don’t pitch new programs, just for the sake of using new technology. We tackle a specific need with every tool, even more so with AI tools. But it can be easy to overcomplicate things, so here are our tips to avoid overdoing it.
How OBMs use AI to help without the overwhelm
To avoid tech overwhelm, we use these guidelines with clients:
1. We focus on tools that save time
How long does it take you to clear our your email inbox? From customer questions to lead inquiries, it might take a while. Maybe you never fully clean out your inbox.
But we can suggest an AI tool that sorts and tags your emails automatically, while prioritizing sales leads that may turn into new business.
Will that free up 1 or 2 hours of your time? It might keep you from living in Gmail and give you some breathing room. And that’s just one type of example.
2. We filter out the noise for you
We know you don’t have time to read reviews and compare features on the AI tools available. Your OBM will do it for you.
Describe your needs and challenges and an OBM will get back to you with a shortlist. For example:
- Want a tool to automatically summarize your Zoom or office meeting and create notes? We’ve got a few.
- Need help improving descriptions for ads, newsletters or social media? There are many tools for that.
- Want help with processes like sending invoices, answering simple questions or responding to comments? Done and done.
OBMs will do the vetting for you. We’ll even help with setup.
RELATED POST: What You Should Know About AI for Small Business Marketing
3. We know when NOT to automate
Here’s a not-so-secret fact: not everything needs automation.
If a business task is infrequent or simple, it might be faster to do it manually. An OBM can spot the difference between tech that helps and tech that overcomplicates.
There is also such a thing as over-automating or overbuilding a tech stack. Since there are quite a few tools that overlap in features, simplifying may suit your needs and budget best.
AI assistance that helps small businesses most
It’s not worth adopting AI technology unless there’s a clear benefit for your business. And an OBM can help you figure out if it’s a good choice for you.
Here are a few areas where AI can provide the biggest benefits for small business owners:
- Automating repetitive tasks: Invoicing, follow-up emails, organizing files.
- Being consistent with follow-up: Sending messages on a schedule to follow up and nurture leads.
- Streamlining new client setup: Using tools that auto-respond, collect documents, and create client accounts in your system.
- Saving time on content creation: Using AI to help with email newsletters or social captions.
- Summarizing data: Turning raw data or spreadsheets into business insights and potential next steps.
In the end, you get to stay in your zone of genius (with less stress), while your support system works quietly in the background.
Contact us and we’ll help you set it up.
Want more marketing ideas? See our guide to Online Marketing for Small Business Success.
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