There’s been a lot written and said about artificial intelligence (AI) over the last two years. When we weighed in on the subject, we wondered how this advancement, perhaps the biggest of our lifetime, would shape the future of work — the jury’s still out.
What we do know with certainty is that AI is here to stay, and figuring out how to leverage the technology to become better communicators is up to us. Where AI comes in handy is in the routine tasks marketing and communications professionals are called upon to complete every day. With the right prompts, it has an uncanny ability to jumpstart creative thinking and solve messaging problems. And while AI is not a replacement for smart, creative people, it is a powerful tool to enhance the important work they do.
Finding ways to use AI to your advantage, without sacrificing the unique voice that defines your brand, is crucial. Here are eight simple ways you can do that, along with some basic prompts to help you get started.
1. Unlock Fresh Ideas
As a brainstorming partner, AI is in a league of its own. Whether you're planning a series of blog or social media posts, or just trying to pull together ideas for your next newsletter, AI can help kickstart your creativity.
How to use it: Input your topic (e.g., "volunteer engagement for a food bank" or "donor retention strategies for a small nonprofit") and ask AI to generate ideas related to your specific area of interest.
2. Create Attention-Grabbing Headlines
Compelling headlines are your secret weapon to stop scrollers in their tracks and pull readers into your content. And with AI as your creative partner, you can effortlessly generate them.
How to use it: Load your content and prompt AI to give you exactly what you want (e.g., “write five engaging email subject lines” or "create five exciting titles for this blog”).
3. Maintain Your Brand Voice
Every communication is an opportunity to reinforce your brand's unique voice. AI can help fine-tune your writing to match your desired tone and style, ensuring your message stays on-brand across various platforms and audiences.
How to use it: Add your content and ask AI to rewrite it in a specific tone and style (e.g., “rewrite this email in an inspiring, hopeful tone for nonprofit donors”).
4. Polish Your Message
Ensuring that your communications are clear, concise and error-free is a must. And AI makes it so simple — saving you time and elevating the quality and professionalism of your work.
How to use it: Run your drafts through AI-powered proofreading tools, then ask for suggestions to improve clarity and readability.
5. Maximize Your Content
Make the most of your content by repurposing it into different formats. AI can suggest creative ways to transform existing material, helping you reach diverse audience segments.
How to use it: Upload a piece of content (e.g., an article or annual report) and ask AI for ideas on how to repurpose it into different formats like social media posts, infographics or podcast and video scripts.
6. Dive Deeper into Topics
When you have an initial concept, AI can help you uncover related themes, generate unexpected angles and develop a rich framework for your idea. This process is invaluable for creating in-depth resources, long-form content or tackling complex subjects with nuance.
How to use it: Provide a brief concept (e.g., “the future of nonprofit fundraising”) and prompt AI to generate an expanded outline or suggest relevant subtopics. Ask for specific areas to explore, potential challenges to address or emerging trends to consider.
7. Boost Your Visibility
Improve your content's search engine visibility by incorporating relevant keywords. AI can suggest keywords that align with your topic and audience, helping you optimize your content organically.
How to use it: Describe your topic and target audience, then ask AI to generate a list of relevant keywords to incorporate into your piece.
8. Connect on a Deeper Level
By customizing your content for different audience segments, you can create more targeted messaging while still maintaining your core theme. This approach enhances engagement and demonstrates a deeper understanding of your audience's unique needs and interests.
How to use it: Key in your core message and describe your distinct audience segments, then prompt AI to generate personalized variations of your content for each group (e.g., “take this announcement about our new youth mentoring program and create three versions: one for potential volunteer mentors emphasizing the impact they can make, one for potential corporate sponsors focusing on community benefits and one for parents of youth highlighting the program's educational advantages”).
Striking the Right Balance
While AI might still be a topic of heated debate, its practical applications in marketing and communications are undeniable. By integrating it into your workflows, you can augment your creativity, improve your productivity and maintain the unique voice that defines your brand. The key lies in finding a balance — leveraging AI's capabilities to enhance your messaging without losing the human touch that makes your communication truly impactful.
Ready to elevate your brand with marketing and communications strategies that work? Drop us a line to discover how our expertise and solutions can propel your brand forward.
