Artificial intelligence is an innovative tool that increases efficiency and productivity. However, as marketers rely too much on his AI technology to reduce costs and expand production capacity, consumers are witnessing unintended consequences. Viewers are exposed to hundreds of generic marketing messages every day. Email inboxes and social media feeds are filled with meaningless content that requires no action other than swiping left.
Marketers are sending out more messages than ever before, but the reason they're not getting through is because they're missing a key element: credibility. It's time for marketers to recalibrate. By pivoting to comprehensive, human-centered marketing, communications professionals can cut through the noise and build real connections with their audiences.
AI tools like ChatGPT can perform extensive investigations in minutes that would take humans hours or weeks. Gathering fundamental information and insights about a topic quickly is a huge productivity benefit, allowing marketing professionals to deal with changing priorities, make decisions faster, and pivot faster. Masu. What AI doesn’t do is interpret raw data and create stories that impact humans.
I'm a big proponent of using AI for table setting, but ChatGPT doesn't allow you to create the secret sauce that makes your pitch unique or your story emotionally compelling. Inclusive marketing leaders are the missing ingredient in establishing a human-first approach that elevates authentic storytelling while embracing technology that saves time and money.
Foster engagement within collaborative teams
Creating powerful marketing campaigns requires a culture of innovation that balances marketing acumen and teamwork. Culture is the number one driver of employee engagement and productivity, and by definition, inclusive leaders create healthy, trust-based workplace cultures. With inclusive leadership, high-performing teams foster diverse perspectives, which fosters innovation, efficiency, and faster, better decision-making.
“Becoming an inclusive leader is more than just a personal journey. It's about fostering an environment where everyone's experience is valued,” says the American Marketing Association (AMA) Learning Partnership. says Edessa Polzin, manager of .
Inclusive leaders build and maintain high-performing teams that can create powerful messages that connect with target audiences and create demand. Effective leaders value the presence and participation of diverse creative teams to understand multiple customer segments. For example, creative teams whose members share the same ethnicity as the customer are 152% more likely to understand the customer's needs than other teams.
Inclusive leaders are hired for culture addition, not culture fit, and are knowledgeable enough to recognize when additional guidance is needed. Inclusive When marketers lack information about a specific target audience, they work with partners outside the organization to craft messages that are relevant and authentic.
Gather multiple perspectives and points of view
The creative process that leads to great marketing campaigns relies on synthesizing information and allowing for the free exchange of ideas. From agencies working with clients to in-house experts building internal brands, marketers must work together to generate compelling messages that resonate with their audiences.
“Inclusive leadership means being open to different perspectives and understanding that even with the best intentions, there is more to thinking about how something should be done and more about doing it. ” said Abha Bowers, CEO of Walk West, a marketing and branding firm in Raleigh. agency.
By expanding the perspectives of underrepresented groups and listening to customers who are not served by existing products and services, companies can develop new business opportunities. Last year, Walmart partnered with employees with disabilities to design an inclusive shopping experience. His pilot program, which tested sensory-friendly shopping hours last fall, proved so popular with customers and staff that it was rolled out company-wide in early November.
Understand your audience and bridge cultural gaps
Collaboration is intertwined with cultural intelligence that bridges cultural gaps and expands demand by truly targeting new audiences. Smart marketers are acutely aware of the effects of demographic change and an increasingly diverse society. By understanding everyone's personal worldview, marketing leaders can effectively navigate the complexities of the global business environment.
Authentic storytelling occurs when brands deeply understand the cultural characteristics that bridge the gap between audiences and demographics. To coincide with International Women's Day in March, Ford Motor Company celebrates women who love cars with its “Dear Car Girl” campaign. The marketing effort will feature women with diverse identities from different automotive industry backgrounds in the film, which is narrated by professional stunt driver Dee Bryant and Ford engineer Fernanda Medina, among others. The realistic story of was emphasized. This inspiring campaign capitalized on the pride and freedom that car ownership brings. This powerful message gained attention because it aligns with Ford's continued support of women in the auto industry.
Fusion of AI and human creativity
Creativity and openness to new ideas foster the growth mindset that inclusive leaders need to grow and achieve long-term success. Inclusive Marketing executives, with their thirst for knowledge and willingness to adopt new technologies, are particularly aware of the potential of AI to help improve individual and team productivity. However, the benefits of AI, with its ability to process incomprehensible amounts of data and extract meaningful insights, can distract unwary leaders who may integrate the technology without proper preparation or guardrails. That's true.
New technology allows you to send millions of marketing emails, but without authenticity, your pitches won't connect. Think about how you would feel if you opened an email ad that had your name spelled incorrectly and your industry incorrectly. That email could have been sent to 10 million other girlfriends.
Compare that general email to one that includes a personalized approach. Consider his second email from Donald Thompson, CEO of The Diversity Movement. “We researched your technology business and felt that your business could benefit from our ability to help you recruit, compensate, and retain diverse talent.” This genuine advocacy effort , it shows me that I've done my homework, that I know who you are, and that you're worth investing my time.
Making your customers and customers feel special will increase loyalty and increase profits. Because no one will buy from a company that treats customers like numbers.
There is no doubt that incorporating machine learning tools into a comprehensive marketing process will empower communications professionals to create authentic content at scale. AI enhances the creative process by making something 60-70% complete. The key is to engage high-performing teams to complete tasks with credibility and flair. Inclusive leaders know that the human touch is essential to creating marketing magic.
Join us on Wednesday, May 22nd for “Strategic Storytelling: The Power of Inclusive Marketing in the Age of AI.” Here, we'll discuss how you can cut through the noise and foster genuine connections with your customers by understanding their needs and sharing stories that create empathy. your audience. The free lunch and learn event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Workplace Options, 2912 Highwoods Blvd., Raleigh, and is sponsored by the Diversity Movement and the North Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Registration required.
About Donald Thompson
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 SE Award winner Donald Thompson founded The Diversity Movement (TDM) to fundamentally transform the modern workplace through diversity-driven cultural change. TDM was recently acquired by Workplace Options and provides comprehensive well-being services to more than 80 million people in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. Recognized by Inc., Fast Company, and Forbes, Thompson is the author of “Underestimated: A CEO's Likely Path to Success,” host of the podcast “High Octane His Leadership in an Empathic World,” and a leader in leadership and executive management. He has published widely on ideas. As his leadership and executive coach, Thompson has created a culture-centered ethos that balances empathy and economy to win in the marketplace. His next book is The Inclusive Leadership Handbook: Balancing People and Performance for Sustainable Growth.
Follow him on LinkedIn to stay up to date on news, events, and podcasts, or contact him at info@donaldthompson.com for executive coaching, speaking engagements, and DEI-related content. TDM created LeaderView, a leadership assessment tool that uses cultural competency as a driver to improve overall team performance. To explore more DEI content and the issues that impact work and life, visit his TDM Library, a multimedia resource hub that provides leaders with an authoritative source of DEI content.
