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| These communications executives share AI applications they're excited about. All photos courtesy of Forbes Councils members. |
Artificial intelligence may have once been the stuff of science fiction, but businesses across industries are now using this budding technology to make their operations more efficient. For example, companies may use chatbots to engage current and potential customers, freeing up human agents to do more strategic work.
But chatbots are only the beginning. Every day, companies like Google, Microsoft, IBM and Amazon find new ways to help businesses of any size use AI to gain an edge over their competitors.
Below, 11 communications executives from Forbes Communications Council share how marketing and PR professionals can best leverage modern AI capabilities in creative ways. From improving the user experience to increasing productivity, here's what they had to say.
1. Use chatbots to begin the customer journey.
Chatbots can help businesses connect with users at the beginning of their journey, providing guidance and offering new features. If a purchase is straightforward, bots offer an inexpensive, convenient way to move customers toward transaction completion. The key is not to forget to provide an easy way to transition to human customer service when conversations or requirements become complex. - Holly Chessman, Holly Chessman Marketing
2. Automate everything that isn't creative.
I started developing marketing automation to cover for me while I would be on maternity leave. Through AI, I ruthlessly removed any and all manual tasks from my plate, leveraged third-party tools and improved our own internal tech to get my job done. The result was that things ran smoothly while I was out and when I returned I was freed up to work on higher value and more creative projects. - Lauren Alexander, Neurohacker Collective
3. Let the data drive you.
Through the use of AI, data-driven PR efforts are easier to develop and implement. AI allows you to sort through big data by creating efficiencies that fine tune brand voice from controlled communication channels to reputation management efforts. Utilize a monitoring tool like Meltwater to analyze real-time conversations and extract key phrases and insights to raise awareness for your brand. - Alysia Gradney, Vision Source
4. Track trends and find opportunities.
Marketers should use tools that scan thousands of data points and surface relevant or trending topics, like Hootsuite's sentiment analysis tools, BuzzSumo or Google Trends. These AI tools can help marketing and comms professionals spot rapid response PR opportunities, surface relevant influencers in the space and suggest new ideas for campaigns and content. - Nadja Blagojevic, Axiom
5. Combine AI and human teams for better service and sales.
Integrate AI into your human customer service team. Computers and humans can learn from each other to create better service and sales. Pick your top 10 sales agents and have your AI learn the best responses and actions from these overachievers. AI will then use that knowledge to coach underperforming agents on what to say and do, raising their level of performance. - Eileen Canady, SYKES
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Source: Forbes
