Most of what you read about AI marketing is hype. Gurus push “secret hacks” and sell overpriced courses, but small businesses walk away with generic captions that sound robotic. The truth? AI won’t save your business—but it will give you leverage if you know how to use it.
This post cuts out the fluff and shows you, step by step, how to actually put AI to work in your small business today. No gatekeeping, no bullshit—just workflows you can steal.
Step 1: Brainstorm Content That Doesn’t Suck
The Problem: Small businesses get stuck at “what do I post?”
The Fix: Use ChatGPT (or any AI writer) to generate real content ideas that match your audience’s pain points.
Prompt Example:
You are a social media strategist for [YOUR BUSINESS TYPE].
Give me 10 post ideas that my target customers would actually give a damn about.
Keep them short, simple, and focused on solving their everyday problems.
Pro Tip: Always add your voice. AI is an idea engine—you bring the personality.
Step 2: Turn Ideas into Graphics Fast
Tool: Canva + AI Magic Design
- Upload a photo of your work or product.
- Add your headline from Step 1.
- Generate 6–10 layouts in seconds.
No need to waste hours designing. AI handles the heavy lifting—you just pick what looks good.
Step 3: Write Emails That Sound Human
The Problem: AI emails sound stiff and corporate.
The Fix: Train the AI on your voice.
Prompt Example:
Here’s an example of how I talk to my customers:
[Paste a real email or text you’ve sent].
Now, write me a short email about [topic].
Make it sound casual, helpful, and written by a human.
Before vs After:
- ❌ “Dear Valued Customer, we are pleased to announce…”
- ✅ “Quick heads up—our summer deal saves you $200 on installs. Ends Friday. Call me if you want in.”
Step 4: Automate the Boring Sh*t
AI + automation saves you from repetitive tasks:
- Zapier: Connect Gmail → Google Sheets → Slack, so you never copy-paste leads.
- Tidio or ManyChat: Set up a chatbot to answer FAQs 24/7.
- Otter.ai: Auto-transcribe sales calls and generate follow-up emails.
If you’re still sending manual confirmations, you’re wasting time that could be spent selling.
Step 5: Don’t Fall for AI Pitfalls
AI is a tool, not a magic pill. Here’s the honest truth:
- It lies → Always fact-check.
- It’s generic → Always add your story, results, and proof.
It can replace you if you’re lazy → Use it to scale your brain, not turn it off.
Quick Action Plan
Do this today and you’ll have more marketing output than you did all month:
- Generate 10 post ideas.
- Make 3 Canva graphics.
- Send 1 AI-assisted but human-toned email.
- Automate 1 repetitive task.
Conclusion
AI won’t replace hard work, but it can give small businesses the same leverage big brands enjoy—without big budgets. By using AI for content, graphics, emails, and automation, you’ll save time and grow faster.
At Radial Impact Marketing, we don’t just talk about tools—we build systems that actually work. If you’d rather skip the trial and error, book your free growth audit today and we’ll install the workflows for you.