AI in Ecommerce Marketing and Operations

AI's Impact on Retail: 6 Key Themes I'm grateful for Angela Clark, Fiona Tan, Rebecca Wooters, and Alex Friedman's collaboration on our AI panel at Women in Retail Leadership Circle. A few people asked for the highlights, so here are the key themes we covered: 1. AI is a technology tool but can’t be fully leveraged without a definitive business strategy & clear objectives in mind. Essentially, what is your business trying to achieve? Then, what data do you need, and how can AI help you efficiently solve the challenge? 2. Theory is critical in the 1st phase of innovation, but operators quickly move to the 2nd phase = execution. In order to do this well, we all agree you will change processes, which requires spending time with teams, establishing clear KPIs & a feedback loop. 3. All AI initiatives should have specific KPIs (e.g., increase ROAS, increase CSAT, decrease wait times etc.). 4. The first wave of AI deployment in many retail companies involved similar applications & focused on the marketing function -- via connecting further with the consumer & driving efficiency: - Improve customer service via recommendations, alternative services & overall guidance. - Generate creative assets – taking the 1st pass at SEO copy, SEM ad copy, or product description copy. - Create internal team efficiency – recap meetings, free up our talent to use their skills on more impactful work vs. repetitive tasks. - Monitor competitive trends – scraping pricing, new SKU data + flagging search volume insights, etc., to leverage cross-functionally to make better decisions. - Optimize & automate allocation of your marketing spend across channels. - Improve product discovery via delivering the optimal product assortment, at the right price, and in a personalized way (e.g., email, landing page to virtual try-on). 5. The 2nd wave of AI delved into other functional areas of the retail business from operations, sales etc.: - Solve distribution choices – analyze which new doors/geographies you want to expand into. - Inform inventory allocation based on past weather models. - Create synthetic personalities or target consumers (“Sarah”) & use them as a virtual focus group regarding product innovation, shopping behavior, marketing messaging, etc. - Increase speed to market with code assistants for developers. - Summarize customer feedback from emails, text & generate actionable insights for cross-functional teams. - Combat returns - synthesize data to figure out which SKUs are being returned, correlate this to the reason & adjust the product copy accordingly. 6. Some of the concerns raised around AI included: - Ensuring your skills evolve as quickly as AI given the rapidly changing landscape. - Bias & misinformation. - Keeping up with IP laws & regulations, data privacy. - Operating model changes & disruptions. - Employee training. I would love to hear about other ways companies are leveraging AI to get closer to their consumer & drive true value creation. #AI #Innovate

10 Ways Small Businesses Can Use AI to Level Up Their Marketing 🎯 Think AI is only for big brands with deep pockets? Think again. AI is changing the game for small businesses—making it easier (and faster) to create standout marketing that actually drives results. Here are 10 ways you can start using AI to market smarter—not harder: Content Creation: Generate blog posts, product descriptions, and social media captions in minutes—not hours. Ad Copy Optimization: Use AI tools to write and test dozens of ad variations to see what actually converts. Customer Segmentation: Automatically group your audience by behavior, interests, or purchase history—and market to each group differently. Social Media Scheduling & Ideas: Let AI tools suggest trending topics, write your posts, and even schedule them at the best times. Email Campaign Personalization: Tailor every email to feel 1:1—even when you’re sending to thousands. Chatbots for Engagement: Turn site visitors into customers by answering their questions and collecting emails in real time. Predictive Analytics: Know which products will sell and what kind of messaging your customers want—before they do. AI Video Tools: Create engaging marketing videos with voiceovers and captions—no studio or crew needed. SEO Optimization: Automatically improve your website content for search rankings with the help of AI-powered keyword tools. Brand Monitoring: Use AI to track mentions of your brand online and quickly spot trends, shoutouts, or even complaints. AI isn’t about replacing people—it’s about giving you leverage. For small businesses, that kind of edge can make all the difference. If you’re already using AI in your marketing, what’s working best for you? #SmallBusinessMarketing #AIforMarketing #MarketingTips #GrowthHacking #AItools #ContentCreation #DigitalMarketing #AIforSmallBusiness

Happy New Year! As we blast into 2024, it's time to embrace the transformative power of AI in our marketing strategies. No more data drudgery or one-size-fits-all campaigns – let's leverage the latest tech to propel our companies to new heights. 🚀 Here are my top 5 AI-powered recommendations for achieving exponential growth: 1️⃣ Hyper-personalization at Scale: Move beyond basic segmentation. AI can analyze vast customer data in real-time, tailoring every touchpoint – from landing pages to chatbots – to individual preferences. Imagine dynamic experiences that adapt seamlessly to each visitor's journey, fostering deeper engagement and higher conversion rates. 2️⃣ Content Optimization Engine: Unleash your creative bandwidth. AI can generate diverse content formats – blog posts, social media captions, even video scripts – freeing you to focus on strategic direction and refinement. Optimize existing content with AI-powered analytics for maximum reach and resonance, ensuring perfect SEO and audience captivation. 3️⃣ Data-Driven Decisions with Clarity: Leave the guesswork behind. AI can uncover hidden insights and trends within complex marketing data sets, guiding smarter campaign allocation, budget optimization, and precise ROI measurement. Say goodbye to manual reporting – AI automates analysis, providing comprehensive dashboards for insightful decision-making. 4️⃣ Elevated Customer Service: Reimagine the support experience. AI-powered chatbots can handle routine inquiries 24/7, freeing your human team for complex issues and personalized engagement. Human interaction is still key! Analyze customer sentiment across platforms, proactively addressing concerns and building stronger brand loyalty. 5️⃣ Agile Experimentation Playground: Foster a culture of innovation. AI enables rapid testing of new channels, formats, and strategies, allowing you to discover what resonates best with your audience. Embrace A/B testing to continuously optimize campaigns and iterate with lightning speed, propelling your startup ever forward. I have even seen some companies have one person devoted to testing out new AI technology to make sure the innovation doesn't stop. NOTE: AI is a powerful tool, best utilized in collaboration with human ingenuity. Prioritize ethical implementation, transparency, and user privacy to build trust and foster brand advocacy. Start small, experiment, and watch your marketing efforts gain traction. Let's ignite a conversation! Share your favorite AI tools and best practices in the comments below. #startupmarketing #artificialintelligence #dataanalytics #contentstrategy #customerexperience #growthhacking

Marketing and Sales are two of the areas being most immediately impacted (for the better!) by generative AI. McKinsey & Company put out a recent article on how some of this is starting to play out. A few key points and takeaways that Marketing and Sales leaders should be paying attention to: - Gen AI Impact on Marketing and Sales: AI has already transformed marketing and sales. Generative AI is now pushing this further, with the use of open-source platforms reaching the sales frontlines and increasing investments in Gen AI innovations. - Hyper-Personalization is the Future: Gen AI enables hyper-personalized content based on individual customer behavior, persona, and purchase history. This level of personalization is crucial for both B2B and B2C sectors, allowing for targeted marketing and sales offerings. - Generative AI in the Customer Journey: Gen AI offers specific use cases across the customer journey. It can optimize marketing strategies, automate lead-nurturing campaigns, provide real-time negotiation guidance, and even assist in onboarding and retention. This approach is enhancing campaign effectiveness and customer engagement from the start. - Commercial Leaders See the Potential: Research indicates that 90% of commercial leaders expect to frequently use gen AI solutions in the next two years. Companies that invest in AI are witnessing a revenue uplift of 3 to 15% and a sales ROI uplift of 10 to 20%. - Risks and Challenges: While the potential of AI is undeniable, it comes with risks. Concerns range from IP infringement to data privacy and security. Leaders need to strategize and implement mitigation measures to harness the full potential of AI. https://lnkd.in/gSGdxDma

How SMBs can optimize their sales and marketing ecosystem using AI. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way businesses operate, and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are no exception. AI can help SMBs optimize their sales and marketing ecosystem in a number of ways, including: Identifying and targeting ideal customers: AI can be used to analyze customer data from a variety of sources, such as website traffic, CRM systems, and social media, to identify patterns and trends. This information can then be used to create detailed customer profiles and target marketing campaigns to the most likely buyers. AI can automate a variety of repetitive marketing tasks, such as sending email newsletters, scheduling social media posts, and managing lead generation campaigns. This frees up your team to focus on more strategic tasks, such as developing new products and services. AI can be used to personalize customer experiences at every stage of the sales funnel. For example, AI can be used to recommend products or services based on a customer's past purchase history or website browsing behavior. Improving sales forecasting by using AI to analyze historical sales data and other factors, such as market trends and competitor activity, to forecast future sales. Here are a few specific examples of how SMBs can use AI to optimize their sales and marketing ecosystem: A CRM system with AI-powered features can help you track customer interactions, identify sales opportunities, and automate tasks such as lead scoring and nurturing. An AI-powered marketing automation platform can help you automate your email marketing, social media marketing, and lead generation campaigns. An AI-powered personalization platform can help you personalize your website, email marketing, and product recommendations. Use an AI-powered sales forecasting tool: An AI-powered sales forecasting tool can help you forecast future sales and make better decisions about inventory management, marketing spend, and hiring. If you're an SMB owner, there are a number of ways you can get started with using AI to optimize your sales and marketing ecosystem. Here are a few tips: Identify your specific needs: What are your biggest challenges in sales and marketing? Once you know what you need help with, you can start to look for AI-powered solutions that can help you achieve your goals. Start small: Don't try to implement too many AI solutions at once. Start with one or two solutions that address your biggest challenges, and then scale up as needed. Get buy-in from your team: It's important to get buy-in from your team before implementing any new technology. Make sure everyone understands the benefits of using AI and how it can help them do their jobs better. AI is a powerful tool that can help SMBs optimize their sales and marketing ecosystem and achieve their business goals. #smallbusinessowners #ai #sales #marketing #teamwork

AI in eCommerce isn't just a trend—it's transforming the industry. Here's how AI is reshaping online shopping forever: 1. Personalizing suggestions Based on past purchases or browsing behavior, AI tailors product recommendations to fit your interests. Suppose you've recently explored mindfulness books or searched for trekking tips—AI might then suggest meditation aids or comfortable hiking boots for you. 2. Predicting trends AI is incredible at forecasting broad shifts in consumer behavior. Consider the sudden rise in popularity of sustainable products a few years ago... Had AI been in play, businesses could’ve recognized this shift earlier — allowing them to adapt their product lines and marketing strategies in anticipation. 3. Spotting improvement areas AI helps online stores understand their customers better. Let's say many of your shoppers leave the site after seeing the shipping fees. AI can identify this issue, and from there, you can make necessary changes like offering shipping deals to boost sales. 4. Automating tedious tasks Pair AI with tools like Zapier, and time-consuming tasks like data entry, order syncing, and customer notifications become effortless — letting you focus on the bigger picture. 5. Navigating economic shifts In challenging times, AI can analyze buying patterns to identify resilient niches. During a recession, AI might see a surge in demand for budget-friendly fashion or e-learning resources—allowing businesses to pivot or adjust their offerings accordingly. 6. Boosting sustainability Minimize waste, maximize utility. AI points the way toward more sustainable eCommerce practices, like optimizing inventory to reduce overstock waste, exploring eco-friendly packaging options, and streamlining supply chains for lower carbon footprints. At its core… AI isn't just a tool. It's a catalyst — igniting innovation, revealing hidden opportunities, and personalizing buyer journeys. But it's up to us to make our brands resonate. Because shopping is, and always will be, a human experience. PS: We just helped one store boost sales by 105% while boosting overall sessions by 20%+. DM me if you want the same results.