Stephen Smith’s Post

Why Your Annual Planning Process Needs an AI Overhaul: How AI is Reshaping Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success for 2024 and Beyond – Don’t just forecast, transform! Discover how AI can supercharge your strategies and give your business the competitive edge it needs. #AI #AnnualPlanning #GoToMarket #RevOps #MarketingInnovation #Legal #ExecutiveLeadership

Discover how cutting-edge AI technologies can be tutored to comprehend complex business processes, streamlining tasks across sales, marketing, and support, thereby maximizing operational efficiency and ROI.

While technology strategy is definitely influenced by corporate strategy, it also influences corporate strategy. If it is currently not influencing your corporate strategy, then that is a Red flag in this digital era. The logic behind this is simple. Where you want to be in few years, can be differentiating only when propelled by the advances in technology. Unless you factored those advances in formulating your mid and long-term strategy, you can not possibly frame your journey accurately. Let us understand this with the help of an example. If you are a fashion retailer, your corporate strategy is heavily influenced by design and marketing. These two drive the core aspects, supported seamlessly by your supply chain. If you are formulating your corporate strategy today, you will have a vision of your marketing capability few years from now, that you wish to achieve. Generative AI is definitely going to transform marketing few years from now. And without incorporating that aspect, you cannot formulate a creative mid-term corporate strategy. This approach can be applied to any industry. The fact is, in today's age, you cannot formulate a robust corporate strategy without an understanding of technology progress trajectory, and integrating that in strategy formulation. https://lnkd.in/gt732Cym #data #analytics #ai #ml #datascience #designedanalytics #airoadmap #strategy #business

While technology strategy is definitely influenced by corporate strategy, it also influences corporate strategy. If it is currently not influencing your corporate strategy, then that is a Red flag in this digital era. The logic behind this is simple. Where you want to be in few years, can be differentiating only when propelled by the advances in technology. Unless you factored those advances in formulating your mid and long-term strategy, you can not possibly frame your journey accurately. Let us understand this with the help of an example. If you are a fashion retailer, your corporate strategy is heavily influenced by design and marketing. These two drive the core aspects, supported seamlessly by your supply chain. If you are formulating your corporate strategy today, you will have a vision of your marketing capability few years from now, that you wish to achieve. Generative AI is definitely going to transform marketing few years from now. And without incorporating that aspect, you cannot formulate a creative mid-term corporate strategy. This approach can be applied to any industry. The fact is, in today's age, you cannot formulate a robust corporate strategy without an understanding of technology progress trajectory, and integrating that in strategy formulation. https://lnkd.in/g7kCUhzU #data #analytics #ai #ml #datascience #designedanalytics #airoadmap #strategy #business

Today’s digital landscape has left many marketing feeling like using AI for their role is “cutting corners.” But, let’s set the record straight: leveraging AI isn’t cheating—it’s optimizing. Accountants stopped using paper books when computer spreadsheets became common place, and then ERP systems stepped in and levelled up the game again. And in our own industry, Adobe shook up processes years ago. You are unlikely to find any marketers still hand drawing their advertisements (unless they work at Trader Joe's). AI allows us to automate repetitive tasks, predict trends, and deliver personalized experiences at scale. It’s not replacing the human touch; it’s amplifying it. By handling data-heavy tasks, AI empowers marketers to focus on the creative, the strategic, and the customer-centric elements that truly drive engagement. I believe in a balanced approach where AI doesn’t strip away authenticity but enriches it. The AI-powered tools I use and help implement give businesses the data insights they need, freeing up time to build genuine connections with customers. Because, at the end of the day, success in marketing is about relationships—and AI just helps us get there more efficiently. #MarketingStrategy #AI #CustomerEngagement #Efficiency

🚀 Dive into the future with AI-powered marketing and sales! The evolution of generative AI (gen AI) is bringing cutting-edge technology to the forefront of business, transforming customer interactions and operational strategies. Embracing this shift is like navigating uncharted territories, where the fusion of advanced sales tech and personalized experiences is reshaping the norm. Are you ready for the gen AI revolution? 🔍 **Omnichannel Evolution**: Customers now demand everything, everywhere, all the time. The key to success lies in mastering hybrid sales models, e-commerce excellence, and hyper-personalization for a winning edge. 🤖 **AI Advancements**: Automation is the name of the game, with a fifth of sales-team functions projected to be automated. Discover how AI technologies are streamlining processes and accelerating growth in ways unimaginable just a few years back. 🌟 **Personalization Power**: Gen AI is not just a buzzword; it's a game-changer in customer engagement. From personalized content to real-time insights, AI is revolutionizing the way businesses connect with their audiences. Explore the limitless possibilities of AI-driven customer journeys. 📈 **Commercial Impact**: Forward-thinking leaders are already reaping the benefits of AI integration, with revenue uplifts and sales ROI on the rise. The secret? Prioritizing AI strategies, building agile teams, and leveraging data-driven insights for competitive advantage. Are you on the AI bandwagon yet? Adapt, evolve, and thrive in the AI era. Stay ahead of the curve and unlock the full potential of AI-powered marketing and sales. The future is here—embrace it! ✨ https://lnkd.in/eGa4xznY

How can you ensure that AI is delivered successfully into an organisation? The final question that Arun Mahtani and I discussed when we spoke in relation to some of the challenges to embracing Artificial Intelligence across the Life Sciences. Arun is a commercial executive, with 20 plus years experience spanning demand generation, omni-channel marketing, eCommerce and Data & Digital Transformation. Throughout this week, I've posted Arun's thoughts on the questions we talked through - and we'd love to get your opinions as well: 5)  How do you ensure success when delivering an AI solution into an organisation?   "The implementation of AI into a company is not hugely different from embedding any innovation into an organisation. You need to put in place the foundations and capabilities as outlined above. Then it is down to execution excellence, and there are a few straightforward success parameters that I have learned through delivery of multiple major transformation projects. The first is to develop a rigorous benefits case for each pilot project that speaks directly to the business. You need to work out exactly how much incremental revenue the project will generate, the amount of money that it will save or the cost of the risk that it will mitigate. You should agree this benefits case with your CFO or Finance Director – they will ensure that the initiative is truly transformative for the business rather than an interesting exercise. Then you need to establish an execution team with three clear capabilities – a technical lead, a programme manager and a head of business change. The latter is critical because most transformations require significant adoption and change in the organisation. The technology itself may be set up perfectly but if the business is not on board then it will be destined to fail. And finally, ongoing communication with all senior stakeholders is vital. There are many demands on their time and the resources that they can deploy. You need to keep them fully on board by demonstrating clear progress and delivering benefits at regular, short-term intervals." Please do let us know your thoughts - and have a great weekend!

Understanding how to maximize efficiency is crucial for any sales department, and AI is proving to be a game-changer in this space. Smart sales teams are already harnessing the power of AI to streamline tasks, personalize outreach, and create compelling content. (And they’re sharing their secrets 😉) Let’s explore how AI is transforming sales and the key benefits it offers: 👉 Automating Tasks: → Time Savings: AI handles repetitive tasks like data entry, freeing up salespeople to focus on closing deals. → Efficiency: It streamlines administrative functions, allowing teams to work smarter, not harder. 👉 Personalizing Interactions: → Customer Insights: AI analyzes customer data to tailor your communications, leading to more targeted and effective sales pitches. → Customization: Personalized outreach makes your message more relevant, increasing the chances of a positive response. 👉 Boosting Content Creation: → Speed and Quality: AI generates high-quality, relevant content for pitches, emails, and social media in record time. → Consistency: It helps maintain consistent messaging across platforms while repurposing successful content for new audiences. 👉 Reducing Burnout: → Less Stress: By taking over routine tasks, AI lightens the workload, helping to decrease burnout rates among sales teams. P.S. How are you leveraging AI in your sales strategy? Let’s chat about it below! 👀

Understanding how to maximize efficiency is crucial for any sales department, and AI is proving to be a game-changer in this space. Smart sales teams are already harnessing the power of AI to streamline tasks, personalize outreach, and create compelling content. (And they’re sharing their secrets 😉) Let’s explore how AI is transforming sales and the key benefits it offers: 👉 Automating Tasks: → Time Savings: AI handles repetitive tasks like data entry, freeing up salespeople to focus on closing deals. → Efficiency: It streamlines administrative functions, allowing teams to work smarter, not harder. 👉 Personalizing Interactions: → Customer Insights: AI analyzes customer data to tailor your communications, leading to more targeted and effective sales pitches. → Customization: Personalized outreach makes your message more relevant, increasing the chances of a positive response. 👉 Boosting Content Creation: → Speed and Quality: AI generates high-quality, relevant content for pitches, emails, and social media in record time. → Consistency: It helps maintain consistent messaging across platforms while repurposing successful content for new audiences. 👉 Reducing Burnout: → Less Stress: By taking over routine tasks, AI lightens the workload, helping to decrease burnout rates among sales teams. P.S. How are you leveraging AI in your sales strategy? Let’s chat about it below! 👀

Are you a small business or merchant looking to stay competitive? Here’s How AI can help you level the playing field!. AI is no longer just for big companies with huge budgets! Here are 3 ways artificial intelligence can make your small business more efficient, competitive, and customer-focused: 1 Personalized Marketing AI tools help you understand your customers better and target them with the right message at the right time. Imagine increasing your sales with data-driven promotions that feel tailor-made for each customer. 2 Automating Repetitive Tasks Why spend hours on routine tasks like scheduling, inventory management, or customer service? AI-powered solutions like chatbots and automated invoicing free up your time to focus on what really matters—growing your business. 3 Better Decision-Making AI analytics can help you predict market trends, manage cash flow, and optimize pricing strategies, giving you a clearer path to success.  let's connect or drop a comment below! #AI #Enterprisebusiness#Technology