I’m not one to believe everything I see online, but I’ve been seeing a lot of chatter on Beyoncé’s internet about AI agents that claim they can run your marketing. 😒
Naturally, I had to check it out! The promise of AI running marketing campaigns that could make me a gazillionaire for just $20 was way too tempting.
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Now, here I am, $20 poorer, unimpressed, and a little salty I got got, and this experience somehow made me an even bigger marketing snob. 😤
Now I know what you’re thinking: this guy hates AI. I actually don’t. My findings and recommendations might surprise you, but not for the reason you think.
In this article, I will share what AI marketing agents are, whether they actually work, and what you should do instead.
If you’re new to my work, my name is Lester 👋, but feel free to call me Les. I’m a founder with a successful exit, executive chairman of several DTC brands, and an award-winning performance marketer. In my career, I’ve crafted campaigns that made millions and some that completely bombed, so I have a decent idea of what it takes to create something successful. 🧐
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If you like data-driven marketing insights and staying up to date with practical ways to use AI, check out my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts. I break down what’s working in marketing right now and the AI innovations worth paying attention to.
But enough about me, let’s talk about AI agents and what they mean for the marketing world.
Understanding the landscape and AI’s role in marketing
Before we get into it, let me give you an overview of what AI agents can do in marketing and what I believe is a critical flaw.
First, let’s define what an AI agent is. An AI agent is a system designed to make decisions, take actions, and learn from outcomes without constant human direction. It’s not just a tool that responds to prompts. It can operate semi-independently to achieve a goal.
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So when you hear “AI marketing agent,” it refers to a system that can research audiences, create content, launch, test, and optimize marketing campaigns across platforms like Meta, TikTok, etc. All this with little to no human oversight. At least that’s what the brochure says. 😋
The promise sounds neat, right? See, you would’ve been out $20, too.
Here’s the thing: you can automate core marketing functions, but you can’t automate human behavior.
Often, AI companies forget the “human in the loop.” It’s almost like we’re an afterthought. 😔
The predictable thing about human behavior is that it’s usually unpredictable. Soft skills like nuance and empathy are often overlooked, yet they play a huge role and are nearly impossible to measure or predict.
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And therein lies the problem: these pesky humans and their unpredictability. Trolling aside, the tech is impressive and can get you 80% of the way there. But that extra 20%? That’s where good marketers make their living. 🤓☝️
You see, good marketing has nothing to do with whether a campaign is automated or how pretty it looks. The running inside joke in the industry is that a lot of the time, winning campaigns look terrible, and imperfections in campaigns are what make them special and “winning.” Sometimes, low-quality or “homemade” creative often outperforms the “studio creative.”
But all that said, AI marketing agents can be helpful. Here’s how.
What is good marketing, and what role does AI play?
To understand how AI marketing agents can be helpful, I got to give you a quick crash course on good marketing.
Behind all the glitz and glamour, the fancy fonts, models, and expensive cameras, “good marketing” comes down to one thing… making your prospect feel seen. That’s literally it. Connecting with your prospect in a way that makes them say, “They understand exactly what I’m going through.” 🤗
That’s the “what.” The “how you do it” is where it gets complicated. Communication is another key skill that doesn’t get talked about enough.
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The right story can show your prospect you’re the one who truly understands their situation.
AI agents treat marketing like a checklist. You need to do this, this, and this. But while there are steps, marketing isn’t just a science.
It’s an art. ❤️
Of course, marketers have frameworks we use for creating content, structuring campaigns, etc., so I’m not saying good marketing means going rogue on every campaign. I am saying that your ability to relate and empathize is where the money gets made, and that can’t be automated.
Good marketing happens before buttons are clicked, before fonts and colors are selected… good marketing starts by understanding and putting yourself in your prospect’s shoes. (I told you I became a bigger snob, but I digress.) 😅
But all that said, there is a role for AI. How I like to think about AI is “do it with me,” not “do it for me.” In other words, I’m not expecting AI to be the adult in the room or the subject matter expert. That’s my job.
I get the best results when AI handles the repetitive stuff, like building campaigns based on the content, strategy, and information I’ve already mapped out. So, really, it’s not an AI marketing agent. It’s more like AI-powered data entry. 😜
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There’s no chance AI will take your product and do everything for you, and boom, you’re sold out. No chance.
You, the human in the room, need to understand marketing fundamentals and, more importantly, know the problem you’re solving and who you’re solving it for.
That said, if you want to become a better marketer, here are a few books that helped me become a marketing professional: 🧐
This is a solid place to start. But I got to warn you: if you do this right, you might unlock a “superpower.” And as they say, with great power comes great responsibility. Being a good marketer isn’t about taking advantage of your audience or making broken promises.
As Gen Z would say, you need to stand on it when you make a promise. 🤝
My two cents
I’ll leave you with this: AI is Robin. But you? You, my friend, are Batman.
AI is the peanut butter to your jelly… it’s not the sandwich; ya feel me. 😎🤙🏻🔥
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Use it to help you save time, create reports, etc. But you must be the expert, so working on your marketing skills is crucial to maximizing AI.
While AI can help, it ain’t a magic wand… at least not yet. 🤭
😇 Hope this helps.
P.S. If you want more easy and helpful AI tips and tricks, sign up for my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts. Plus, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look as I pay my penance for not creating content 10 years ago.
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