By Karen Robichaud
A question I‘ve been hearing a lot is: should I use AI in marketing? And the answer is, it depends. I ask, what challenge you’re trying to solve?
AI tools are vast, and many have been part of our daily lives for so long we’ve forgotten that they are AI, like spellcheck. Others are emergent, like generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. When you’re considering using AI for marketing, I ask back, which tools are you considering and why? Again, what problem are you solving?
Let’s break it down. Think about what kind of help you need.
Here’s one example: Getting Organized
Let’s say you need help getting organized with your marketing activities. You can approach ChatGPT as an executive assistant, providing it with a list of your tasks and asking where it can help. For example, I wrote:
Here’s the response:
These responses give you a good sense of what ChatGPT is capable of and how it can assist you. Because ChatGPT relies on the information and instructions you provide, the results reflect the input. It’s a place to start when you are stuck.
Here’s another example: Generating Project Stories
We use them in marketing all the time. To win awards; to illustrate proposal responses; to connect with clients; to demonstrate the value of architecture in the world around us. Project stories help bring the work to life through your point of view. They are how we connect. As a student of the humanities, I’m admittedly skeptical about how well AI can tell stories. I tried a few different prompts with ChatGPT.
First, I asked for help brainstorming content ideas.
Here’s the response:
Again, we have a place to start. What we don’t have yet is the actual story.
Next, I prompted ChatGPT to tell me why it’s useful for storytelling and why it isn’t.
What I see in both these responses is that AI is a supportive tool – “helping with brainstorming, structuring plots, or overcoming writer’s block,” but it’s up to you “to maintain your unique voice and vision.” That last bit – the part about maintaining your unique voice and vision – it’s at the heart of “it depends.” Because ultimately marketing is your opportunity to make your value clear to a client (past, present, or prospective). Without your authentic voice and perspective as the creator behind that marketing, all you have is machine summaries, which is a fine place to start, but not a genuine, elevated result. For a profession that is so often pursuing excellence, why not extend excellence to your marketing? Tell the most compelling stories to help you win the accolades and commissions you desire.
I recently led a webinar for SMPS on telling unforgettable stories to win work and recognition. I shared how I use the AIA Framework for Design Excellence as a storytelling anchor with teams. It’s structure and rigor help pull interesting, varied stories out of project teams. During the webinar I recommended allocating at least 90 minutes to walk through the Framework (all 10 measures). One attendee expressed shock; they only ever manage to get 10 minutes with the subject matter experts in their firm.
This is the crux of the problem. The profession has devalued marketing, dropping it to the bottom of the “to do” list, leaving so little time for it in that many professionals search for shortcuts. In doing so, we’ve overlooked the beating heart of marketing – the stories we tell.
Stories sell. They are what connect a loose collection of data points (a list of program components, materials, square footage) to the impact a project has for a client. Without stories, buildings are inanimate. Many architects have told me the “work will speak for itself.” I have bad news – it doesn’t. Not everyone sees what you see. Storytelling is your opportunity to provide interpretation and context, so your audience understands. AI can’t do that for you. It can help you get organized, get unstuck, and brainstorm ideas.
Rather than teach AI tools to tell your story, train your brain to do it. Build those storytelling muscles, connect with your audience, and achieve your goals.
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An experienced storyteller in the arts, architecture, and design, Karen Robichaud (Strategic Communications Consultant, Founder of Karen Robichaud LLC) cultivates a holistic approach to strategic communications and leadership development. Serving as a creative leader and storyteller for award-winning campaigns and projects of multiple scales, Karen brings broad perspective to her work. She worked in-house at Boston Lyric Opera, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, and Payette before starting her consultancy.
Karen frequently presents at industry conferences for profession organizations such as SMPS, AIA, and AIGA; she also speaks at architecture schools regarding professional practice. Her work has been published in the Design Museum Magazine (guest editor: Issue 025: The Common Space Issue), the AIA YAF quarterly magazine, Connection, SMPS’s Marketer, and Architectural Digest. She is a member of the Advisory Council for CoDesign Collaborative and co-chairs the Open Architecture Collaborative board of directors.
(Return to the cover of the November 2024 PM Digest)