How marketing teams use AI to work smarter and drive growth
The challenge for today’s Marketing teams
AI adoption in marketing has surged over the past year. According to McKinsey’s State of AI Report 2024, 65% of businesses now use AI regularly, almost double the number from ten months ago. Gartner also reports that companies integrating AI into marketing have seen a 30% efficiency boost, proving its tangible impact on productivity and performance.
I’ve seen the same results in my work and my work with clients. While AI and MarTech stacks (most have built-in AI tools) are not a magic fix for Marketing, they are helping teams work smarter, execute faster and contribute more effectively to business growth.
Finding new markets and unlocking customer potential
In my experience, one of the most valuable ways AI is having on marketing is in customer segmentation, whether by identifying potential churn, discovering untapped audiences, or refining targeting for better conversion.
- Predicting churn before it happens – businesses are using AI-powered client listening tools like Qualtrics XM, Medallia, and Sprinklr to flag disengagement early, allowing teams to act before losing customers
- Building lookalike audiences to target new customers – AI within LinkedIn and Facebook leverages CRM data to identify high-potential prospects, helping businesses scale faster
- Enhancing segmentation for cross-selling and upselling – platforms like Salesforce, Nexl and HubSpot analyse customer behaviour to improve targeting and deliver the right offers at the right time
Personalisation at scale
Customers now expect communications that speak directly to them. AI-driven MarTech enables:
- Dynamic personalisation of marketing messages – Platforms like HubSpot, Salesforce, Nexl and Sitecore tailor email campaigns, web experiences, and sales initiatives based on behaviour
- Stronger e-commerce personalisation – AI has changed online shopping and will continue to do so. Retailers are using their Martech stacks to personalise product suggestions based on browsing behaviour and purchase history in real time
- Cost-effective email personalisation – you don’t need enterprise-level tools to do this well. Many businesses I work with use Campaign Monitor, Mailchimp, and HubSpot to personalise email content effectively and affordably
Prioritising lead generation and conversion
AI is improving how businesses qualify and convert leads by:
- Scoring and ranking leads more effectively – platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot use AI to analyse engagement data, prioritising leads with the highest likelihood of conversion
- Creating more precise sales pitches – tools like ChatGPT and Jasper AI help craft targeted sales documents, integrating customer insights, industry trends, and key pain points. Some businesses are integrating their own AI-powered tools into their platforms and workflows to generate insights tailored to their specific sales opportunities
- Enhancing ad performance in real-time – AI-driven platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google automatically suggest ad spend for campaigns to reach the right audience with minimal waste
Running more efficient go-to-market (GTM) campaigns
AI allows teams to launch and scale campaigns faster with more accuracy:
- Identifying high-converting customer segments – AI analyses large data sets to pinpoint the best-fit audiences
- Automating creative testing – AI-powered tools automate A/B testing at scale to determine the most effective content
- Maximising media spend efficiency – AI dynamically adjusts targeting and budget allocation in real time to optimise ROI
AI is a productivity multiplier, not a replacement
I am seeing a clear trend: AI doesn’t replace Marketing; it enables it. While AI isn’t taking over Marketing, it is reshaping how teams execute strategies, improve efficiency, and deliver better results.
The most successful Marketers today aren’t AI specialists; they are AI-literate, who use the tools to make informed decisions, work smarter, and produce quicker.
For businesses still on the sidelines, now is the time to integrate AI into marketing. Cost isn’t a barrier; strategy is. Start where AI can add the most value and collaborate with leadership to ensure smart implementation (See my insight: AI can’t be ignored, but it must be used wisely).
One final note: the tools I’ve mentioned here are those I’ve come across in my experience to date; they’re examples, not endorsements, and by no means the only tools available. The key is to explore what works best for your business, ask around your networks, and start where AI can add the most value and impact.
