Here are seven essential steps to ensure your AI integration is a success.
- Identify Clear Business Needs and Goals
Before diving into AI tools, pinpoint the specific challenges your marketing team faces. Are you struggling with content versioning, campaign personalization, or resource constraints? Defining clear objectives—like reducing costs, increasing efficiency, or improving campaign performance—will help you choose the right AI solutions and measure success.
- Secure Top-Down Support
AI initiatives thrive when leadership is on board. Engage your C-suite early, especially your CEO, CIO, or Head of AI, to champion the project. Their support ensures you’ll have the resources, budget, and organizational alignment needed for a smooth rollout.
- Choose the Right AI Platform
Resist the urge to patch together point solutions for each department. Instead, look for an enterprise-wide AI platform that can scale across teams, ensure compliance, and provide consistent guardrails. A centralized approach simplifies management and reduces risk.
- Partner With the Right Vendor
Your AI vendor should be more than a technology provider—they should be a strategic partner. Look for vendors who offer discovery workshops, understand your industry, and can guide you through use case identification, implementation, and ongoing optimization.
- Start With High-Impact, Measurable Use Cases
Quick wins build momentum. Begin with use cases that have clear, quantifiable ROI—like automating content versioning or generating paid ad copy. Demonstrating early success makes it easier to secure ongoing investment and expand AI adoption.
- Invest in Training and Change Management
AI adoption is as much about people as it is about technology. Provide hands-on training, encourage experimentation, and address concerns about job displacement. Emphasize how AI can free up time for higher-value work, not replace employees.
- Measure, Iterate, and Scale
Track both hard and soft ROI—cost savings, time saved, and improved campaign outcomes. Use these insights to refine your approach, expand to new use cases, and continuously improve your AI strategy.
Conclusion
Integrating AI into your marketing department isn’t a one-time project—it’s an ongoing journey. By following these seven steps, you’ll set your team up for success, drive measurable results, and position your organization as a leader in the age of AI-powered marketing.
This blog post is based on the 2024 DMFS New York Session featuring Jacquelyn Reardon from Franklin Templeton and writer, Diego Lomanto.
