What Should You Do If Your Marketing AI Pilot Project Fails?

Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared in the Answering AI editorial section of our newsletter. Subscribe to the newsletter to get exclusive insights and resources twice weekly (usually Tuesday/Thursday), as well as select promotions.

Today’s Question: What should you do if your marketing AI pilot project fails?

No matter what you start with (e.g. ad spend optimization, content strategy, conversion rates, churn reduction) there is a very real chance that the first couple marketing AI pilots you run won’t work. Or, at least, they won’t generate the cost savings or revenue growth you hoped for.

You can NOT stop because of early failures. That means you’re going to need executive-level understanding and support of AI. The C-suite has to be bought in on the value and importance of transforming your marketing.

The velocity of change in marketing is going to accelerate because of AI, and it will be at a rate unlike anything we’ve seen before in the industry, including email, social, mobile and the Internet itself.

“AI is probably the most important thing humanity has ever worked on. I think of it as something more profound than electricity or fire.” — Sundar Pichai, Google CEO (World Economic Forum)

The change may appear to be gradual, but you don’t want to be left behind when all of the sudden everything has evolved.

Don’t try to convince executives using jargon and buzzwords. Talk to them about the metrics that matter and show them how AI can solve real business problems in a more efficient and intelligent way.

If they understand the big picture opportunity, and are engaged in the process, then early failures will be viewed as investments in the larger digital transformation.

If you’re looking for help, join us at the Marketing AI Conference (MAICON). The event gives marketing leaders the knowledge and resources to truly understand AI, educate their teams, garner executive support, pilot priority AI uses cases, and develop a near-term strategy for successfully scaling AI.

Have an AI question you want answered in an upcoming newsletter editorial? Submit your questions and feedback to marketing.ai@pr2020.com.