HOW I LEVERAGE AI (WITHOUT LOSING THE HUMAN TOUCH)
AI has become a natural extension of how I work at SP Marketing. Not as a replacement for thinking, creativity, or strategy (those still rely on experience and human judgement) but as a tool that supports sharper thinking, more consistent work, and better decision-making.
Strategy first, always
One of the biggest shifts in how I use AI has been integrating it with the SPM Formula. This is the framework we use to plan and map content in a way that aligns with each client’s brand, audience, and customer journeys.
Using the SPM Formula allows us to plan content that is strategically aligned - content that reflects a client’s values, clearly communicates their unique selling points, and speaks to people at different stages of their decision-making process. AI supports this planning process, but it doesn’t define it. The thinking, structure, and intent come first. The tool comes second.
The outcome is content that’s engaging, compelling, and most importantly, relevant.
How AI supports the day-to-day
I use AI to streamline the operational side of the business - proposals, emails, onboarding documents - and to support strategic planning. Where it’s most valuable is in helping build solid strategies that are genuinely unique to each client. AI helps pressure-test ideas, organise thinking, and explore different angles, but the strategy itself is always led by us. It’s shaped by our clients’ values, their unique selling points, and a clear understanding of who they’re trying to reach.
Behind the scenes, AI supports a lot of our internal systems - templates, SOPs, and client questionnaires - and it’s also one of my go-to brainstorming partners when I’m developing new ideas. I use it daily to plan, refine, and review work, especially when juggling multiple clients and moving parts.
A word of caution on AI and copywriting
I’m also very wary of the growing use of chatbots as a plug-and-play copywriting solution - particularly when it comes to social media content.
When I use ChatGPT for copywriting support, it can be incredibly flawed if it’s not guided properly. Your thoughts, insights, lived experience, and natural language should always lead. AI can assist, but it should never be the final authority.
Good copy, especially for social, isn’t a quick process. Even with AI, there’s a lot of back-and-forth involved to get language sounding human, natural, and true to a brand. Tone, nuance, and intent matter, and those things don’t come from prompts alone. This is helpful work, but it’s not instant, and it’s definitely not hands-off.
That’s a whole other article in itself.
Looking ahead
Looking forward, I see strong potential in AI-driven tools that further automate onboarding and proposal processes. Some of this is already semi-automated, but there are real opportunities for agent-style tools that tailor these experiences even further. I’m also excited about what AI can do in analytics and reporting - interpreting data, identifying patterns, and surfacing insights automatically so more time can be spent acting on them.
Creative ideation will always be led by people. That won’t change, but AI will continue to reduce friction and speed up the process, allowing good ideas to move faster without losing their depth.