Using AI for planning purposes

For years I've automated the structure of planning, it was just done with templates pulled from previous launches. Now with Generative AI anyone can quickly get their punch list for a key launch. Typically, a document like this took years of participation in launches to begin to create.

Today though I continue my AI first efforts and decided to write about them for you. Mind you this is going to be extremely generic because I can't give away what I'm wanting to build a campaign for.

Prompt 1: I need to create an [Integrated Marketing Strategy] for a few deliverables. It needs to go beyond that though and be more strategic. These deliverables will help set the tone for a [broader campaign]. It needs to work across many channels including [social, digital, web, partner, and through our sales organization]. Can you develop an outline for this to ensure that I can achieve maximum impact? Assume I'm somewhat new to this and provide a [brief 2 sentence explanation] for each area.

unpacking prompt 1:

[Integrated Marketing Strategy] = What I'm asking the AI to do here is create a multi-channel strategy that builds on itself and reinforces itself. The first time I ever did a full integrated marketing strategy was for Windows CE 6.0 Release 2! Boy I'm old.

[broader campaign] = this wasn't a perfect prompt. I started with deliverables and am broadening it to a full-blown campaign. Interestingly enough this is how this project ended up coming about. we started with the content and quickly realized we had something extremely meaty.

[social, digital, web, partner, and through our sales organization] = look AI isn't perfect, and it may not capture all of the channels we want to use, so I decided to specify the channels I wanted to target.

[brief 2 sentence explanation] = I wanted to give folks less savvy the understanding of each of these areas.

Sooooo what did I get back?

<AI GENERATED>

Integrated Marketing Strategy Outline

1. Define Your Target Audience

Clearly identify your ideal customer segments based on demographics, behaviors, needs, and preferences. This helps ensure that all your messages and efforts resonate with the people most likely to engage with your brand and take action.

2. Craft Messaging and Positioning

Develop a consistent and compelling message that highlights your unique value proposition. Align this messaging across all channels to build recognition and trust, adapting slightly to fit the tone and best practices of each platform.

3. Select Your Channels

Choose the channels where your audience is most active, such as social media, digital ads, your website, partner platforms, and sales enablement tools. Ensure you create a seamless experience across these platforms while leveraging their unique strengths to maximize reach and impact.

4. Develop a Content Strategy

Plan high-quality, engaging content that supports your messaging and speaks to your audience's pain points, needs, or desires. Include a mix of formats like articles, videos, infographics, and case studies, and ensure each piece can be repurposed for different platforms.

5. Activate Partner Collaboration

Integrate key partners who can amplify your reach through co-marketing, joint campaigns, and shared resources. Work with partners to leverage their audiences while ensuring shared alignment on messaging and goals.

6. Empower the Sales Organization

Provide your sales team with resources like email templates, talking points, and case studies to ensure they fully convey campaign messaging. Regularly sync with sales to gather insights from the front lines and adapt strategies accordingly.

7. Allocate Your Budget Strategically

Break down your budget by channel and initiative to ensure resources are directed toward the most impactful opportunities. Monitor spending to adjust investments in real time based on performance and ROI.

8. Set Performance Metrics and KPIs

Define clear metrics to benchmark and assess the success of your campaign, such as engagement rates, lead generation, sales conversions, and overall ROI. Continuously monitor results and apply insights to refine both ongoing and future campaigns.

9. Ensure Cross-Channel Consistency

Plan workflows to keep all messaging and design elements cohesive, whether seen on social media, email, your website, or through sales touchpoints. A unified brand experience strengthens your credibility and prevents message confusion.

10. Measure, Analyze, and Optimize

Use analytics tools (Google Analytics, social insights, CRM data) to assess the effectiveness of your strategy regularly. Conduct A/B testing and gather feedback to fine-tune elements as you go, ensuring continuous improvement and sustained engagement.

Implementing this structure will help you ensure a well-rounded campaign that achieves maximum impact while being flexible enough to adapt to results and feedback.

</AI GENERATED>

At first blush I didn't quite think it nailed it to the level of specificity, so I wrote a second prompt. BTW this is one of the most important parts of Generative AI. The conversational nature allows you to take a second bite at the apple. When you get it wrong you can quickly redirect, and the app is so fast in the writing it still is better than starting over manually.

Prompt 2: can you break down any of these major tasks into sub tasks also with explanation if you deem it relevant?

<AI GENERATED>

Define Your Target Audience

• Conduct Market Research: Gather data on potential customers through surveys, focus groups, and market analysis to understand their needs and preferences.
• Create Buyer Personas: Develop detailed profiles of your ideal customers, including demographics, interests, and buying behaviors, to guide your marketing efforts.
• Segment Your Audience: Divide your audience into smaller groups based on shared characteristics to tailor your messaging and strategies more effectively.

2. Craft Messaging and Positioning

• Identify Key Messages: Determine the core messages that communicate your brand's value and differentiate you from competitors.
• Develop a Brand Voice: Establish a consistent tone and style for your communications that aligns with your brand identity and resonates with your audience.
• Test and Refine Messaging: Use A/B testing and feedback to refine your messaging for clarity and impact across different channels.

3. Select Your Channels

• Analyze Channel Performance: Review past performance data to identify which channels have been most effective for reaching your audience.
• Prioritize Channels: Rank channels based on audience presence, engagement potential, and cost-effectiveness to focus your efforts.
• Plan Channel Integration: Develop strategies for how each channel will work together to create a cohesive customer journey.

4. Develop a Content Strategy

• Content Audit: Review existing content to identify gaps and opportunities for new content creation.
• Content Calendar: Plan a schedule for content production and distribution to ensure consistent engagement with your audience.
• Repurpose Content: Adapt content for different formats and channels to maximize reach and efficiency.

</AI GENERATED>

Now I loved the extra details here but was disappointed it didn't push more detail across everything. One more shot at it...

Prompt 3: can you consolidate both of these answers into one outline

and the lazy prompt delivered!

<AI GENERATED>

Comprehensive Integrated Marketing Strategy Outline

1. Define Your Target Audience

Understanding your audience is the foundation of any effective marketing strategy. By defining who your ideal customers are, you can tailor your messaging to meet their needs and drive engagement more effectively.

• Conduct Market Research: Use surveys, focus groups, and market analysis to gather data about customer behaviors, motivations, and pain points.
• Create Buyer Personas: Develop detailed customer profiles that include demographics, interests, challenges, and purchasing habits to guide campaign development.
• Segment Your Audience: Break your audience into smaller, meaningful groups based on shared characteristics like geography, industry, or buying stage. This ensures more targeted and impactful efforts.

2. Craft Messaging and Positioning

Messaging and positioning are your tools to communicate your brand’s value and differentiate yourself from competitors. Consistency across all channels builds trust and brand recognition.

• Identify Key Messages: Articulate precise, value-driven messages that align with your audience's needs and highlight your unique offerings.
• Develop a Brand Voice: Define a tone and style that reflect your brand’s personality and connect emotionally with your audience.
• Test and Refine Messaging: Use A/B testing for headlines, calls-to-action, and key phrases across channels. Optimize language based on performance and feedback to make it more impactful.

3. Select Your Channels

Selecting the right communication platforms ensures you meet your audience where they already are. Each channel should work together for a seamless customer experience.

• Analyze Channel Performance: Look at past campaign data to understand which channels are most effective for engagement and conversions.
• Prioritize Channels: Focus on the platforms where your audience is most active (e.g., social media, email, or direct sales outreach) while balancing cost and reach.
• Plan Channel Integration: Develop a roadmap for integrating efforts across social media, your website, digital ads, partner platforms, and sales tools. Ensure each contributes to a unified customer journey.

4. Develop a Content Strategy

Content provides the substance of your campaigns and keeps your audience engaged. A plan for content creation and distribution ensures you deliver value consistently.

• Content Audit: Inventory your current content to identify gaps, redundancies, or opportunities for improved storytelling.
• Content Calendar: Lay out a schedule for production and posting across platforms. Include critical timelines for launch materials, refreshed campaigns, and follow-ups.
• Repurpose Content: Adapt high-performing or core pieces into multiple formats, such as using a blog post for social snippets, an infographic, or a short video.

5. Activate Partner Collaboration

Collaborating with partners helps amplify reach and leverage shared resources. This ensures mutual benefit and more dynamic campaigns.

• Identify Key Partners: Select partners whose audience overlap with yours and whose values align with your brand.
• Plan Co-Marketing Activities: Work together on initiatives like webinars, joint blog posts, or cross-promotions on social media.
• Maintain Alignment: Collaborate on messaging and creative assets to ensure consistent communication across both brands.

6. Empower the Sales Organization

Sales teams are pivotal in closing deals and maintaining consistent communication with prospects. Providing the right tools and information ensures alignment and efficiency with your marketing efforts.

• Create Sales Enablement Materials: Develop resources like pitch decks, email templates, and customer case studies for easy use by sales reps.
• Training and Briefings: Provide regular updates on campaign objectives, messaging, and performance to ensure your sales team is informed and confident.
• Collect Front-Line Insights: Gather feedback from the sales team on customer interactions to refine messaging and identify pain points.

7. Allocate Your Budget Strategically

A well-planned budget ensures resources are spent where they will have the greatest impact. Optimization happens when you regularly assess your allocations.

• Budget by Channel: Distribute funding based on channel effectiveness, audience reach, and campaign priority.
• Monitor Spend and ROI: Track real-time performance for each initiative. Adjust spend to scale up what’s working and scale back underperforming areas.
• Plan for Contingencies: Keep some budget flexible to respond to emerging opportunities or address unforeseen challenges.

8. Set Performance Metrics and KPIs

Metrics help you measure success and course-correct where necessary. Clear KPIs ensure every campaign has clear objectives and measurable outcomes.

• Define Key Metrics: Focus on relevant KPIs such as engagement rates, lead generation, conversion rates, website traffic, and ROI.
• Segment Metrics by Channel: Track platform-specific performance (e.g., CTR on ads, shares on social media, email open rates) for a more granular view.
• Regular Reporting: Use dashboards or reports to monitor progress and identify patterns that guide decision-making.

9. Ensure Cross-Channel Consistency

Consistency across platforms makes your brand memorable and builds trust. Your message should feel unified no matter where or how customers experience it.

• Establish Brand Guidelines: Document rules for visuals, tone, and messaging to ensure consistency across departments and partners.
• Create Design Templates: Develop reusable designs for collateral (e.g., ads, social templates) to maintain visual uniformity without reinventing the wheel.
• Conduct Quality Checks: Review all campaign materials before launch to confirm messaging, visuals, and CTA align with overall goals and strategies.

10. Measure, Analyze, and Optimize

Measurement and optimization keep your strategy dynamic and responsive. Adjustments based on data ensure continuous improvement.

• Deploy Analytics Tools: Use tools like Google Analytics, social media insights, or CRM data to track audience engagement and campaign performance.
• A/B Test Frequently: Test elements like email subject lines, landing page designs, or messaging to identify what resonates most with your audience.
• Review Feedback Loops: Collect direct feedback from customers (via surveys or interviews) to refine campaigns and improve customer experience.

This comprehensive strategy integrates all key areas and ensures your campaigns are not only impactful but also flexible enough to improve over time. By breaking down these tasks into manageable sub-steps, you can execute with clarity and precision.

</AI GENERATED>

Where the bleep was this! my goodness! Well, there you have it, this is about as good a starting outline to work from as you can hope for. A couple things I'm going to add to it... situation, what happens if we do nothing, what are our competitors doing, how will this project impact our success, what's in scope and what is out, but this is a great jumping off point. Hope you find that helpful.