Building a brand & marketing strategy for a high-growth SME in the age of AI
When we decided to launch twisted loop, we knew we were stepping into new territory. But even with our past experience, the biggest change has been just how much technology has evolved since we built our last brand from scratch only a few years ago.
For businesses with ambitious growth goals, AI has become a critical advantage, especially in shaping brand and marketing strategies. Here’s what I’ve learned so far while building the twisted loop brand and what I share with clients who want to integrate AI and data into their strategies.
1. Use AI to truly understand your customers
The heart of any brand is its connection with customers. AI-powered tools like predictive analytics, natural language processing, and machine learning algorithms allow us to dive deep into customer data, uncovering insights that were hard to access before. By understanding exactly what your customers want and need, you can create content and products that speak directly to them - helping your brand to become more relevant, memorable, and impactful in a busy market.
2. Automate smartly, but keep it personal
AI-driven automation can be a game changer - it makes operations smoother, saving time and resources. But it’s a balancing act. Too much automation can make a brand feel cold or impersonal. To avoid this, we find that it’s essential to use AI tools in a way that frees up our team to focus on what really matters - building authentic connections. This combination has been key to creating the kind of brand loyalty that automation alone can’t achieve.
3. Embrace AI-powered content creation, but stay authentic
AI-driven content creation tools have become a huge asset for producing high-quality, branded content at scale. Whether it’s blog posts, social media updates, or videos, these tools help us get our message out quickly. But here’s the thing: while AI can help us write faster, it’s essential to make sure the human voice of the brand comes through. Audiences can sense authenticity, and AI-generated content without a personal touch just doesn’t resonate in the same way. For twisted loop, we combine AI’s efficiency with our unique storytelling, creating content that’s not just fast but also memorable.
By using AI to enhance rather than replace the personal aspects of customer engagement, you can build a brand that doesn’t just keep up with the digital age, but truly stands out in it.
✅ Start your AI journey
For firms eager to start their journey with AI but unsure where to begin, it’s best to start small, targeting high-impact use cases. Here's some suggested first steps:
Identify high-impact use cases
Begin by identifying areas in your business where AI can make a tangible difference. For instance, if your deal pipeline is struggling, look into AI-driven deal sourcing. If you're drowning in admin, consider adopting AI tools to finish the bulk of the work for you.
Invest in expertise
Implementing AI successfully requires expertise, both in terms of understanding the technology itself and integrating it into existing workflows. Hiring AI specialists or working with experienced consultants can accelerate adoption and reduce potential pitfalls while ensuring the strategy you adopt meets your business goals.
Test and iterate
AI technologies evolve quickly, and initial implementations may require adjustments. Start with a proof of concept and test its effectiveness before scaling. For example, you might test an AI tool for sentiment analysis on a small batch of customer reviews to gauge its accuracy and relevance before applying it across your business.