Thoughts on Marketing

The Right Tool for the Right Job

And avoiding non-human bartenders

[Originally published as The Marketing Mix newsletter on Substack]

“We sell to cybersecurity people. To CIOs. Serious people. PPC doesn’t work for us. Nor does cold calling. Serious content is what makes the difference with this audience.”

That was the comment from the CEO of Compyl, at a panel session on early-stage fundraising I attended last week.

His point was that not every playbook fits every company. And they had listened to the wrong people in their first iteration. “We wasted time by not investing in the right sales and marketing help. People who didn’t know the industry.”

My question to you today: Do you know why you’re investing in a particular marketing tactic?

It’s easy to get caught up in an idea that sounds good on LinkedIn; or a program that an agency tells you “everyone is doing it.” But does it make sense for your company, and your target audience?

If you’re not sure, let’s chat! Book a call

Getting Started on Your AI Journey

In the last newsletter, I shared some thoughts on how to get comfortable with AI tools. And I expanded on that theme on the latest episode of The Marketing Mix podcast.

Here’s the key parts of the episode:

  • What to think about when you think about AI [04:35] – Some guidelines to get you started and to keep you on track
  • Which AI Assistant should you use? [07:05] – Hint: It’s ChatGPT4. But I talk you through the options
  • Three use cases to get you started [12:10] – A writing assistant; a summary tool; and a better search engine

Take a listen to the episode, and let me know your thoughts.

Listen Now

Drink of the Week (With a twist of AI)

Since we’re all trying to work out how AI is going to help (and hurt) us, I called on the help of an AI bartender this week. With a paid subscription to ChatGPT, you get access to custom GPTs – effectively, a bot tuned to do a specific set of tasks.

That’s where I found Fuggedaboutit Cocktails “where Al Capone meets Tony Soprano on Saturday night.” It promises to mix up a gangster-worthy drink, and talks like a mobster. After a short conversation, it came up with a bespoke cocktail for me – The Mobster’s Mirage.

[Read in the voice of your favorite fictional gangster:]

Mobster’s Mirage

  • 1 oz Whisky: Pick a good one, something with character but not too overbearing.
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau: For a hint of sweet citrus to brighten things up.
  • 1/2 oz Dark Rum: Adds depth and a bit of mystery.
  • 1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice: To cut through the sweetness and add some zing.
  • Dash of Simple Syrup: Only if you like it a bit sweeter, see?

How to Make It:

  1. Chill Your Glass: Get a nice cocktail glass and fill it with ice or stick it in the freezer for a bit to get it nice and frosty.
  2. Mix Ingredients: In a shaker, combine the whisky, Cointreau, dark rum, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup if you’re using it. Fill that shaker with ice, enough to get the job done but not so much it waters down the goods.
  3. Shake It Up: Shake it like you mean it, but with respect, until the mix is well chilled.
  4. Strain: Strain it into your chilled glass. You want it smooth, with no ice chunks crashin’ the party.
  5. Garnish: Add that lime wheel or twist. It’s like the suit jacket on a well-dressed gentleman.

[Now back to my voice….]

Before you rush off and mix one up for yourself, a word of caution. It didn’t taste great 😬. The lack of bitters should have been my first warning – although the ingredients are all good, it didn’t really hang together. Plus, the drink looked a bit murky.

Moral of the story? For the truly important things, stick to the human solution. AI just can’t be trusted. 😀

Having said that though….to salvage something from this exercise, I asked ChatGPT to generate a suitable image to conjure up the feeling of a smoky “mob-friendly” speakeasy:

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Cheers!

Steve