Growth Ritual #27
📋 IN THIS ISSUE: Is Your Business Missing Out on AI Automation? ✨ Cereal-ously Funny: Surreal Cereal’s Celebrity Prank! ✨ Curated selection of AI tools
🎙️ AUDIO DEEP DIVE OF THIS ISSUE:
Sammy & Mila offer in-depth analysis on each newsletter issue. Subscribe to their podcast on Spotify or any other podcast platform.
📊 TRENDS, RESEARCH & REPORTS:
Is Your Business Missing Out on AI Automation?
Artificial intelligence used to be something that could be used on the huge servers of large companies, but now it has become something that we can benefit from in our daily lives.
Recent studies show that small businesses using AI can see a massive 10-30% increase in revenue. One of these is Gartner's "The State of 2024 Marketing Budgets for CMOs".
The data that caught my attention the most here was that thanks to AI, jobs that were previously outsourced can be done in-house at lower costs.
Did you know that nearly half of all small business budgets go to outsourcing? That's right – 48%! It's a staggering number that shows just how much companies rely on external services.
As a small business owner, you know the struggle of trying to do everything yourself. Marketing, sales, social media, customer support – it's a lot to juggle.
And normally, when you don't have the time or expertise to handle these tasks in-house, you often find yourself outsourcing to call centers, sales agents or agencies.
On average, small businesses in the US spend a whopping $6,000+ per month on outsourced marketing and support services.
Unfortunately, outsourcing often becomes a black hole. You throw money in, but you hardly see a return on your investment.
I've been in the trenches of small business marketing for over 15 years. I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. But recently, I've been obsessed with AI automation. Why? Because it's a game-changer.
I've seen firsthand how AI can help businesses save time, money, and stress. As you can see, It's also backed by research from giants like Gartner, and my clients are seeing incredible results. Trust me, this isn't just hype – it's the real deal.
It was so transformative, we couldn't keep it to ourselves. We picked our most used automations and turned them into a super simple mobile app called Tap Grow!
Product Page: http://tapgrow.ai
Think of Tap Grow as your in-house AI marketing team with plug & play AI agents. It's like having a team of experts at your fingertips, without the hefty price tag.
We just launched on the Apple App Store last week, and the feedback has been amazing. Seems like we're hitting a nerve with small businesses who are tired of the outsourcing struggle.
If you're feeling the same pinch, I'd love to chat! Shoot me an email at selim@nextbig.app or connect with me on LinkedIn. Let's see if Tap Grow can help you save money and free up your time.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selimyoruk/
By the way, to celebrate our launch, we're offering a crazy good deal to founders: 60% off or 6 months FREE on annual plans! That's a no-brainer way to see if AI automation can boost your business.
How Does Tap Grow Work?
Create a Custom AI Agent: Provide your product information, target audience, and desired outcomes. For example, if you want to generate more leads for a new product, you would input the product's features, benefits, and pricing, active campaigns.
Set Parameters: Define specific parameters such as:
Target audience: Who do you want to reach?
Call frequency: How often should the AI agent reach out?
Call times: When is the best time to contact potential customers?
Natural Conversations: Tap Grow's AI agent engages in natural, human-like conversations with your customers. Just like ChatGPT voice demo, it can understand and respond to a wide range of questions and requests.
Real-World Examples
Sales:
Automatically dials potential customers based on your criteria.
Delivers personalized product pitches and answers questions.
Books appointments and follows up with leads.
Customer Support:
Provides instant support for common inquiries.
Resolves issues and escalates complex problems to human agents.
Offers product recommendations based on customer behavior.
Customer Retention:
For customers at risk of churning, proactively reaches out to them.
Offers personalized incentives and solutions to keep them engaged.
Use Cases
E-commerce: Handle customer inquiries, process returns, and upsell products.
SaaS: Book demos, provide product onboarding, and nurture leads.
Professional Services: Schedule appointments, follow up with clients, and send proposals.
B2B Sales: Generate leads, qualify prospects, and close deals.
In essence, Tap Grow is your virtual sales and support team, working tirelessly to grow your business.
💡 INSPIRING IDEAS:
Cereal-ously Funny: Surreal Cereal’s Celebrity Prank!
The two hilariously creative marketing campaigns I featured in last week's issue generated significant buzz, with readers reaching out for more inspiring ideas to implement in their own businesses.
One more…
Surreal Cereal has taken the marketing world by storm with its audacious "Fake Celebrity" campaign, a clever twist on traditional celebrity endorsements that has sparked widespread conversation and engagement across social media.
By featuring everyday individuals who share names with famous personalities, the UK-based cereal brand has managed to create a buzz without the hefty price tag typically associated with celebrity endorsements.
At the heart of Surreal Cereal's marketing strategy is a simple yet innovative idea: instead of hiring A-list celebrities like Serena Williams or Dwayne Johnson, the brand enlisted regular people who happen to share these names.
This approach not only saved costs but also added a layer of humor and relatability to the campaign.
The billboards and advertisements featured these "celebrities" enjoying the cereal, complete with asterisks explaining the ruse, which added a cheeky transparency to the marketing effort.
The Impact of Humor and Authenticity
Humor played a crucial role in the campaign's success. Surreal Cereal's cheeky advertisements resonated with audiences, making them shareable and engaging.
The lightheartedness of the campaign allowed consumers to connect with the brand on a personal level, fostering a sense of community and trust.
By showcasing "real" people enjoying their product, Surreal effectively tapped into the growing trend of authenticity in marketing, challenging the conventional wisdom that only big-name endorsements can drive sales.
Social Media Buzz and Engagement
The campaign quickly gained traction on social media, generating significant discussion and engagement.
Within just a few days, Surreal's ads attracted thousands of reactions, comments, and shares, far outpacing traditional campaigns from larger competitors like Kellogg's.
This level of engagement demonstrates that innovative, humorous marketing can outperform established brands, even with a fraction of the budget.
Lessons for Future Marketing Campaigns
Surreal Cereal's approach offers valuable lessons for brands looking to make their mark in a crowded market:
Play with the Unconventional: Taking risks with creative ideas can lead to memorable campaigns that stand out.
Leverage Humor: A well-placed joke or humorous twist can enhance relatability and shareability.
Prefer Authenticity: Featuring real people can build trust and foster a sense of community around the brand.
Engage with Transparency: Being open about marketing tactics, even when they involve a twist, can enhance credibility.
Adapt and Evolve: The ability to pivot in response to feedback or legal challenges can help maintain momentum and public interest.
📱 Next Big Apps:
Explore this week's curated selection of AI tools to streamline your workflow and boost productivity.
CapGo.ai: AI table/excel that fills itself. Ask Anything - B2B research, data enrichment, personalized messages for outreach.
Vidnoz AI: Free AI video generator. Choose a template & avatar. Type the script. Done.
Gamma.app: Create visually stunning presentations effortlessly from your chat, meeting notes or any text. It’s free.
GitMind: Free AI-powered collaborative mind mapping software for brainstorming and idea co-creation.
Tinywow: Free PDF, video, image, text generation & converter tools to make your life easier.
💡 INSPIRING IDEAS:
"Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun."
— Mary Lou Cook