Actionable AI: Systems, Workflows, and Mindset Shifts – Dan Sanchez

It’s no secret that AI has changed the way we operate as marketers. Over the last couple of years, I’ve been deep in the trenches exploring what actually works—and what’s just hype. Let me save you some trial-and-error by sharing the hands-on lessons I’ve learned, actionable approaches you can try out, and a fresh way to think about weaving AI into your day-to-day work.

Jumpstarting Your AI Journey: Real-World Use Cases

When I first got into AI-powered marketing, I did what most people do: played around, broke a few things, and realized that what worked six months ago might not work today. Here’s the great news: AI models have gotten smarter (and so have our workflows).

You don’t have to be a tech wizard to get in on the action! Beyond the shiny, fully automated podcast launchers and content generators, AI has a lot to offer in practical, everyday scenarios:

Room Makeover Helper: I once asked ChatGPT to redecorate my office virtually, and it handed me color codes in Home Depot’s paint brand, complete with visual inspiration. It’s a surprisingly creative way to get design advice!
Your On-Call IT Assistant: Run into software hiccups? AI like ChatGPT can troubleshoot and offer solutions—think of it as your 24/7 tech support desk.
Automated Customer Support: Small teams can now let AI handle inbound calls, site chats, and texting. AI can answer FAQs, qualify leads, and pass the complex stuff on to a human—all without missing a beat.

Finding the Sweet Spot: Integrating AI Without Losing the Human Touch

It’s easy to get swept up in automating everything. But, take it from me, the magic happens when you blend AI with human insight. For small businesses especially, AI can level the playing field by managing the repetitive stuff—freeing up you and your team to focus on real connections.

A great example: imagine your business gets a flood of calls, but you don’t have the manpower to answer them all. AI voice assistants now can help, handling first-touch interactions and only sending the hot leads or tough questions your way.

How AI Shifts the Marketing Landscape

No one knows exactly where this is heading, but here’s my hunch: AI will continue to reshape marketing, especially by making hyper-personalization the new normal. Most marketers today still use AI mainly for speed—churning out blog posts, emails, or social copy faster than ever. But that’s just scratching the surface.

The next leap? Campaigns that feel like one-on-one conversations. For instance, my email nurture sequences now adapt to each subscriber’s level of AI understanding and pain points. This isn’t just scale—it’s relevance and empathy at scale.

Where Most People Get Stuck

The reality is, many are only tapping AI’s most basic functions. There’s so much potential in using it to:

Handle personalized outreach and segmentation
Draft and test multiple campaign variants (let AI handle the grunt work!)
Collect and analyze customer questions to inform your product or content strategy

Making the Most Out of Prompts: My Go-To Method

If you want to really draw out value from AI, start by asking the right questions. Here’s something that works wonders for me:

Start with a strong prompt. I’ll ask AI to gather the top frequently asked questions my target audience has about my industry or a specific product. The results? Instant insight into what people really want to know, which then shapes my marketing content, sales scripts, and product offers.

It might seem too simple, but the power lies in being thoughtful about your intent behind the prompt. Think about your real goals—then tailor your questions (and AI tasks) to uncover insights, not just surface-level answers.

A Word of Caution: Stay Critical

AI can be a bit of a “confirmation bias machine.” It’s all too easy for it to reinforce your preconceptions if you’re not careful. The key? Stay curious and challenge your own assumptions. Don’t just accept AI’s answers at face value—use them as a springboard for deeper investigation or creative brainstorming.

Training Your AI for Better Results

Want your AI tools to be more helpful and less of an echo chamber? I’ve found that even tweaking basic settings in chat-based AIs can help. You can turn off some of the overly agreeable “yes-man” behaviors and prompt it to dig deeper or play devil’s advocate, which helps you get more nuanced, actionable advice.

Wrapping Up: Be Human First, but AI-Driven

My bottom line: embrace what AI makes possible, but don’t lose your sense of humanity, creativity, and strategic thinking. Let AI do the heavy lifting with repetitive or data-heavy tasks, so you can focus on building authentic connections, crafting compelling stories, and making a real impact.

These are actionable steps you can put to work today, whether you’re a marketing veteran or just starting out. AI isn’t here to replace us—it’s here to multiply what we already do best.