AI in B2B: Navigating 2024 with Experts Matt Heinz and Nicole Leffer

Summary

AI is not in the future. It's here. How will it affect our budgets in 2024? Matt Heinz and AI expert Nicole Leffer talk about this and a lot more. Read on for the TLDR version of our very first "HM Inner Circle" normally saved exclusively for past and current clients.

By Sheena McKinney, Business Operations & Marketing Assistant at Heinz Marketing

Whether you’re yet to explore AI or you’re an early adopter, welcome (again) to the AI future of B2B sales and marketing!

In a recent chat with our President & Founder, Matt Heinz and CMO AI Advisor Nicole Leffer, we uncovered some timely insights as we gear up for 2024.

Embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategically is no longer an option—it’s a necessity. So, let’s dive into the highlights of an incredible conversation.

Company Adoption of ChatGPT:

• Adoption varies across industries and companies.
• Highly regulated industries and large companies are often more hesitant to allow ChatGPT.
• Shadow AI use is prevalent, with employees secretly utilizing ChatGPT even if officially disallowed.
• Companies are sometimes unaware of this shadow AI use, leading to a lack of control and awareness.

Must-Haves Before Implementing AI:

• Clear guidance for employees on what to input into ChatGPT and basic security protocols to protect client data, intellectual property, and proprietary information.
• Minimum budget considerations of $20 per person per month for the paid version of ChatGPT – This is all you need!
• Skills training for employees and teams to maximize AI benefits.

AI Usage Across Departments:  

• AI benefits marketing, sales, customer success, and strategy and anywhere words are used.
• Assistance in administrative tasks, content creation, sales strategies, customer communication, strategic thinking and so much more.

Advantages of AI for Time Management and Cognitive Load:

• AI offers a significant advantage in terms of productivity and time management.
• The ability to accomplish more in the same amount of time, providing extra balance time.
• Not only does it increase productivity, but it also reduces cognitive load, alleviating mental exhaustion from various tasks.
• The use of AI assistance allows you to be more present in personal life and less mentally drained during leisure time.

GPTs & Plugins:

• Caution advised for new users; creating high-quality GPTs requires expertise and time.
• Most GPTs and plugins are currently of little value.

Best Practices for Prompting:

• Clear and specific directions are essential when prompting ChatGPT.
• Providing context, specifying the desired output format, and giving examples enhance AI effectiveness.
• Treating AI tools like consultants, providing them with the same information as human collaborators, is crucial.

Microsoft’s Role in AI:

• Microsoft praised for AI tools, including BING and Edge browser with Copilot functionality (not yet available in all accounts).
• Google’s AI tools considered less advanced compared to Microsoft’s offerings (so far).

Perspective on the Future and AI:

• Mix of excitement and caution about AI’s future impact on jobs and society.
• Emphasis on the need for individuals to equip themselves with AI skills for long-term job security.

These are just some of the highlights of a great discussion between Matt and Nicole shedding light on the evolving landscape of AI during our first HM Inner Circle discussion exclusively for current and past Heinz Marketing clients.

Let us know if you want to join us next time. Here’s just a taste of what you missed:

• How do these tools integrate into marketing planning and strategy?
• How can the AI be used to assist with email and other communications efforts?
• How can AI be used for basic tasks like content creation and brainstorming?
• How can AI tools improve efficiency and increase the quality of outputs?
• What is the future of AI and its potential impact on job fields?

For our next HM Inner Circle session we’re excited to have a live interactive (no recording) conversation with Brent Adamson on December 13th 2023 – 11:00 am PT | 12:00 pm MT | 1:00 pm CT | 2:00 pm ET. 

Brent Adamson, the coauthor of The Challenger Sale and Challenger Customer is in the midst of writing his new book all about framing change management, sense making across the entire go-to-market experience, buying journeys and customer experience. And he’s just a lot of fun just to hang out with.

Want to join us?