Milena Traikovich is a renowned expert in demand generation, acclaimed for her expertise in analytics and performance optimization. Her innovative approach to utilizing generative AI tools enhances marketing efficiency, with her wealth of experience helping businesses streamline their marketing campaigns and nurture high-quality leads. In this interview, we explore Milena’s insights on leveraging AI to optimize various marketing tasks beyond traditional copywriting.
What prompted you to explore the use of generative AI in marketing beyond copywriting?
Generative AI has a vast range of applications, and I realized early on that its potential stretched far beyond just producing written content. Initially, I was driven by the need to enhance efficiency across our team’s workflow—especially in areas that were cumbersome yet critical. The idea was to find intelligent ways to tackle tasks that consume a lot of time without necessarily requiring a high level of creative input. This exploration has made my work not only more efficient but surprisingly more enjoyable by eliminating repetitive tasks that I used to handle manually.
Can you describe how generative AI serves as a digital research assistant for curating third-party email newsletter content?
Absolutely! Generative AI acts like a research mastermind, efficiently sifting through extensive data to extract valuable content. When curating third-party email newsletters, the AI scans approved sources like industry blogs and trade sites to shortlist relevant articles. To ensure quality, it’s crucial to provide comprehensive input, such as a detailed audience profile, when the content was published, and a list of competitors to avoid. This method not only streamlines the process for teams but also helps those lacking a dedicated subject matter expert to maintain a consistent and insightful content flow.
How have you used AI to develop documents like proposals more efficiently?
My approach involves a custom GPT designed specifically as a proposal architect. This AI assists by drafting sections of proposal documents, leveraging a repository of successful past proposals. I usually start by asking for a draft of the prospect overview, and then I move on to engagement details and pricing based on preset parameters. It mirrors my style and organizes everything seamlessly, reducing the time spent on repetitive document creation and helping me focus on refining and tailoring specifics.
Can you discuss how AI helped simplify the categorization of open-ended survey responses?
Categorizing survey responses used to be incredibly time-consuming. By employing ChatGPT, I could upload the responses and have the AI group and name the categories. It methodically goes through each question, identifying themes and assigning snappy names, which makes it easier to interpret and present the data. While there were challenges, especially when trying to categorize multiple questions at once, tackling them one by one proved effective. This process allowed me to accomplish in minutes what typically takes hours, without succumbing to spreadsheet fatigue.
In your opinion, how does AI assist in enhancing the strategic and creative aspects of marketing tasks?
AI acts as an amplifying force in marketing. While it tackles mundane tasks, it liberates the human intellect to focus on strategy and creativity. By taking over data-heavy and repetitive processes, AI gives marketers the bandwidth to hone in on the creative processes—crafting strategies, storytelling, and building connections that drive campaigns forward. So, it becomes an enabler rather than a replacement, enhancing both strategic thinking and creative execution.
Why did you choose not to build a custom GPT for the Family Feud survey categorization project?
The decision was pragmatic. Family Feud: Email Marketing Edition is an infrequent project. Building a custom GPT would have required significant investment in training for a one-off task. A standard ChatGPT session was more than sufficient, as it provided the needed categorization efficiently with well-crafted prompts. Thus, it offered a perfect balance between time investment and task completion without overextending resources.
How does using AI as a marketing assistant impact the overall efficiency and consistency of your work?
Using AI greatly boosts efficiency and consistency, effectively minimizing errors that tend to creep into repetitive tasks. It ensures a uniform output that aligns with our standards while accelerating turnaround times for routine tasks. I rely on it for assistance in various initiatives, knowing that it protects strategic bandwidth for myself and my team. The constancy it brings is invaluable, freeing up resources that can be redirected towards more dynamic and critical areas of our work.
Can you provide tips for marketers looking to incorporate AI into their daily routines using real-world examples?
Start small and focus on specific, high-impact areas where AI can save time without compromising quality. For instance, use AI to curate third-party content, as it helps compile relevant pieces without monitoring every platform manually. Consider building personalized tools like a custom GPT to automate repetitive document creation. Experiment with categorizing data, like survey responses, to get quick insights without the manual drudgery. The key is iterative testing and integrating AI where it naturally complements your existing processes.
Do you have any advice for our readers?
Embrace AI with an open mind, but always let your expertise and intuition guide your use of technology. The goal is to eliminate inefficiencies, not creativity or strategy. As you experiment with these tools, think of AI as a valued colleague—a helper that tackles the grunt work, allowing you to focus on what truly requires a human touch. By striking this balance, you’ll unlock new levels of productivity and ingenuity in your marketing endeavors.
