Who do you think you are?
Jean Knight sang Mr. Big Stuff in 1971 that had these lyrics:
Mr. Big Stuff
Who do you think you are
Mr. Big Stuff
You’re never gonna get my love
Most small companies think they lose to Mr. Big Stuff, but what they may not realize is that AI makes them a Mr. Big Stuff! The fact is, small businesses can compete with larger brands that have more resources for digital and AI-driven marketing by being more innovative BECAUSE of AI. Here’s how.
The fact is, AI-driven marketing and business tools enable small businesses to be more innovative, efficient, and customer-focused—often outmaneuvering larger brands. Here’s how AI is leveling the playing field and helping small businesses compete and win.
Personalized Marketing (Without a Large Team)
Large corporations struggle to make their marketing feel personal, but small businesses can leverage AI to create relevant customer experiences at scale. AI tools help by:
- Automating email marketing to personalize messages based on customer behavior (e.g., Mailchimp, Social Pilot). Programs are designed to “niche” your messages, giving that personal touch that Mr. Big Stuff just can’t do. Often, Mr. Big Stuff is so big, the left hand doesn’t know what the right had is doing. Even before AI, that was the case. I used to call on a client in a big room with four people who worked in each corner. I “made the rounds” when I made a sales call, and when one said, “Do you mind tell Carol that? I said of course not. Carol was in ear shot in the other corner, but I carried the message gladly. Often, I was like a bouncing rubber ball going back and forth and sideways corner to corner. It was amazing.
- Powering AI chatbots and virtual assistants to provide instant, 24/7 customer support and sales assistance (e.g., Drift, Tidio). Smaller companies can be “online” 24/7 because of AI. We have a saying: “Accountability Never Sleeps.” Someone asked me when one of my employees gets to the office because they have called when it was 4:30AM Central time where we work. I said, “I’m afraid to ask,” but knew the answer: she loves her job. It’s our culture: service. And unduplicated knowledge.
- Customizing website content dynamically for visitors based on their preferences and past interactions (e.g., Optimizely, Adobe Sensei). This isn’t necessary for B2B, but is available for your clients!
While big brands focus on mass marketing, AI allows small businesses to build deeper customer relationships through personalization and responsiveness. It’s called niche marketing, and it has worked since direct response was invented.
Smarter, Cost-Effective Advertising
Big companies often dominate paid advertising, but AI makes digital ads obsolete with SEO. The idea is to use Goggle to your advantage, by becoming a thought leader. Content, content and more content is the key!
SEO is critical for competing online, and AI simplifies the process by:
- Automating keyword research and content strategy (e.g., Semrush, SurferSEO).
- Optimizing existing content for search engines and engagement (e.g., Frase, MarketMuse).
- Predicting search trends before they peak, allowing businesses to stay ahead of competitors.
But these programs only enhance; your job as a smaller company is to understand the journey of a visitor. In B2B Never Sleeps, I documented what happened on one weekend with a publisher’s website. The same kind of journey happens on ALL websites. SEO determines when it does and when it doesn’t.
Small businesses, therefore, win by being agile, authentic, and deeply connected to their audience.