Human-First AI Marketing Podcast by Avenue9 Learn Practical AI Skills for Marketing with Will Francis
AI is giving marketers some incredible new superpowers, but the real opportunity is figuring out which ones are actually worth using. In this episode of the Human-First AI Marketing® Podcast, I sit down with Will Francis, AI educator, author, and digital marketing expert, to share practical AI skills you can put to work right now. We talk about how Will uses Claude, ChatGPT, and AI agents to build custom apps, track marketing performance, research trends, and run an AI-powered command center for his business. We also share some of our favorite examples of AI computer use, including automating those tedious marketing tasks that always seem to end up at the bottom of your to-do list.
We also get into the bigger questions facing marketers as AI becomes part of everyday work. How do you decide what to automate? What happens to the value of expertise, education, and creative work when everyone has access to AI? And how do you grow an audience while keeping the personal connections that make people trust you? Will shares some fascinating lessons from his days at MySpace, his perspective on the future of AI, and why he still personally responds to his audience of hundreds of thousands of followers. If you're looking for practical ways to expand your capabilities, get more done, and keep the human side of marketing alive, I think you'll enjoy this conversation. Check out Will's website for more AI education and tutorials, and connect with him on LinkedIn for his latest insights.
Key Takeaways
- Focus on practical AI skills. Look beyond the hype and learn how to use AI to solve real marketing problems.
- Use AI to develop new superpowers. Take on projects you previously lacked the time, resources, or technical skills to accomplish.
- Build your own AI command center. Connect your analytics, emails, calendar, meeting notes, and tasks so AI can help you manage your business.
- Put AI agents to work behind the scenes. Use AI to research competitors, identify trends, analyze performance, and discover new opportunities.
- Keep audience engagement human. Respond personally to comments, messages, and conversations to build authentic relationships.
- Prioritize trust over follower counts. A smaller, highly engaged audience can generate more business than a massive following with weaker relationships.
- Make your expertise personal. People value educators, coaches, and consultants who provide individualized guidance, accountability, and practical application.
- Learn AI computer-use skills. Tools like Claude and ChatGPT can increasingly navigate applications, conduct research, edit content, and complete repetitive digital tasks.
- Delegate work strategically. Let AI handle data processing and routine tasks so you can concentrate on creativity, expertise, and human connection.
- Make technology easy to use. Will's experience at MySpace taught him that convenience and user experience often determine which platforms succeed.
- Prepare for AI to become everyday technology. AI will continue evolving into a familiar part of work and life, bringing new opportunities alongside cybersecurity challenges.
- Recognize the growing value of human attention. As AI makes information and automation more accessible, personal relationships and individual attention remain valuable reasons for customers to choose you.
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