How to run your agency with AI: An overview
Learn the benefits and challenges of implementing AI into your agency workflows.
2024-12-09
Welcome! This is the first lesson of our How to run your agency with AI course. Before we get to building anything, we’re going to cover some foundational learning.
In this introductory tutorial, we'll explore:
- why you should use AI in your agency
- the challenges that come with doing so
- and the workflows and core AI tools taught in this course that you can implement across many of your agency processes
This course is focused primarily on the GTM and sales functions of an agency, not fulfillment workflows. But the foundational processes and AI tools taught in this course can surely be applied to many of your agency fulfillment processes too.
By taking this course, you’ll learn to streamline agency processes like strategy development, client acquisition, data analysis, and more.
Let’s dive in!
Why use AI in your agency?
Before we get into the tools, let's discuss why incorporating AI into your agency operations is a smart move:
- Efficiency: AI tools can automate time-consuming tasks, allowing you and your team to focus on high-value, creative work.
- Scalability: With AI, you can handle more clients and projects without proportionally increasing your team.
- Data-driven decisions: AI can analyze vast amounts of data quickly, providing insights that can inform your strategy and decision-making.
- Cost-effectiveness: While there's an initial investment in getting these new platforms up and running, AI tools can significantly reduce long-term costs associated with manual processes.
- Consistency: AI can help maintain consistent quality across your processes, reducing human error and variability.
Workflows we'll cover in the course
In this course, we'll explore how to integrate AI into key agency workflows, including:
- Strategy Development: Use AI to create data-driven Go-To-Market (GTM) plans.
- Design and Presentation: Create professional pitch decks and visual content with AI assistance.
- Lead Generation: Automate prospect identification and initial outreach.
- Proposal Creation: Streamline the process of responding to RFPs.
- Performance Analysis: Use AI to analyze win/loss data and improve your agency's win rate.
Challenges with using AI in your agency
While AI offers many benefits, it's important to be aware of potential challenges:
- Learning curve: Your team will need time to adapt to new tools and workflows.
- Data privacy: You’ll need to ensure you're using AI tools in compliance with client contract stipulations.
- Quality control: AI-generated content still requires human review and refinement. Don’t plan on AI automating 100% of any one workflow.
- Ethical considerations: Be transparent about AI use with clients and always consider the ethical implications of your AI-powered processes.
Now, let's explore the core AI tools you'll be using throughout this course.
Your AI toolkit for this course
We’ll be creating a “team” of AI agency tools as we move through this course. It’s helpful to think of each of these tools as serving a specific role within your agency:
- ChatGPT: Your AI Strategist
ChatGPT will help you brainstorm ideas, develop marketing plans, create content, and even draft communication.
- Gamma: Your AI Designer
Gamma will help you create visually stunning documents, pitch decks, and other visual content.
- Clay: Your AI Sales Development Representative
Clay will act as your sales development rep, helping you find and engage with potential leads.
- Julius: Your AI Data Analyst
Julius will be your data analysis expert, making sense of your agency's data.
Your next steps
As you progress through this course, you'll learn how to integrate these tools into your agency's workflows. For now, consider how each tool might fit into your current processes:
- Where could AI assist in your strategy development or content creation workflows?
- How might you improve your pitch deck or client presentation creation processes?
- In what ways could you enhance your lead generation and outreach efforts?
- What data and insights do you need to improve your agency's performance?
Now that you understand the potential impacts and challenges of implementing AI in your agency workflows, in the following lessons, we’ll get started implementing these AI tools directly into your processes.
In the next lesson, we'll dive into developing a Go-To-Market (GTM) plan using ChatGPT, setting the foundation for your AI-powered agency approach.
This tutorial was created by Garrett.