Constant Contact announced results from their newest “Small Business Now” study looking into small businesses’ perceptions of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and marketing automation and pinpoints where they foresee the most significant benefits from these technologies.
Highlighting a prominent relationship between AI utilization and business success, the study found that 91% of small businesses using AI believe it has notably amplified their success rate. By employing AI, these businesses are regaining valuable weekly time, significantly reducing manual errors, and witnessing rapid growth. Furthermore, the financial returns are even more appealing when AI gets paired with automation. A remarkable 28% of those surveyed anticipate AI and automation will help them save upwards of $5,000 in the coming year.
Laura Goldberg, the Chief Marketing Officer at Constant Contact, remarked, “AI has been around for years, but it has finally matured to a point where it is making a real difference for small businesses. Our report shows that small businesses that harness the power of AI and marketing automation to solve their biggest challenges, like acquiring new customers and creating more memorable experiences, are much better positioned for success. Constant Contact has been ahead of the curve here with features like our AI Content Generator and AI spam protection, and we will continue to look for new ways to leverage them to help small businesses save valuable time, drive impact and become better marketers.”
Time is of the essence for small business owners, and AI seems to be providing the much-needed boost. Mary Ginder, co-owner of Gindo’s Spice of Life and a proud Constant Contact customer, shared her personal experience. “Being a small business owner means I wear a lot of hats, so every minute and every dollar counts. I use AI when I’m looking for new ideas on how to describe a flavor profile for our sauces, or when I’m in a hurry to get a newsletter generated and don’t have time to write my own copy. I love how it gives me fresh ideas when I feel stuck, and it helps me formulate my thoughts and execute them much quicker than I could on my own. I’d say AI has helped cut my work time in half on average,” she said.
The tangible benefits of AI and automation adoption by small businesses are evident:
- A notable 60% of small businesses using AI or automation for marketing reported time-saving and enhanced efficiency.
- An impressive 70% expressed willingness to pay a premium for a marketing platform offering AI or automation tools.
- Around 33% claimed to save more than 40 minutes weekly on marketing tasks due to AI or automation.
Although small businesses exhibit growing interest in AI—with 74% expressing interest and 55% witnessing a spike in this interest over the past six months—there remains a knowledge gap. Nearly 46% admit to having only a rudimentary understanding of these technologies benefits. Data security, perceived expenses, and the learning curve rank as the primary concerns.
However, one challenge looms large for all small businesses: acquiring new customers. A significant 60% identified customer acquisition as their paramount challenge, closely trailed by targeted marketing (39%) and lead conversion (35%). With marketing being such a critical pain point, it’s no surprise that 52% are keen to enhance their social media marketing within the next year.
As small businesses grapple with the challenges of customer acquisition and marketing, AI emerges as a potent tool that offers both efficiency and tangible financial advantages. With companies like Constant Contact championing this cause, it’s an exciting horizon for small businesses willing to embrace AI.
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