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As a guitarist, I’ve listened to my share of loud music. Back in the ’80s, there was no such thing as an unnecessary amplifier… the more the better! Just look at the videos from then – the back of the stage filled with huge amplifiers – which I thought was super cool.

But when it comes to language, Seth Godin advises against unnecessary amplifiers. That got me thinking about our communications and how we love hyperbole.

We might as well jump in and see what the experts are saying this week… so give this song by Van Halen a listen as we do!

AI’s Role in ABM

Artificial Intelligence seems to be on everyone’s mind these days. B2B Marketing Zone lists ways AI can support ABM. These are just a few:

  • Segmenting your market
  • Generating targeted content
  • Scoring leads and determining when to engage

Of course, there are challenges in implementing AI for ABM. Understanding what data to collect and ensuring output quality are some big ones. Will AI-generated targeted content be too full of unnecessary amplifiers? Will it get to what’s real and have the right tone for your organization?

You won’t know until you begin, but there are definitely best practices you can follow when integrating AI. Make sure your goals and objectives are clear from the outset, regularly test your results, and ensure you have the resources available to manage and maintain your AI software… and soon enough, nothin’ will get you down!

Music & Tech Trends

Walls of amps aside, have you been wondering how music tech is trending in 2023? Bob Lefsetz shared some of his predictions. I found them particularly interesting, as just about all of them apply to B2B as well!

  • Independent creators will continue to grow
  • Ticketing is heading for a crunch point
  • If TikTok is killed, Instagram reels will burgeon
  • It’s harder to gain traction than ever before – so people will look for new ways to get noticed
  • Everything happens slower than it ever did before
  • In a digital world, people crave live, breathing events
  • In an era of authenticity and credibility, sell out at your peril

Some of these trends sound awfully familiar, don’t they?

It was just last month we looked at a study finding that B2B sales cycles have increased (everything happening slower). And I don’t know how many times I’ve said this, but it bears repeating: in a digital world – that’s now increasingly AI-driven – live, breathing human touchpoints are more important than ever!

There are challenges we may be facing with tech and AI. But there are some big advantages, too. So go ahead and jump – just make sure you’re making the necessary preparations for it!

As always, don’t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!

Looking forward,
Rick

Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat