How to use AI to improve customer acquisition

Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming one of the most versatile technologies of the 21st century, as experts have found great use for it in mechanics, research laboratories, hospitals, and more. This adaptability has probably contributed to why AI is one of the most popular trends in marketing today, largely due to its myriad uses for everything from nurturing leads to examining customer data.

Businesses with strong marketing components are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to get ahead of the competition in different ways. Here are some methods that you can implement to use AI to improve your customer acquisition and rise to the top.

Engaging and filtering more leads

AI has become extremely valuable in helping businesses collect larger numbers of high-quality leads. In fact, 61 percent of respondents in a recent study said that improved lead generation is the primary reason why businesses are investing in artificial intelligence.

In general, finding, contacting, and engaging sales leads requires a lot of time and other resources. Some high-quality leads can slip through the cracks, meaning that you’re missing out on potential opportunities. AI-based sales assistants help with this issue by reaching out to thousands of leads tirelessly, casting as wide a net as possible to help your company get more reach and acquire more customers.

Furthermore, artificial intelligence can be built into sales platforms, allowing them to filter through leads and follow up based on data patterns. Instead of allowing you to waste time following up with leads that aren’t going to go anywhere, the AI system generates a list of higher-quality leads that are more likely to become customers.

Predictive analytics

Artificial intelligence is also useful for predictive analytics, which helps users predict consumer behavior to help them acquire more customers. As tracking tools become more and more sophisticated, it’s easier than ever to follow visitors’ actions on your website and use that information to acquire customers.

Where AI comes in is in managing the huge amounts of data you can gather from predictive analytics. Artificial intelligence technology reads the data gathered, reads patterns to anticipate likely upcoming behavior of a user, and lets marketers know when and where to invest resources into a lead to maximize their potential value.

Basically, the algorithms in AI get pretty good at predicting customer behavior, allowing marketers to reach out at the right moment and offer the right product or service when the lead is most likely to buy. Even better, this has proven effective for marketers worldwide; predictive marketers are 1.8 times more likely to consistently exceed shared organizational goals.

Improving customer service

By 2020, customers are expected to manage 85 percent of their relationship with businesses without interacting with a real human – largely due to the proliferation of artificial intelligence software. AI allows companies to dramatically improve their customer service techniques, which leads to higher rates of customer acquisition.

For one, brands can use data analytics to personalize their customer service, making leads feel more catered to – and, as a result, more likely to buy from that business. AI streamlines that process by compiling data on different customer issues and types and answering customer questions quickly and tirelessly.

This concept works by having AI compile lists of solution articles and identify which articles correspond to which issues, then presenting them to customers for a personalized experience. Artificial intelligence tools can also sift through search engines, social media, and other websites to provide accurate information about each customer and their issue, providing more accurate solutions extremely quickly.

Automated email marketing

Traditionally, marketers have needed to write out emails targeting leads to acquire more customers, devoting time and energy to tailoring their information to different audience segments to make a maximum impact. The time spent was often worth it – 59 percent of B2B marketers say that email is the most effective channel for generating revenue – but making the process quicker only further contributes to a good ROI.

Artificial intelligence helps with email targeting by using big data about users’ personal information to build personality profiles. At that point, it can recommend and develop messaging with the right content and wording to yield positive results. This not only improves conversion rates, it builds stronger relationships with leads by showing them marketing messaging that they’ll respond well to.

Although AI will likely never fully replace traditional marketing strategies, it has proven extremely useful in amplifying and improving customer acquisition strategies that already exist. By using artificial intelligence tools to their fullest potential, you can see increases in your customer acquisition rates sooner than you think.

What are some other ways AI can help you gain a larger following?