How I Use Artificial Intelligence as a Marketing Content and Sales Enablement Manager

Over the past couple of years, many people have asked how I use AI in my content workflows. When I'm interviewed by marketing executives in interviews, by my peers in online communities, and in discussions with freelance client prospects during discovery meetings. It goes without saying that I use AI ethically

The truth is, like most people (and most for-profit and non-profit organizations for that matter, I'm figuring that out as I go, and adapting to align with my clients' and employers' policies. AI is changing at an increasingly rapid trajectory, and keeping up with the latest platform upgrades, tools, and model enhancements. For the most part, I use AI as a writing assistant, as opposed to a writing colleague. 

How I Use Generative AI as a Writing Assistant

I generally use GenAI platforms for research, headlines, outlines, generating hooks, and post-writing quality reviews. I run drafts through models like Gemini, Claude, or HubSpot Breeze to make sure articles are consistent, on brand, and is personalized for the target audience or persona. I try to follow the Government of Canada's guidance as far as fair, ethical use of AI, and don't pass off LLM content as my own.

1. I chat with large language models (LLMS) to brainstorm for creative ideas. For example, Google Gemini suggested I reference responsible AI use information from the Government of Canada website, and Elsevier for guidance. 
2. Aside from outlines and headlines, I don't rely on AI to write web content. I verify the accuracy of every thing I publish using AI, from marketing slide decks to competitive battlecards and playbooks. If I use AI on a client project, I will point anything out that I didn't write myself. 
3. When I create images of people, I only base the likeness on myself. or fictional, generic characters. I don't process any customer data with AI.
4. Content editing, polishing, repurposing, and distribution are some of my favorite ways to use AI. It helps to create impactful platform-specific social media posts, emails, and video storyboards.  
5. I do my best to keep up to date with AI capabilities, but I only use AI platforms like Microsoft Copilot, HubSpot Breeze, Perplexity/Claude and Google Gemini. I've used many other platforms for content creation and quality analysis, but I tend to keep to the most trusted platforms unless a client specifically wants their content developed with other tools. 
6. I study the limitations and the capabilities of AI. I wouldn't publish, or take anything an LLM offers as research on face value. I always check AI sources. I don't expose any client data, methods, documents, or classified information to AI chatbots or LLMs. 

I don't use AI to disparage any gender, cultural, or social group. I only use AI as a way to produce quality content that meets my client or employer's business goals and timelines. 

LLMs and answer engines trail Google as far as click through rates, but they do drive awareness and conversions that are harder for traditional web content performance engines to track for attribution. Knowing how to get discovered by AI search engines is critical lately. I often refer to the HubSpot AEO Grader when evaluating companies to work with or for. 

Readers Prefer Human Created Content, Even with AI in the Loop

I manually researched, wrote, and optimized proposals, articles, white papers, email and social media copy for years before GenAI evolved into its current state. The content marketers I've associated with lately see GenAI content as a way to accelerate the ideation process, and to ensure content meets search and reader intent.

A recent Gartner report was cited by Portera, a Netherlands-based AI consulting firm as predicting that this year, 80% of creative talent will use GenAI daily, allowing for more strategic work, resulting in increased spending on creative. It said by next year, 20% of brands will lean into positioning and differentiation predicated on the absence of AI in their business and products. Clearly, it's important to find the right balance of human and AI production. 

Corporate marketing teams their content to be discovered on the LLM platforms I listed above just as they need to discoverable on Google, and other search engines. LLM platforms seek out authoritative content written by humans too. They skip over vanilla, generic AI-generated content that AI drafts at scale and surface authentic content that is reliable, current, and mostly produced by humans.   

Content marketers like myself must learn how to best use AI to refresh aging content and producing new content without compromising quality or trust. I dove into this learning over the past year or so after seeing how disruptive AI could be to my career path if I don't learn how to use it effectively and ethically. 

The Human in the Loop Advantage

Many of the content marketing thought leaders I follow feel the transition we are witnessing isn't about replacing human marketers. It's about empowering them to do more strategic content creation and optimization work. 

By delegating the 'heavy lifting' of deep research and routine drafting to AI, we reclaim the space for what truly moves the needle: high-level strategy, deep empathy for the customer, and creative storytelling. In the age of AI, the competitive advantage doesn't belong to those who use the tools—it belongs to those who know how to direct them. As we move into the future, the goal won't be just to create content faster. It will be to help us:

1. Work smarter and ensure that content is personalized and addresses search intent.

2. Train salespeople to focus on their client and prospect's professional and personal needs while equipping them with better tools and that demonstrates strategic value. 

3. Distinguish businesses that create AI-drafted, human augmented content that is refreshed over time. Marketers often confuse evergreen content with create it and forget it content that erodes with age. 

AI is changing the 'how' of marketing, but the 'why' remains the same: build trust and authority with your target audience.

Is your content strategy ready for the shift from Search Engines to Answer Engines? Let's talk. [