How AI Can Make Small Marketing Teams More Productive

Too Many Tasks, Too Little Time

For small marketing agencies, the workload can often feel endless. Hours disappear undertaking certain tasks such as formatting reports, repurposing content for multi-channel campaigns, and project management. Add to that client communication, email follow-ups, and project tracking, there’s little time left for what really drives value – strategy and creativity.

This is where AI truly supports small agencies, acting as a productivity assistant. The goal is not to replace people, but to take on the repetitive work, freeing up time to focus on the work that adds value.

So where do you start? With a clear understanding of how to introduce AI into your workflow.

The AI Mindset Framework

At the Festival of AI, Kristian Downer explored the concept of the AI mindset: a practical approach for adopting AI intentionally. He emphasised that we’re currently in the ‘trough of disillusionment’ where AI is rapidly expanding, but it’s not perfect and often doesn’t meet expectations. The key is to focus on specific pain points within your company, and find AI solutions to support you, not to add tools for the sake of it.

The AI Mindset Framework:

1. Accept constant change – AI evolves rapidly; what works today may be replaced tomorrow.
2. Turn fear into curiosity – approach AI with experimentation.
3. Map your daily processes – identify repetitive steps in your work.
4. Identify pain points – focus on where AI can relieve friction.
5. Research tools – look for AI tools with relevant use cases.
6. Test and Iterate – build in review cycles to assess what is working.

In a small team, this mindset is vital. You don’t need every new platform; you just need the right tools for you.

How AI Can Lighten the Load

As a small agency working in scholarly communications, we are working in a specialist niche. We often don’t have enterprise-level automation systems and large-scale AI integrations. But that’s the beauty of AI, it’s not about transforming everything all at once; it’s about reducing everyday friction. We’ve found that even small automations make a big difference to our productivity.

Here’s how we can add value:

• Turning meeting notes into action – tools such as Otter and Grain automatically record and summarise internal and client calls, capturing key actions and decisions. Less admin means faster follow-up and clearer accountability.
• Designing faster with Canva AI – Many of our clients don’t have internal design teams. Using Canva AI and Magic Studio helps us create visuals more efficiently while keeping branding consistent.
• Simplifying internal processes – Tools such as Scribe and Loom can document workflows and generate step-by-step guides, making onboarding and training smoother for new team members.
• Idea generation and content creation – ChatGPT and Claude have become valuable creative partners, helping us to spark creativity . They are particularly useful early in the process to accelerate brainstorming. However, the content and the strategy still come from us. This approach means we spend less time staring at a blank screen and allows our expertise in scholarly publishing to shine.

The Importance of Responsible AI Use:

Throughout the event, one message came through loud and clear: use AI responsibly. Always check the privacy of the tool you are using and avoid uploading confidential data into open platforms. Remember: the goal is to assist, not to automate everything.

AI is only as good as the way we apply it. When used thoughtfully, it can be an incredible asset, an invisible team member even. At TBI Communications, we see AI as an extension of our human creativity, a tool to support productivity and help us deliver stronger performance.

Next Up: The Marketer’s AI Toolkit

Don’t miss our next post, where we’ll share the specific AI tools that can supercharge productivity and creativity for marketing teams.