AI isn't what your customers want – here's what to invest in instead

*** Deep sigh ***

This is the part of the article where I usually drop a witty line to spark your curiosity or offer a fresh perspective on something intriguing.

But today, I’m literally at a loss for words. (If you know me, you know how hard it is to leave me speechless.)

Let me explain

There I was, minding my own bidness and getting some work done, when I got a Slack notification from Jason (ZD’s big boss). 👨‍💻

He sent me an article about Meta’s plans to integrate AI-generated user profiles and content across its social media platforms.

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His caption: “What do you think about this?”

That’s corporate talk for, “I’m subtly telling you what to do, and you should write about this…” 🙃

Not gonna lie, I had to check the date because it had to be April 1st.

Why would Meta want to generate AI users? It’s a social platform.

What they do is literally in the name… SOCIAL! 😵‍💫

So why would you make it anti-social with AI?

It’s not hard to see why I was at a loss for words and momentarily paralyzed by disbelief.

To be clear, this article isn’t about bashing AI or Meta.

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For the most part, Meta is an incredible company. Even though they piss me off from time to time, their advertising platform has been essential to what I’ve built, and for that, I’m grateful. ❤️

So this isn’t an “I hate Meta” piece… it’s more of a “let’s discuss a disturbing pattern in Big Tech” piece.

Today, we will discuss:

• What Big Tech seems to be missing with every so-called innovation
• What you should really be paying attention to in this AI revolution
• My insights on how you can thrive in the current landscape

If you’re wondering what’s next in AI and how you should adapt, I got you.

Feel free to share this article with a friend who’s keeping an eye on AI developments.

Quick intro

Before we get into it, I will share a little about myself.

The name’s Mapp, Lester Mapp, but my friends call me Les. 👋

I’m a founder with a successful exit and currently the Executive Chairman of a group of ecom brands but I’m an award-winning performance marketer at my core, and spotting trends is my thing.

If I had to sum up my “marketing superpower,” it’s two-fold.

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First, I’ve gotten pretty good at spotting trends, so much so that we operate more like a data company than a traditional online business.

Second, and more importantly, my real edge comes from connecting the dots between data and what it means for our customers.

Our success has come from sitting at the intersection of data and human emotion. That’s where we’ve found the magic of decoding both rather than relying on just one. 🤓

(If you read until the end, I’ll share my secret on how we do it)

Needless to say, I’ve got some strong opinions on what I see from Big Tech and AI.

If you enjoy marketing and business insights like this, consider joining my free No Fluff Just Facts newsletter.

Big Tech’s Disturbing Pattern

You may be wondering what Big Tech is up to and what this so-called disturbing pattern is.

As my little brother would say, “They’re doing too much.”

Does this sound familiar:

• Blockchain is the next big thing
• The Metaverse is the next big thing
• Web3 is the next big thing
• NFTs are the next big thing (still laughable)

And now AI is the next big thing.

Each of these breakthroughs has its role in society and contributes to our progress as a species. 

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These are indeed massive advancements.

But it seems like big tech is sidestepping the basics, and we, the people, are an afterthought. 😤

Why is the “next big thing” not focused on

• Caring for our users?
• Doing right by our users?
• How do we connect with our users?

We’ve entered an era where AI is overhyped and overused in some cases. For example, the other day, I was browsing Amazon and stumbled upon an AI toaster, bruh…Seriously?

(Ten bucks says a subscription-based toaster is coming next.) 🤭

Ever since AI became the hot topic, companies keep pushing solutions to non-existent problems.

It’s like pandering, but for tech.

They over-complicate and overhype everything while ignoring the fundamentals.

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Don’t get me wrong, I love tech. I’m all in on AI. I’ve gone on record more than once saying that nothing will come between my OpenAI subscription and me.

But here’s my question: Why isn’t Big Tech focusing more on the people they’re supposed to serve? 🤨

It’s giving out of touch.

Spend just two seconds in any comment section, and it’s clear more AI isn’t what people want.

What should you focus on?

For the foreseeable future, I’m focused on building deeper connections with our customers, no matter what form that takes.

Here’s why: During the pandemic, we witnessed a wave of innovation aimed at keeping us connected while we were stuck at home. Companies thrived, fortunes were made, and “work-from-home” tech dominated the scene.

But what happened as soon as we could step outside again?

Experiences skyrocketed! 🚀

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American consumer spending on experiences during the previous 12 months ending on August 31, 2024, has surpassed pre-pandemic levels by an impressive 32% compared to the same period ending January 1, 2019.

This shift highlights that people crave real-life connections and experiences over mere transactions. As we move forward, it’s clear that authentic engagement with our customers will be key to thriving in this evolving landscape.

The team and I are doubling down on media channels that we own, which help us genuinely connect with our customers. 🤗

Here’s how we’re doing it and how you can benefit from these strategies.

1. More email marketing: Incredible but underestimated

Email is an incredibly powerful tool that often goes underappreciated. Did you know that consumers who receive email offers spend 138% more than those who don’t? Plus, 88% of email users check their inbox every day, with 39% checking multiple times a day. 📩

Pro Tip: If your emails aren’t performing, it’s not because email is dead. It might be because your content is boring! Make your emails engaging and fun, as if you’re writing to a friend. Capture their attention first, then present your offer.

2. SMS Marketing: A cost-effective game changer no one talks about

We recently turned $20,291.87 in spend into an impressive $556,314.10 through SMS campaigns. Compared to platforms like Google and Meta, SMS is more cost-effective, with 72% of consumers purchasing after receiving a brand’s text.📲

Pro Tip: Remember that SMS cadence differs from email. Sending 10 messages a day isn’t just excessive; it’s overwhelming! Keep your texts short and direct with a strong call to action.

3. Human-centric customer service

Call me old school if you want, but we’re committed to enhancing our customer service experience by prioritizing human interaction.

For me, any AI tool that tries to handle communication is absolutely out of the question. While I’m all for using automation for FAQs and basic inquiries, we want our customers to connect with real people whenever they want to. 

I’ve never subscribed to the idea that customer service should be a hassle. Customers are either trying to buy something or resolve an issue with a purchase.

Why would I entrust such an important responsibility to AI? 

Customers give us their money; we should treat them with the respect they deserve by engaging with them personally. ❤️

My two cents

As I step down from my soap box, I leave you with this. 🧼🧼

In an era where acquisition costs are rising and the competitive landscape is increasingly noisy, it makes little sense to distance ourselves from the people who keep our businesses afloat, our customers.

Instead, we should lean into building genuine connections with them.

I encourage you to rethink your AI strategy. Yes, AI can enhance efficiency and streamline processes, but let’s not forget that people do business with people. Looking at 2025 and beyond, we should focus on getting closer to our customers rather than insulating ourselves behind technology. 🎯

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Oh, and I almost forgot to share our secret: it’s incredibly simple: we care about our customers.

😇 Hope this helps – – I’m rooting for you.

P.S. If you enjoy marketing and business insights like this, consider joining my No Fluff Just Facts newsletter. I’m currently working on a fascinating case study that reveals how one of our brands uses these exact strategies to achieve impressive results. If you’re interested in that kind of stuff, click here to sign up; it’s completely free! 

DISCLOSURE

Les owns shares in Meta. This ownership does not influence his content, and he is committed to providing objective and unbiased coverage to the best of his ability.