Hopefully our series on generative AI has inspired you to start (or continue) experimenting with natural language models like ChatGPT. The potential use cases are expansive. In this post, we’re going to look at how higher ed marketers can use AI to help generate a multi-wave email campaign targeting prospective students. We’ll also cover some additional tactics you can use to improve performance once your campaign gets going.
Give AI a Brief
As we’ve already covered, the more information you give the AI, the better its output will be. Include key elements in your prompt, such as:
- The role you are asking it play
- The style and tone you want it to use
- The specific length of the content
- Any important exclusions or inclusions
Essentially, you’re going to give it a campaign brief. Your prompt will look something like this:
When we tried this prompt, the AI fed us back three emails with subject lines like “Your Future Awaits” and “Immerse yourself in Campus Life at [University].” Not earth-shattering stuff by any means, but not a bad start considering the model created the emails in about 15 seconds.
Iterate and Improve
Generative AI is conversational in that it will remember what you said to it in previous prompts. You can further develop your campaign by asking the model to:
- Propose an outline for the campaign showing only subject lines and key points
- Rewrite the emails one at a time with alternate content
- Generate alternative subject lines for A/B testing
As we’ve discussed, AI is not a replacement for the human professional, but a tool for the human professional, and it works best when folded into an existing strategic marketing campaign. Start with a communications strategy that you or your agency creates. Ask AI to provide some recommendations. (Generative AI can suggest new options when you’re feeling stuck.) Then, add to, edit, and cultivate the outputs you receive. Take what serves you (or your campaign) and leave the rest behind.
Keep the Campaign Going
Because AI is trained on the internet, it can draw from the experience of many experts over time. As your email campaign continues, tinker around with asking the model questions, such as:
- “What should I do with non-responders?”
- “What would make a more compelling call-to-action?”
- “What follow-up sequence should I send to someone who clicks a link in the email?”
Like any tool, natural language models can empower you to move faster, try things you otherwise wouldn’t, and focus your energy on higher-value efforts. If you’re curious about more ways AI can support your work—and your work-life balance, reach out to us for help getting started.