Small businesses harnessing the power of AI are discovering smarter ways to work, save time, and gain insights that previously required a full team of specialists. At Rapport Innovative Marketing, we’ve always believed in embracing change and innovation to drive business success. That’s why we were thrilled to attend the recent AI Workshop hosted by the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber, featuring guest speaker Joe Chrysler, Accelerator Manager at Atomic Object. The workshop brought together small business owners and nonprofit leaders for a grounded, informative discussion on how to use AI tools effectively, not just as a trend, but as a working tool in your day-to-day operations.
Whether you’re an AI skeptic or simply unsure where to start, here are our biggest takeaways from the day—along with practical tips for your own business.
🤖 Think of AI as an Intern—Not a Full-Time Employee
Joe Chrysler put it plainly: “AI is like an intern—capable, but not fully trustworthy.” You wouldn’t hand over your business to an intern on day one, and the same applies to AI. It requires clear instructions, frequent oversight, and structured feedback.
Unlike a calculator, AI learns much like your pet dog—through repetition, context, and exposure to examples. This means the more you train and refine it for your specific business needs, the better it performs over time.
🔧 AI Uses for Small Businesses
Many small businesses think AI is too advanced for their operations. But in reality, it can simplify a wide range of daily tasks. Some of the most relevant examples from the workshop include:
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Customer Segmentation: Analyze purchasing patterns or engagement data to target the right customer with the right message.
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Proofreading with Personality: Use prompts like “Proofread this as if you were a friendly neighborhood barista” to shape tone and delivery.
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Lateral Thinking & Knowledge Lookups: Solve tough problems or generate new ideas when you’re stuck—AI can help you “think” outside the box.
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Drive-Time Thinking: Use voice-to-text or tools like ChatGPT hands-free while commuting to generate ideas, summaries, or content drafts.
🛠 Pro Tip: Tools like OpenAI Whisper or Gemini can also transcribe and summarize your team meetings, giving you actionable “to-do” lists and project overviews.
🔐Data Privacy & Policies: Be Smart with Your AI
A critical topic Joe emphasized: pay for your AI tools. Free AI platforms can use your content for training or even redistribution. When you pay for AI, you get improved privacy protections and better data ownership terms. This matters for:
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Client proposals
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Sensitive customer data
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Competitive intellectual property
👥 And don’t forget—have a clear, written AI usage policy for your staff. If it’s not something you’d post in the company Slack or publicly accessible communications channel, don’t feed it into AI.
📊 Which AI Tools Work Best for Your Industry?
Not all AI is created equal—and not all tools do the same thing well. Here’s a quick look at AI agents to try, depending on your business type:
| Industry | Recommended AI Tools | Primary Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Retail & eCommerce | Shopify Magic, ChatGPT, Jasper | Product descriptions, customer chatbots, and inventory tips |
| Dining/Bars | Copy.ai, Grammarly, Midjourney | Social media captions, menu design, staff training documents |
| Nonprofits | Otter.ai, Notion AI, ChatGPT | Grant writing support, meeting summaries, and outreach ideas |
| Service Providers | Trello AI, ChatGPT, Grammarly Business | Email replies, service quotes, blog drafts, SOP creation |
| Health & Wellness | Whisper, Google Gemini, Claude | Client note summaries, content writing, and compliance check |
The key takeaway? Experiment. Many of these tools offer free trials or low monthly plans. Test them on a low-stakes task and compare results.
🧠 Final Thoughts: Amplify Your Impact with AI
Artificial-intelligence tools—from language models to data analyzers—are transforming modern marketing. Used wisely, they uncover insights in seconds, suggest sharper phrasing, polish grammar, and distill dense reports into clear takeaways. That efficiency frees your team to spend more time on strategy, storytelling, and relationship-building.
The key is balance. Machines excel at processing information; people excel at turning information into genuine connection. By setting firm guidelines for accuracy, brand voice, and ethics, you can let AI handle the heavy lifting while humans bring the judgment, nuance, and creativity that truly resonate. Think of AI as an extra set of capable hands—never a replacement for the minds and hearts behind your brand.
At Rapport Innovative Marketing, we’re committed to embracing every advancement and advantage that helps our clients succeed—including the smart, responsible use of AI.
Curious where to begin with AI for your business? Reach out to our team—we’d love to share what’s worked for us and help you find the tools that work best for you. 🚀
Thank you to the A2Y Regional Chamber and Joe Chrysler of Atomic Object for sparking such a valuable conversation for our small-business community. Being a Chamber member gives us access to education-packed sessions like this—one of the many benefits that keep our team learning and growing!
