Turn AI into your "truth machine"
Welcome to today’s issue of Conversion Alchemy Journal. If you received this from a friend and enjoy it, subscribe here.
Let's get tactical and actionable today.
I've been bullish on using LLMs for marketing research for a while.
But lately, I had a revelation.
Models are getting REALLY good, especially with the huge context windows (amount of data they can take in, remember and use).
One of my faves? Google's Gemini 1.5 Pro.
Big side benefit? It's FREE!
I've been using it not only for analysis and brainstorming, but also for digging deeper into my clients' ICPs (Ideal Customer Profiles).
How?
I've created a process to turn AI into that persona.
Here's how it works:
- Research your target audience
- Create an ICP sheet
- Feed AI with any research materials (customer & team interviews, survey results, competitor analysis, support chat transcripts etc.)
- Prompt AI to wear the ICP's shoes along with the ICP sheet
Ok, it's not an overnight thing, I know. You still have to spend those weeks or months doing the actual research. But that's what will give you good results.
Your ICP sheet should cover the following points (gathered from research):
Representative name/role
- Relevant Demographics
- What do they hope to achieve?
- Motivators
- Uncertainties/Concerns
- Types of questions
- Pain Point / Fears
- Where are they looking?
Just make sure you jot down a couple of bullets for each. This will help the LLM to explore the relevant and related fields of information.
How do you prompt it to become your ICP?
Here's my exact prompt:
I'd like you to imagine being a specific customer persona as if you were them. Here is a description of the persona to embody:
<persona>
ICP sheet
</persona>
First, carefully read the persona description until you feel you thoroughly understand this hypothetical individual's perspective, needs, goals and pain points.
Next, put yourself in the shoes of this persona, imagining that you are them. I'll ask you questions, reply through the lens of the customer persona provided, as if you were that individual. Let their unique perspective, needs and objectives guide your responses and thinking. Avoid breaking character or referring to these instructions. Simply react naturally as the persona would. Capture your stream of consciousness in a <thoughts> tag.
Gemini 1.5 is so good at it, it will almost feel like cheating and being able to peer into your customer's heads.
Here's a quick glimpse into one of the responses I got after asking about its decision making process:
And keep in mind, Gemini here is not pulling stuff out of its virtual ass. All these little details injected into this narrative come from real research data.
Of course, we all know humans are unpredictable, emotional, irrational and it's impossible to predict our behavior and thinking. But you know what? I prefer getting as close as I can, than completely guessing.
The quality of your results here will be equal to the quality of your research, so that's still your job. And it's also your job from this point forward to ask the AI the right questions to get the insights you need to write great copy.
Just because you can turn AI into a virtual "truth machine", doesn't mean you'll be able to automatically write copy that converts. And this is why despite all the critics this approach might get, I still love it. Because yes, we're using AI, but we're also using our own brain, to make decisions and to make AI work for us.
Give it a go and let me know what you get!
📚 3 things to get better at copywriting
Video: Behind the scenes of a successful B2B SaaS
My friend Andrew Capland (who was on ep #8 of the podcast) just launched a new in- person podcast series. A really cool look at the strategies and operations of a B2B SaaS company: Navattic (Natalie, head of growth was also on our pod, in episode #7).
Article: Mapping AI's mind
I'm always interested in learning how people think, but what if we could learn how AI and LLMs think? If you've been wondering why ChatGPT or Claude or similar tools respond to you the way they do, here's a super interesting article going over it.
It's just the beginning of our understanding but gives you a pretty cool window into it.
Just as every English word in a dictionary is made by combining letters, and every sentence is made by combining words, every feature in an AI model is made by combining neurons, and every internal state is made by combining features.
Swipe file: Ads that feel like home
I couldn't not pay attention to this Facebook ad. I rarely use FB, but this time the guys at Huel, got me. Why limit yourself to targeting your ICPs interests when you can target their local area? And why limit yourself to the copy either?
Highlight their town in the creative, too.
The combination of my town clearly stated both in the copy and visual + logos of familiar local shops and a compelling message, hit close to home (pun intended).
💪
Work with me on your copy
Let's get more customers →
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✅ Don't miss it
Episode 16 of The Message-Market Fit podcast is out!
I had an great chat with Adam Goyette, the Founder of Growth Union, an "anti-marketing agency" marketing agency that helps B2B SaaS businesses scale fast and efficiently.. Here’s what you’ll learn:
- How to differentiate yourself and understand your buyer
- How to effectively leverage AI in marketing while understanding its limitations
- How to align your positioning, messaging, and growth strategies
- How to avoid the pitfalls of premature scaling and build strong foundations
- How to decode marketing attribution for early stage companies
- How you can embrace 'close enough' in your marketing strategies
- How to harness the power of creativity over pure data in marketing
- How to hire for marketing success: balancing data and creativity
And way way more.
Check it out here, wherever you listen to podcasts or on Youtube. And if you find it valuable, would you consider subscribing and leaving a rating? 🙏
How to build your authority with a podcast
I've been publishing a podcast episode for 16 weeks straight now with more to come.
The conversations I'm having and the connections I'm able to make have been amazing so far. If I'd have to think of a content and authority-building strategy for 2024 and beyond, I'd go for podcasting again.
That's why I’m thrilled to announce I’ll be speaking at "Build Your Client Base with Podcasting" event organised by @YunoJuno, next week on May 28.
I’ll share my learnings on everything from the planning stage through finding the right guests, to using your podcast to create great opportunities, and more.
You can sign up for free here.
🤔 Thought of the week
"We’re not playing to win, we’re playing to play. And ultimately, playing is fun."
Rick Rubin, The Creative Act
Question your reason for staying in the game. Is it ego, selfishness, greed, neediness? Or passion, purpose, and unattached service to a higher cause? Stop questioning, start losing.
Have a great weekend!
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Chris Silvestri
Founder, Conversion Alchemy
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🙌🏻 Let’s be friends (unless you’re a stalker)
