technology
PushButton AI Team ·
Everyone says finding your "first AI win" is the answer. But here's what nobody mentions: you can't spot a win if you don't know what you're measuring. I've watched too many business owners invest in AI solutions after sitting through another webinar that turned into a sales pitch. The overwhelm is real, and it's by design – when everything sounds revolutionary, nothing sounds practical. Here's what changed my perspective: A recent study on AI implementation found the most successful businesses didn't start with tools. They started with one specific behavior they wanted to change. Not "improve customer service." Not "automate marketing." Something measurable like "get 30% more customers to complete checkout" or "reduce the time my team spends on data entry by 2 hours daily." When you define the behavior first, the AI tool becomes obvious. It's like knowing you need to hang a picture before you shop for a hammer. You're not buying tools hoping to find a use – you're solving a problem you've already quantified. Your action step this week: Pick ONE repetitive task your team complains about. Time how long it takes. Write that number down. That's your baseline. Now you know what winning looks like. What's the one business process you'd measure first if you knew it would lead to your clearest AI opportunity? #AIStrategy #BusinessAutomation #DigitalTransformation #SmallBusinessAI
Everyone says finding your "first AI win" is the answer.
But here's what nobody mentions: you can't spot a win if you don't know what you're measuring.
I've watched too many business owners invest in AI solutions after sitting through another webinar that turned into a sales pitch. The overwhelm is real, and it's by design – when everything sounds revolutionary, nothing sounds practical.
Here's what changed my perspective: A recent study on AI implementation found the most successful businesses didn't start with tools. They started with one specific behavior they wanted to change.
Not "improve customer service." Not "automate marketing." Something measurable like "get 30% more customers to complete checkout" or "reduce the time my team spends on data entry by 2 hours daily."
When you define the behavior first, the AI tool becomes obvious. It's like knowing you need to hang a picture before you shop for a hammer. You're not buying tools hoping to find a use – you're solving a problem you've already quantified.
Your action step this week: Pick ONE repetitive task your team complains about. Time how long it takes. Write that number down.
That's your baseline. Now you know what winning looks like.
What's the one business process you'd measure first if you knew it would lead to your clearest AI opportunity?
#AIStrategy #BusinessAutomation #DigitalTransformation #SmallBusinessAI
History: Olivier Touba served as the senior editor. This paper was accepted through the Marketing Science Practice Paper Publication Process. Funding: ...