by David Meyer
Most marketing teams are using AI like a fancy content mill, basically paying $20 a month to generate the same generic blog posts their summer intern could have written (and probably with fewer typos). They’re focused on the answers AI provides instead of mastering the questions they ask. But here’s what we’ve learned at Spoke Marketing: AI does what you tell it to do. (“I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.” 2001: A Space Odyssey. Anyone, anyone?)
Here’s how to transform AI from a basic content generator into a strategic thinking partner for your small business.
Before We Brainstorm, We Questionstorm
The old AI content playbook is backwards. Most marketers dump a topic into ChatGPT and expect compelling copy. But the answers are everywhere and have been since Google made learning state capitals useless (okay, it was always useless). “How do you make a hot dog?” is a lousy question. You could end up with grilling instructions on directions on how to stuff gross meat parts into sausage casing. AI can’t read your mind (yet).
AI makes getting information easier, but it’s even more important to know what questions to ask.
One of the most often asked questions at Spoke Marketing is: why? Before we act as soldiers doing what we’re told, we act as scouts. We challenge assumptions – all of them. Why does this matter? Why does this problem exist? Why hasn’t it been solved? Sometimes we get meta: why do I believe what I believe? What, why, and what if are the non-swear-words we use most often during meetings.
Make AI Your Question Partner, Not Your Answer Machine
Here’s a tip that transforms how AI works for you: have AI ask you questions instead of immediately generating content. When I’m working on something, before I send AI on its merry way to work, I instruct it to “ask me questions one at a time until you feel like you have the information you need to help with this task. When you’re done, respond with: I’m ready!” The results really are better.
This approach eliminates the one-and-done content mentality. AI’s real power isn’t in single pieces – it’s in understanding audience psychology through strategic questioning. Follow up with “What concerns did I miss?” or “How would our competitor frame this differently?” But more importantly, ask “What questions should I be asking that I’m not?”
Strategic Research Beats Content Creation
When you’re using AI for marketing, you’re building audience intelligence through systematic questioning, not just filling content calendars.
Offer genuine human insight. The marketing teams most confident in their AI use don’t hide behind it. They use it to do better human thinking about brand, audience, and message.
Full Disclosure: We’re All Learning This Together.
In all transparency, we’re still figuring out the best ways to integrate AI into our client campaigns and internal strategy work. So don’t feel left behind if you are, too. Most marketing teams are works in progress when it comes to AI strategy but questioning everything is more than worth the effort.
Next month, I’ll break down how to measure AI’s impact on your marketing outcomes and which applications genuinely drive engagement versus just content volume. (Spoiler alert: “AI-powered” in your subject line doesn’t count as a metric.)
Because in today’s market, AI isn’t just a content tool. It can be the strategic advantage that determines which small business marketing actually moves the needle – if you know what questions to ask.
Content Authenticity Statement: 95% of this content was written by a human. ChatGPT 4.1 was used as a thought partner and Claude Opus 4.0 proofed and edited the final version.