In this episode of AI for You, host Brian interviews Laura Rudolph, founder and CEO of Square One Consulting, live from the AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education. Laura discusses how she uses AI to empower small schools in marketing, communications, and enrollment, making their processes more efficient and sustainable. By harnessing the capabilities of AI tools like ChatGPT, Meta AI, and others, she trains small teams to streamline their workflows, develop data-driven strategies, and personalize communication.

Key Takeaways

• AI enables small schools to be more efficient by automating routine tasks, allowing teams to focus on strategic efforts.
• Tools like ChatGPT, Meta AI, and Canva are ideal entry points for smaller institutions to start leveraging AI in their marketing.
• AI can support personalized messaging, data analysis, and content ideation, acting as a versatile “brainstorming partner” for solo marketers.
• Implementing AI requires clear guidelines and a focus on quality prompts for meaningful outputs.
• Institutions should overcome fears of job displacement and learn to integrate AI as a supportive tool rather than a replacement.

Laura shares that her consulting work focuses on helping small schools create more self-sufficient and efficient marketing practices through AI. Since small institutions often have limited staff and resources, time efficiency is critical. Laura utilizes AI tools to help her clients offload routine, time-consuming tasks, enabling them to dedicate more energy to strategic initiatives. AI, she explains, isn’t just about content creation—it’s also useful for graphic design, coding, and even technical troubleshooting, making it a versatile tool for small teams. She emphasizes that AI can help schools complete complex tasks without sacrificing quality, transforming how they approach marketing with a sustainable strategy.

For smaller institutions venturing into AI, Laura recommends starting with ChatGPT, which she finds accessible and easy to learn. She uses ChatGPT for everything from content development to sentiment analysis and recommends investing in the pro version for optimal results. Additionally, she leverages Meta AI and Gemini, each with unique strengths that complement her work with various clients. She highlights that while paid tools like Canva for Schools and Beautiful.ai can enhance specific projects, she usually sticks with more affordable options to ensure institutions can maintain these tools after her consulting engagement ends. Laura’s focus on affordability and ease of use makes these tools ideal for small institutions just starting with AI.

AI can fill multiple roles at once—analyst, content creator, and brainstorming partner—especially in resource-constrained environments. Laura divides her AI applications into three core areas: data-informed strategy, content ideation, and personalization. Using AI, Laura helps institutions analyze patterns in student inquiries, perform sentiment analysis, and extract valuable insights that shape their communication strategies. When it comes to personalization, AI makes it simple to tailor messages for specific audiences, such as first-generation students or parents, while preserving brand voice and tone. Laura even sets up custom GPTs for each client, allowing her to maintain brand consistency while creating scalable, personalized messaging for diverse audiences.

Laura notes that fear of job displacement is a common concern among institutions new to AI. To address this, she emphasizes that AI is a tool designed to enhance human efforts, not replace them. Another challenge is the misconception that AI produces low-quality work due to inadequate prompts or lack of specificity. She advocates for setting clear, high-quality prompts and using custom GPTs to maintain continuity and consistency in AI outputs. Lastly, managing AI within a team requires institutions to set boundaries and guidelines around its use, which Laura assists with by training teams on AI principles and practical application. She encourages institutions to view AI as an essential, manageable part of their tech ecosystem.

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Connect With Our Host:
Brian Piper
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianwpiper/

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