CaffeinAIted Marketing Podcast — Episode 10 AI Assists for building your daily practice
I attempted to build custom prompts to let AI plan my schedule - here's what actually worked (and what definitely didn't).
Key Learnings:
The right prompts make all the difference
Math, and even dates, are still difficult to prompt for
AI Fatigue is real - Claude was pretty sick of me by the time we finished.
Why some AI tools are better than others
Real solutions for common planning challenges
Practical templates you can use today
Episode 9 - Using AI Avatars in Video Creation
Are AI avatars the future of video content, or just another tech trend?
In our latest Caffeinated Marketing episode, we're diving deep into the world of AI-generated video content. From quality considerations to ethical implications, we're covering what marketers need to know.
Key Topics:
• Quality requirements for success
• Audience connection strategies
• Practical use cases that work
• Essential ethical considerations
• Legal and ownership guidelines
Plus: Real examples from brands like Decathlon showing what works (and what doesn't).
Are AI avatars the future of video content, or just another tech trend?
In our latest Caffeinated Marketing episode, we're diving deep into the world of AI-generated video content. From quality considerations to ethical implications, we're covering what marketers need to know.
Key Topics:
• Quality requirements for success
• Audience connection strategies
• Practical use cases that work
• Essential ethical considerations
• Legal and ownership guidelines
Plus: My real example from the AI Decathlon showing what works (and what doesn't).
Episode 8 - Teaching AI to use your voice
"Just be yourself" takes on a whole new meaning when you're teaching AI to communicate for your brand.
In our latest Caffeinated Marketing episode, we're diving deep into creating AI voice guidelines that actually work.
Learn how to:
• Define your unique brand voice for AI
• Adapt tone across different content types
• Create custom prompts that maintain consistency
• Avoid common pitfalls in AI communication
"Just be yourself" takes on a whole new meaning when you're teaching AI to communicate for your brand.
In our latest Caffeinated Marketing episode, we're diving deep into creating AI voice guidelines that actually work.
Learn how to:
• Define your unique brand voice for AI
• Adapt tone across different content types
• Create custom prompts that maintain consistency
• Avoid common pitfalls in AI communication
Notebook LM - A quick Demo
As promised in Episode 7 of the podcast, here’s a quick demonstration of how easily you can create content based on any pdf using Notebook LM. I’ll show you a quick walkthrough of the process, and then demonstrate the “Join” feature, which allows you to ask AI questions about the document. Spoiler alert, when asked which task in the decathlon was most impactful, Deep Dive chose itself! I’ve found this tool really impactful, and hope you will too. Drop a comment to let me know what use cases you’ll be exploring with it!
As promised in Episode 7 of the podcast, here’s a quick demonstration of how easily you can create content based on any pdf using Notebook LM. I’ll show you a quick walkthrough of the process, and then demonstrate the “Join” feature, which allows you to ask AI questions about the document. Spoiler alert, when asked which task in the decathlon was most impactful, Deep Dive chose itself! I’ve found this tool really impactful, and hope you will too. Drop a comment to let me know what use cases you’ll be exploring with it!
And for the curious, here’s the full 13 minute episode as generated by Notebook LM, unedited. Enjoy!
Episode 7 - One of my favorite AI tools - Notebook LM
In this deep-dive episode of Caffeinated Marketing, we explore Google's innovative Notebook LM tool, which transforms PDF documents into engaging podcast-style conversations. Discover how this AI-powered tool is changing the game for marketing professionals, from enhancing sales enablement to revolutionizing content validation.
We’ve promised tool deep-dives, and in this first one we explore Google's innovative Notebook LM tool, which transforms PDF documents into engaging podcast-style conversations. Discover how this AI-powered tool is changing the game for marketing professionals, from enhancing sales enablement to revolutionizing content validation.
Google's Notebook LM represents a significant leap forward in content transformation technology. By converting written documents into dynamic, two-person podcast conversations, it opens up new possibilities for content consumption and understanding. The tool's ability to interpret context and subtext while maintaining accuracy makes it particularly valuable for marketing professionals.
One of the most compelling use cases I see for for Notebook LM is in sales enablement. Consider the challenge of launching a new product or service: your sales team needs to internalize complex information quickly and thoroughly. Notebook LM transforms your launch documentation into engaging audio content that sales representatives can consume during their daily activities – whether they're commuting, between meetings, or waiting for their next call. It’s a quick and easy way to present them with content in a new format to ensure you’re reinforcing your message, with low production needed (if any at all). It’s a great way to think about AI opening up new pathways to your goals in 2025.
Another thing I’ve been testing is message validation. By plugging messaging or documents into Notebook LM, I can test whether the outputs I get from the tool align to the key messages I was hoping to deliver. I can use it to test things like:
tone and content resonance
potential gaps in messaging
brand voice consistency
The new “Join” feature allows you to raise your hand and interact with the hosts, allowing you to ask questions like “help me understand…” or “tell me more about….” to see if the answers to those questions live in your content.
The tool's applications extend beyond marketing into education and professional development:
Students can convert course materials into digestible audio content
Professionals can reinforce learning while multitasking
Writers can validate their work through a different medium
For busy professionals pursuing additional education or certification, Notebook LM offers a flexible way to consume and retain information. The conversion of written materials into conversational format helps in better understanding and retention of complex topics.
As AI tools continue to evolve, Notebook LM represents just the beginning of how we can transform and consume content. Its ability to create engaging, conversational content from static documents opens up new possibilities for marketing professionals, educators, and learners alike.
I’d love to hear about your experience using this great tool, and what use cases you’ve uncovered in your experimentation with this great tool.
Start 2025 strong. Set AI goals
In this episode, we’ll discuss how to set and achieve meaningful AI goals in 2025 and work through five essential types of AI goals to help you start the year strong
Ready to transform your AI experiments into strategic success? In the first episode of Becky breaks down the five essential types of AI goals every marketer needs to consider. From mindset shifts to practical adoption strategies, you'll discover how to turn random AI tinkering into purposeful progress.
Remember those fun holiday prompts we explored last month? We're building on those playful experiments to create a framework for serious business impact. Whether you're just starting your AI journey or looking to level up your existing skills, this episode provides your roadmap for 2025.
Establishing your AI practice:
We’ll start with a discussion about how you create space in your day for AI practice. We’ll continue our conversation around low stakes prompting and experimentation, and how to create meaningful progress for yourself day by day, week by week all year.
Mindset Goals: Transforming Your Relationship with AI
The foundation of AI success isn't technical—it's psychological. Throughout 2024, I've noticed a common pattern among our most successful community members: they've shifted from viewing AI as a replacement to seeing it as an enhancement of their creative process.
From "perfect prompts" to "iterative improvement"
From "AI might replace me" to "AI enhances my capabilities"
From "AI does the work" to "AI is my thought partner"
Practical Steps for Mindset Development:
1. Start your day with a 5-minute AI experiment
2. Document both successes AND failures
3. Share your learning journey with others
Experimentation Goals: Building Your AI Workout Routine
If mindset is the foundation, experimentation is where you build your AI muscles. The most successful marketers in our community have one thing in common: they've developed a systematic approach to testing and learning.
Remember our holiday prompt challenges? Those weren't just fun exercises—they were training wheels for more sophisticated experimentation. Each of these playful, low stakes AI engagements build confidence and creativity that can translate directly to business applications.
We’ll talk about how to take a structured approach to this experimentation to ensure you’re growing every week.
Weekly Theme Selection - what do you want to play with this week?
Content Creation
Customer Analysis
Campaign Optimization
Workflow Automation
Documentation Template - How are you tracking your outcomes and learnings?
Initial Prompt
Prompt Refinement
Head to Head Testing
Final Results - are you satisfied with the outputs?
Mastery Goals: Building Expertise
Mastery isn't about knowing everything—it's about deeply understanding your core tools. This is your chance to double down on the tools you use in your day to day work, or to pick a specific discipline to deeply explore.
Tool Proficiency
Master your primary AI assistant
Build a personal prompt library
Develop response templates
Workflow Integration
Map current processes
Identify AI touchpoints
Create hybrid workflows
Quality Control
Develop output standards
Build review protocols
Maintain brand consistency
Advocacy Goals: Becoming an AI Culture Champion
The most powerful way to reinforce your own AI learning? Help others succeed. We’ll talk bout goals for becoming an AI champion within your organization
Internal Champions
Create quick-start guides
Host lunch-and-learn sessions
Build prompt libraries for teams
Community Building
Share weekly wins
Document common pitfalls
Create learning resources
Success Stories
Track metrics
Document processes
Share before/after examples
Adoption Goals: Turn Habits into Practices
The ultimate goal isn't just using AI—it's making it your natural first choice for appropriate tasks. This requires systematic integration into your daily workflows.
Task Audit
List routine activities
Identify AI opportunities
Prioritize high-impact areas
Integration Steps
Start with quick wins
Build standard procedures
Train team members
Success Metrics
Time savings
Quality improvements
Team adoption rates
Cost reduction
Ready to Take Action?
Join our AI Decathlon online course, where we'll guide you through implementing each of these goal types with weekly challenges, templates, and community support. Stay Tuned for our comprehensive week-by-week Implementation Guidebook to track your progress.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year from CaffeinAIted Marketing. In this episode, we’ll look back at how far AI has come in 2024 and talk about what we need to do to be ready for the advancements that are coming in 2025.
Then, Claude, chatGPT and copilot go head to head helping me design the perfect New Year’s Cocktail
Happy New Year from CaffeinAIted Marketing!
In this episode, we talk about the advances in Generative AI that have transformed content creation for marketers this year, and the things you can expect to see continue to transform our work in 2025.
For a little bit of fun, here is the prompt I built to design a New Year’s Cocktail, and the results I got from Claude, ChatGPT and Microsoft copilot
My Prompt:
Generate ideas for a festive new year's cocktail recipe. Include champagne and edible glitter for a celebratory touch. Make sure it's not too sweet and that it won't give me a hangover. Include an option for a mocktail for the designated driver or kids at a party. Give it a fun name, and include the list of ingredients, mixing instructions and a fun description. Don't use alliteration in the name, it drives me crazy!
Claude’s recipe:
I'll create a festive cocktail that's both elegant and balanced, with a mocktail option.
# Midnight Spark Cocktail
**Description:**
A crisp, sophisticated New Year's libation that sparkles like the midnight sky, promising celebration without the next-day regret. The delicate balance of champagne, gin, and herbal notes creates a refined drink that's as memorable as the moment the clock strikes twelve.
## Ingredients (Cocktail):
- 1.5 oz dry gin
- 0.5 oz elderflower liqueur
- 3 oz champagne or sparkling wine
- 0.25 oz fresh lemon juice
- 2-3 drops of lavender bitters
- Edible silver glitter
- Rosemary sprig for garnish
- Ice
## Ingredients (Mocktail Version):
- 1 oz elderflower syrup
- 3 oz non-alcoholic sparkling wine or sparkling water
- 0.25 oz fresh lemon juice
- 2-3 drops of lavender extract
- Edible silver glitter
- Rosemary sprig for garnish
- Ice
## Mixing Instructions:
1. Chill a champagne flute or coupe glass
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and bitters with ice
3. Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds
4. Strain into the chilled glass
5. Top with champagne
6. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of edible silver glitter on top
7. Garnish with a delicate rosemary sprig
8. For the mocktail, follow the same steps, replacing alcoholic ingredients with non-alcoholic alternatives
**Hangover Prevention Tips:**
- Drink water between cocktails
- Use high-quality spirits
- The light, botanical nature of this drink helps minimize next-day discomfort
**Serving Suggestion:**
Serve immediately after preparation to capture the maximum effervescence and sparkling effect. The edible glitter should be sprinkled just before serving for the most dramatic presentation.
**Pro Tip:** For an extra festive touch, you can rim the glass with a light dusting of edible silver glitter mixed with a touch of fine sugar for added sparkle.
Cheers to a spectacular New Year's celebration that looks stunning and tastes sophisticated!
ChatGPT’s recipe:
Description
Kick off the new year in style with Sparkling Stardust, a dazzling champagne-based cocktail that’s light, elegant, and not overly sweet. With a touch of citrus and a swirl of edible glitter, this drink is as radiant as your resolutions. There's even a mocktail version to keep everyone feeling festive and included.
Ingredients (Cocktail)
4 oz chilled champagne (or your favorite sparkling wine)
1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
0.5 oz elderflower liqueur (such as St-Germain)
1 dash of bitters (optional, for complexity)
A pinch of edible glitter (gold or silver)
Grapefruit twist or rosemary sprig for garnish
Ingredients (Mocktail)
4 oz chilled sparkling white grape juice or non-alcoholic sparkling wine
1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
0.5 oz elderflower cordial
Co-pilot’s recipe
Sure! How about a cocktail called "Sparkling Stardust"? Here's the recipe:
Sparkling Stardust Cocktail
Ingredients:
4 oz Champagne
1 oz Elderflower liqueur
1 oz Fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Edible glitter
Ice cubes
Lemon twist for garnish
Instructions:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
Add the elderflower liqueur and fresh lemon juice to the shaker.
Shake well until the mixture is chilled.
Strain the mixture into a champagne flute.
Top up with champagne.
Sprinkle a pinch of edible glitter on top.
Garnish with a lemon twist.
Description:
This elegant cocktail combines the delicate floral notes of elderflower with the refreshing zest of lemon, all brought together with the effervescence of champagne. The edible glitter adds a touch of magic, making it perfect for a festive New Year's celebration. It's light and refreshing, ensuring you can enjoy the night without worrying about a hangover.
Sparkling Stardust Mocktail
Ingredients:
4 oz Sparkling water
1 oz Elderflower syrup
1 oz Fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Edible glitter
Ice cubes
Lemon twist for garnish
Instructions:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
Add the elderflower syrup and fresh lemon juice to the shaker.
Shake well until the mixture is chilled.
Strain the mixture into a champagne flute.
Top up with sparkling water.
Sprinkle a pinch of edible glitter on top.
Garnish with a lemon twist.
Description:
The mocktail version of Sparkling Stardust offers the same delightful flavors and celebratory sparkle without the alcohol. It's a perfect option for designated drivers, kids, or anyone who prefers a non-alcoholic beverage. The combination of elderflower syrup and lemon juice creates a refreshing and festive drink that everyone can enjoy.
I hope you enjoy these recipes! Cheers to a sparkling New Year!🥂
Low Stakes AI Prompting Practice - Image modification
Here’s a quick video that shows an exercise I did recently to take stock images and bring them into my client’s color palette. It’s a great little exercise that can help you sharpen your skills.
Happy Holidays!
In this episode we talk about AI’s influence on holiday shopping, fun prompts to try this holiday season. Stick around to hear an AI Christmas Carol.
Happy Holidays! I hope you’re having a wonderful and restful holiday break.
Here is the prompt I used to generate holiday themed images based on my brand template and a few results from each. The prompt varied a bit platform to platform based on character limitations. I took my original prompt and refined it with Claude
Create a photorealistic holiday Zoom background that captures a magical winter wonderland scene. Include the following key elements:
Landscape:
Majestic snow-capped mountain range in the background
Foreground with a mix of evergreen pine trees
Soft, falling snow creating a gentle winter atmosphere
Wildlife:
A small group of polar bears near a snow-covered pine grove
A few playful penguins in the mid-ground
A small herd of reindeer grazing in a snowy clearing
Festive Touches:
Twinkling string lights woven through the pine trees
Delicate, warm-lit gingerbread house nestled among the trees
Soft, golden evening light casting a warm glow across the scene
Subtle holiday decorations like wreaths or garlands on trees
CaffeinAIted Marketing Podcast Episode 3: Are AI subscriptions the new streaming service?
In Episode 3 we dive into the frameworks and considerations that you can use in order to assess which AI models are worth the investment for premium access. We talk about the low stakes tests you can run using multiple tools and models and the value that comes from head to head testing of different tools to understand which best suits your needs.
This episode focuses on the frameworks and choices you face when considering which AI tools you want to invest in for premium access. We talk about the value you can get from head to head testing different tools, what using a new tool can do to help you become a better prompter, and how you can run head to head tests with the same prompt to assess the outputs you get from each one. Here are the examples that were shared in the episode.
Here is the prompt I used to generate the coffee cup images:
Create a highly detailed, photorealistic image of a tall , white crisp white paper coffee cup with a matching lid, adorned with vibrant hot pink doodles that intricately woven together to evoke the mesmerizing patterns of AI systems, computer networks, and brainwave activity, with curved lines and geometric shapes that resemble neural connections, microchips and circuit boards, against a crisp white background. Use colors [hex codes went here]
For the background images I used a simpler prompt:
A background image of hot pink doodles that imply the connection between AI systems, computer networks, and brainwave activity, with curved lines and geometric shapes that resemble neural connections, microchips, and circuit boards, set against a simple white background that allows the doodles to take center stage
CaffeinAIted Marketing Podcast Episode 2: It’s Time to Get CaffeinAIted!
In this episode, we'll dig deeper into the CaffeinAIted Marketing philosophy about what you need to do to be ready to boost your marketing work with AI. Topics in this episode include:
How to use low stakes use cases to build your AI skills on a daily and weekly basis
The "10,000 hours" theory and how you can apply it to your work with AI
The considerations for where, when and how to use AI effectively
The benefits of using a variety of AI tools to help improve your prompting abilities, get better at understanding your voice and preferences so that you can get better results from the models faster.
In this episode, we'll dig deeper into the CaffeinAIted Marketing philosophy about what you need to do to be ready to boost your marketing work with AI. Topics in this episode include:
How to use low stakes use cases to build your AI skills on a daily and weekly basis
The "10,000 hours" theory and how you can apply it to your work with AI
The considerations for where, when and how to use AI effectively
The benefits of using a variety of AI tools to help improve your prompting abilities, get better at understanding your voice and preferences so that you can get better results from the models faster.
Welcome to the CaffeinAIted Marketing Podcast
Welcome to the CaffeinAIted Marketing podcast!
Welome to the CaffeinAIted Marketing Podcast! In this first episode you’ll hear from Becky Hickson, CEO and Founder of CaffeinAIted marketing about her goals to connect, inspire and educate marketers who are looking to make the most of AI as the boost their marketing needs
The CaffienAIted Wrap Up AI Insights for Marketers - December 13, 2024
This blog explores the relationship between marketing and AI, offering insights on harnessing AI tools to improve your strategy. Discover techniques to identify the right technologies, cultivate a growth mindset, and enhance your skills as a marketer. Dive into case studies, expert interviews, and actionable tips to empower you in the digital marketing landscape. Unlock your potential and get CaffeinAIted!
Hello Friends! AI for marketers is moving incredibly fast, so every week I'll be highlighting news and insights from experts that I hope you'll find helpful. Let's get CaffeinAIted!
Sora Enters the Chat (But Not Everyone's Invited)
OpenAI's new video platform Sora launched this week, creating quite the buzz—and confusion. The initial rollout drove so much excitement that account creations had to be paused for a few days, but as of this writing, that seems to have been resolved. The early videos I’ve seen on the platform look great, and the interface is simply and straightforward.
Sora is only available for Pro and Plus uses of the OpenAI platform
Plus: $20 a month gets you 50 videos of 5 seconds each
Pro: $200 a month for this new subscription gets you 500 videos a month up to 20 seconds each. OpenAI launched their Pro subscription this week, which gives unlimited access to their models, including voice. OpenAI says most users will still be best served by the $20 a month option, but there were some interesting discussions this week about which features are worth the $200 price tag.
I’m personally excited about the potential of AI generated video, but I’m curious about the practical applications of the tool, and the 5 / 20 second limits. I read a perspective this week that said “If this is the worst this is ever going to be, there’s a ton of potential” and I have to say I agree!
Safety and Privacy Considerations for Open AI Advanced Voice Mode
In other Open AI updates, they announced Advanced Voice Mode. I really appreciated Nicole Leffer's perspectives on the right safety and privacy considerations for these new features. As new features come on line, it's always important to consider what information you're willing to share, and whether you're giving up an privacy or usage rights with the content you provide to any model.
ChatGPT's Unscheduled Coffee Break
Looks like ChatGPT decided to take an unexpected nap this week, with a service outage that left AI enthusiasts tapping their screens in mild panic. As my college student said to me afterwards, “What am I supposed to do, GOOGLE things?” It’s a good opportunity to take a look at the ways you’re using AI, and a moment to realize how much it’s become a part of your work day.
The AI Decathlon: Your AI Skills Workout
Shameless plug alert 🏆 CaffeinAIted Marketing launched our AI Decathlon this week. The course includes 10 challenges aimed to boost your abilities, expose you to new tools and help you expand the way you craft prompts to get to new levels with your AI capabilities. One Decathlon participant told me this week about amazing progress they made after the class building prioritized calling lists for their BDR team with the skills they picked up in the class. Until December 31, you can save 25% with code “CAKE”
My AI Winner of the Week: Talentless AI's Cat Video Extravaganza
Each week I’ll bring you a favorite piece of AI generated content to inspire you (or at least make you smile). This week, my favorite is the holiday cat video series from Steve Mudd and Talentless AI because honestly, who can resist cats in Christmas outfits wearing sunglasses? Not this girl!
Steve Mudd / Talentless AI
On Your Marks! Get Set! GOOOOOOO! Meet us at the Starting Line for the AI Decathlon!
Ready to sharpen your skills and boost your confidence using AI? Welcome to the AI Decathlon – your ultimate playground for transforming marketing capabilities through ten exciting, fun challenges.
Ready to sharpen your skills and boost your confidence using AI? Welcome to the AI Decathlon – your ultimate playground for transforming marketing capabilities through ten exciting, fun challenges.
This isn't just another course; it's a comprehensive bootcamp designed to revolutionize your marketing mindset, and unlock new ways of working. Each of the ten events is crafted to build your AI proficiency and marketing expertise:
Round 1 The Starting Line: Dream up a business idea that will race through our challenges
Round 2 The Name Game: Craft compelling brand names that resonate and captivate
Round 3 The Logo Long Jump: Create a logo and brand kit with AI-assisted design tools
Round 4 The Messaging Mile: Sprint toward razor-sharp, targeted messaging that speaks directly to your audience
Round 5 The Differentiation Discus: Unlock competitive insights, identify unmet customer needs and ensure you’re ahead of the competition.
Round 6 The Content Relay: Pass the baton and rapidly generate marketing collateral to support your business
Round 7 The Email Marathon: Go the distance in designing, developing, personalizing and testing emails to reach your audience
Round 8 The Video Pole Vault: Soar High with AI-generated avatars for the creation of expert videos
Round 9 The Social Shotput: Launch your idea with an impactful social media strategy
Round 10 The Podcast Prelims: Tune into your businesses impact by creating an AI hosted podcast about your business
The practical benefits of this course are game-changing. Participants gain hands-on experience, build confidence, and develop a toolkit that instantly boosts marketing performance. You'll learn to leverage AI not as a replacement for human creativity, but as a powerful amplifier of your strategic genius.
Unlock a sweet deal! For the month of December 2024, the course is 25% off with code CAKE.
The AI Revolution is Here - Meet CaffeinAIted Marketing
We're Caffeinated Marketing, and we're on a mission to transform how marketing teams harness the power of artificial intelligence. Think of us as your strategic partners in navigating the most significant technological shift in marketing history.
Marketing has always been about connection, creativity, and cutting through the noise. Today, generative AI isn't just changing the game—it's rewriting the entire playbook. That's where we come in.
We're Caffeinated Marketing, and we're on a mission to transform how marketing teams harness the power of artificial intelligence. Think of us as your strategic partners in navigating the most significant technological shift in marketing history.
Our approach is simple: we don't just talk about AI, we make it work for you. Whether you're an individual marketer looking to sharpen your skills, a team seeking to integrate AI seamlessly, or a leader wanting to drive strategic transformation, we've got you covered.
Our services are as diverse as the challenges you're facing:
Hands-on AI workshops that turn theory into practical skills
Online courses that take you from AI novice to expert
Fractional CMO services that provide strategic AI guidance
Our signature AI Decathlon—a comprehensive deep dive into generative AI's full potential
Coming January 2025 The CaffeinAIted Marketing podcast featuring expert insights and guests
We know AI can feel overwhelming. That's why we break it down, make it accessible, and focus on real-world application. We're not about replacing human creativity—we're about amplifying it.
Our team brings together marketing veterans and AI experts who understand both the technological possibilities and the human elements of great marketing. We're here to ensure you're not just keeping up, but staying ahead.
Marketing's future isn't just coming. It's here. And it's caffeinated.
Are you ready to transform your marketing with AI? Let's talk.