HOW TO CREATE A MARKETING PLAN USING AI – Part 1
When starting a new business idea, you typically need a business plan. This plan acts as a roadmap, guiding what needs to be done before and during the launch of your business. One of its most important sections is marketing.
Sales are what bring any business to life. That’s why defining a strategy that enables you to generate your first sales is essential.
If you don’t have marketing knowledge and you have the budget, you might hire a consultant. However, this is a luxury that not every entrepreneur can afford at the early stages. The good news is that we now have tools like ChatGPT and other AI platforms that significantly simplify research and understanding across many fields.
In this article, I’ll show you how to make the most of AI so you can start building your marketing plan from solid foundations.
But first, an important disclaimer (!):
AI can give you answers to almost anything—that’s its job. What it doesn’t know, it may infer or generate. And what it does know comes from processing large amounts of online information, which doesn’t always distinguish between reliable sources and widely repeated inaccuracies.
That’s why you must apply critical thinking when using AI. Always question whether the information comes from trustworthy sources, and—depending on the task—validate it.
Otherwise, you risk making important decisions based on flawed or inaccurate information. That can cost you time, money, clients, and even your credibility.
With that in mind, here’s how you can start building a customized marketing plan using AI, beginning with the fundamentals: market, customers, and product.
1) Research the market you’re entering
When you start a business, uncertainty is part of the process—especially if your background isn’t in business. However, one thing should be clear: the product you want to sell. 
Your product belongs to a specific category or industry. For example, if you sell ingredients for meat production, your industry would be the food sector, specifically within meat-related ingredients.
Once you define this, you need to explore the dynamics of that category. Use AI to generate and answer questions such as:
- How is this category expected to grow nationally and globally?
- What are the main barriers and opportunities?
- What trends are shaping the industry?
Analyze the responses carefully and verify that the sources are reliable—such as government economic indicators, scientific publications, or recognized market research firms.
2) Identify your potential customers
In marketing, this is known as your target audience—the group of people or companies most likely to be interested in your product. But how do you define it?
Use AI to generate questions related to your product and potential buyers. Continuing with the previous example, you could ask:
- What types of companies manufacture meat-based products?
- What size are these companies?
- What is their annual revenue?
- What challenges do they face in production?
Analyze the answers and select a specific group based on criteria that align with your product’s value—whether that’s company size, market segment, or specific needs.
3) Plan how you will present your product
Once you understand your market and your potential customers, you’ll likely identify a gap—an area where your product offers something different. At this stage, it’s important to define how differentiated your product is. You can categorize it as:
- High
- Medium
- Low
If your level of differentiation is high, position your product as something that breaks the norm. You can create contrast, challenge existing solutions, or frame it within a forward-looking narrative. Use AI to generate conceptual ideas—but don’t rush into execution yet.
Evaluate which idea stands out the most in your market and choose one that clearly communicates your product’s benefits while creating impact. Once defined, apply this concept consistently across:
- Packaging
- Product design
- Marketing materials (brochures, visuals, technical sheets, etc.)
You can also use AI to create mockups—visual representations of how your product would look once finished, including packaging, boxes, and promotional materials. This will make collaboration with designers or printers much easier, as they can refine and adapt these concepts into final production formats.
This is also the ideal moment to test your idea: Send product samples to potential clients and gather feedback. You can also conduct short surveys with professionals in the industry to understand how your product is perceived.
Observe carefully, evaluate responses, and take note of insights that could improve your offering.
If, on the other hand, you already have clarity about your market, your customers, and your product, then you’re ready to move on to the next phase: planning your marketing strategy.
HOW TO CREATE A MARKETING PLAN USING AI – Part 2 (Coming next…)