In this episode of Imperfect Marketing, I’m pulling back the curtain on how I’ve actually been using AI in my day-to-day marketing work—beyond the hype, beyond the shiny tools. I share what’s in my current tech stack, what didn’t live up to expectations, and what genuinely made me more efficient (and what didn’t).

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the constant stream of new AI tools, this episode will help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters.

The Reality of Today’s AI Landscape

New AI tools are launching constantly—sometimes faster than we can evaluate them
It’s easy to get distracted by “shiny object syndrome”
You don’t need every tool—you need the right tool for the job
The goal isn’t to use AI everywhere, but to use it where it truly helps

What’s in My Current AI Stack

I break down the tools I’m consistently using and why:

Claude: My main workhorse for writing, strategy, and even presentations
Perplexity: Go-to for research, comparisons, and step-by-step answers
ChatGPT: Primarily for building and sharing custom GPTs with clients
NotebookLM: Powerful for handling large amounts of context and research
Built-in AI (Loom, Riverside): Helpful for content production workflows

Surprising AI Tools Worth Exploring

Some tools exceeded expectations:

Branding 5: A strong positioning tool that helps clarify messaging
Vocable AI: Useful for generating social content ideas (especially for clients)
NanoBanana Pro: Solid for image generation
Claude for presentations: Surprisingly powerful—even rivaling tools like Gamma

What Didn’t Work (or Didn’t Stick)

Not every tool is a win—and that’s okay:

AI assistants that lacked context or usefulness
Asana AI: Underwhelming (possibly due to limited input/context)
Ubooks: Poor experience for nonfiction writing
Gamma.app: Still useful, but possibly being replaced by Claude
Microsoft Copilot: More of a habit issue than a tool issue

Key insight: Sometimes it’s not the tool—it’s fit, timing, or how you’re using it.

How to Actually Use AI Effectively

Test tools on real work, not demo projects
Compare tools against each other to find the best fit
Give tools a fair shot—but don’t force them into your workflow
The best tools become invisible—they just work

AI Isn’t Replacing You—It’s Enhancing You

AI won’t replace thinking—it enhances it
Use AI for:
- Brainstorming
- Strategy pressure-testing
- “Shadow boxing” ideas to find gaps
Your expertise and judgment still matter more than ever

Practical Advice to Get Started

If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed:

Pick one task that drains you each week
Test one AI tool on that task
Don’t try five tools at once
Give yourself permission to drop what doesn’t work

Key Takeaways

Looking to leverage AI? Want better results? Want to think about what you want to leverage?

Check and see how I am using it for FREE on YouTube.

From "Holy cow, it can do that?" to "Wait, how does this work again?" – I've got all your AI curiosities covered. It's the perfect after-podcast snack for your tech-hungry brain.

Watch here

AI Tools I Actually Use and the Ones I Dropped