Marketing Against The Grain: Episode Summary

Episode Title: Use This AI Trick To Get 10x Better Results Every Time
Host/Author: HubSpot Media (Kipp Bodnar & Kieran Flanagan)
Release Date: April 17, 2025

In this enlightening episode of "Marketing Against The Grain," hosts Kipp Bodnar (HubSpot’s CMO) and Kieran Flanagan (Zapier’s CMO) delve deep into the intricacies of AI prompting to unlock significantly improved marketing outcomes. The discussion centers around transforming listeners into expert AI prompters, leveraging custom GPTs, and utilizing deep research prompts to enhance marketing strategies tenfold. Below is a detailed summary capturing the episode’s key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions.

1. The Crucial Role of Prompting in AI Results

Timestamp: [00:00] - [01:59]

Kipp kicks off the episode by emphasizing that the quality of AI-generated results heavily depends on the quality of the prompts provided. He states:

Kipp [00:00]: "The difference between your AI results and all of the experts out there is actually in the prompting."

The hosts outline their mission for the episode: to transform listeners into expert AI prompters within 30 minutes, and to introduce an AI assistant that can handle prompting autonomously. This approach aims to democratize expert-level prompting, making advanced AI techniques accessible without requiring listeners to craft prompts manually.

2. Leveraging HubSpot’s AI Innovations

Timestamp: [00:26] - [01:31]

Before diving deeper, Kieran briefly highlights exciting updates from HubSpot’s Spring Spotlight release, showcasing how AI tools can accelerate business processes:

Kieran [00:26]: "What used to take weeks now happens in seconds, and that changes everything."

These updates include features like breeze agents, integrated workspaces, and advanced marketing Hub functionalities, all designed to enhance speed and efficiency in marketing operations.

3. Understanding Effective Prompt Structures

Timestamp: [02:00] - [05:28]

Kipp and Kieran dissect an exemplary prompt, originally crafted by Greg Brockman, co-founder of OpenAI. They break down the prompt into its core components:

1. Clear Goal: Defining the objective clearly.
2. Return Format: Specifying how the AI should present its output.
3. Warnings: Indicating potential pitfalls to avoid.
4. Context: Providing comprehensive background information.

Kipp [03:25]: "Any time I see hikes and Americans say hikes in Europe, this means like going up mountains. In America, this means going to the shops on a flat surface."

This discussion underscores the importance of contextual clarity and structured prompts to prevent AI from generating inaccurate or irrelevant information.

4. Custom GPTs: Automating Prompt Engineering

Timestamp: [06:49] - [09:18]

Kipp introduces the concept of custom GPTs, which are tailored AI models trained to generate specific types of prompts. He demonstrates how creating a Prompt Engineer GPT can streamline the process of crafting effective prompts:

Kipp [08:00]: "Create me a prompt to research those announcements that marketers would love and create. Create an actionable thread on how they can use the AI to be way more productive."

By using custom GPTs, marketers can standardize prompt structures and ensure consistency in AI outputs, enhancing overall productivity and effectiveness.

5. Deep Research Prompts: Enhancing Analytical Capabilities

Timestamp: [09:19] - [17:05]

The conversation shifts to deep research prompts, which are designed to conduct thorough analyses and generate comprehensive reports. Key elements include:

• Setting Context: Providing detailed background information about the role, company, industry, and specific objectives.
• Clarity in Assignment: Clearly stating what research is needed and the desired outcomes.
• Objectives and Metrics: Defining what success looks like through specific metrics.
• Scope and Priorities: Narrowing down the focus areas to ensure relevant and actionable insights.
• Deliverable Format: Specifying the format in which the research findings should be presented.

Kieran [14:11]: "The deliverable format is so important... it will package everything up so that you'll actually get a far better result from your prompt."

Kieran emphasizes the importance of aligning the deliverable format with the intended use, ensuring that the research can be seamlessly integrated into actionable strategies.

6. Demonstration: Creating a YouTube Video Outline with AI

Timestamp: [17:05] - [25:00]

In a practical demonstration, Kipp and Kieran showcase how deep research prompts can be utilized to create detailed YouTube video outlines. They walk through the process of generating a prompt for a video on Google’s latest AI launches:

1. Input Requirements: Topic, target audience, and video length.
2. AI Execution: The AI generates a comprehensive outline, including hooks, premises, research findings, and engagement strategies.
3. Detailed Breakdown: The AI provides timestamps for each segment, ensuring a structured and time-efficient video flow.

Kipp [23:50]: "It's giving you an exact breakdown mapped to the 30 minutes, which again is pretty incredible."

This segment illustrates how AI can streamline content creation, producing professional-grade outlines that enhance viewer engagement and retention.

7. Integrating Multiple AI Models for Superior Results

Timestamp: [25:00] - [20:46]

The hosts discuss the benefits of using multiple AI models (e.g., Gemini, ChatGPT) in tandem to refine and enhance prompts:

Kieran [20:07]: "It's super cool. It works way better between two or three models."

By iterating between different models, marketers can achieve more nuanced and sophisticated outputs, leveraging the strengths of each AI platform to produce superior results.

8. Best Practices and Key Takeaways

Timestamp: [25:42] - [28:02]

As the episode concludes, Kipp and Kieran summarize the best practices for effective AI prompting:

• Start with Clear Goals: Define the objective of your prompt.
• Provide Comprehensive Context: Supply detailed background information to guide the AI.
• Specify Return Formats: Clearly state how you want the information presented.
• Use Custom GPTs: Automate and standardize prompt creation for consistency.
• Leverage Deep Research: Utilize deep research prompts to generate actionable insights and detailed reports.
• Integrate Multiple Models: Enhance prompt quality by using various AI models in combination.

Kieran [27:56]: "With AI, that is one of the power hacks that you and I use. It is very transformative."

The episode underscores that mastering AI prompting is a game-changer for marketers, providing them with tools to innovate, analyze, and execute strategies more efficiently and effectively than ever before.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Kipp [00:00]: "The difference between your AI results and all of the experts out there is actually in the prompting."
• Kieran [03:25]: "Kieran. I think this is a simple example of like AI might find something in one source that may not be that accurate."
• Kieran [14:11]: "The deliverable format is so important... it will package everything up so that you'll actually get a far better result from your prompt."
• Kipp [23:50]: "It's giving you an exact breakdown mapped to the 30 minutes, which again is pretty incredible."
• Kieran [20:07]: "It's super cool. It works way better between two or three models."
• Kieran [27:56]: "With AI, that is one of the power hacks that you and I use. It is very transformative."

Conclusion

This episode of "Marketing Against The Grain" serves as a comprehensive guide for marketers eager to harness the full potential of AI through effective prompting. By emphasizing structured prompts, leveraging custom GPTs, and utilizing deep research techniques, Kipp Bodnar and Kieran Flanagan provide listeners with actionable strategies to achieve tenfold improvements in their marketing efforts. The hosts' collaborative insights and practical demonstrations make this episode a valuable resource for anyone looking to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-driven marketing.