Reilly Newman | No, it’s not Artificial Intelligence…..
Sure, artificial intelligence may rock your industry or even a competitor who leverages it may give you a run for your money, but this isn’t the AI I’m talking about. This AI isn’t new and has haunted companies for decades. This AI is deadly and can dry up your cash flow within months. This AI is Artificial Intention.
Interesting
Any founder or salesperson knows that to make money, you need to sell. Selling is only achieved when interest is piqued, and that interest transforms into intention, which ends with the action of purchasing.
Just as this fact is a cornerstone of business, it is also well known that some prospects may act interested or even be interested yet never intend to purchase. This “fake” intention is artificial and tricks most businesses, leaving them hopeful as they are strung along by the buyer.
You may have even done this to a salesperson with a “let me think about it” or “let me talk it over” or any other stalling techniques to get you out of the situation of being pressured to make a decision to buy. Too much of this artificial intention will wreak havoc on a business.
Common examples of this artifical intention is prevailently seen in digital marketing. From website clicks and social followings, we get “ghosts” who may engage or even follow yet never intend on purchasing. If you have ever run ads on a social platform or paid for Google, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Impressions and “interest” may look promising, yet there is never any follow through on intent that leads to conversion… all sizzle, no steak.
This is a very real problem in the modern marketing landscape, but will become increasingly so as technology advances. Clicks, impressions, or even traffic are not signs of intent. Don’t get me wrong, there may be a higher probability of conversion with these individuals because they show some interest, but the artificial intent is essentially your window shoppers, looky-loos, and tire kickers. If this artificial intent has plagued businesses since the dawn of time, what’s a company to do?
Combat AI
To understand how to combat artificial intent, we must first recognize what true intent actually feels like. Real intent is when interest has a direction. When someone sees something and imagines themselves moving toward it. Intent has velocity. It has clarity. And most importantly, it carries motivation with it.
Artificial intent is passive. It’s curiosity without commitment. It’s “maybe” dressed up as “almost there.” And it’s costing companies more than they realize. Think of the wasted time, misread analytics, and sales pipelines full of ghosts. So how do you create real intent? Through brand strategy.
Brand strategy is what separates momentary attention from meaningful engagement. It frames your offering not just as something interesting, but as something worth pursuing. When done right, brand strategy doesn’t just attract eyeballs. It attracts alignment.
This is achieved by creating a fit based on associations and psychological levers that forge alignment. Simply put, the brand strategy focuses on the relationship with the audience.
Through this relationship, the brand is able to reverse engineer what would make it “worth pursuing” for their audience. Not just being of interest, but being worth more to the individual. This takes into consideration what the audience values and the brand aligning with these perceptions.
When we consider something of value, there is an internal drive to obtain it. We are genetically engineered to seek and gather that which we value. This drive is intent and it is what gives direction to our interests.
Because here’s the truth… Real intent is built when a buyer sees themselves fitted with your brand. When your story resonates with their values. When your positioning helps them pre-decide you’re the right choice — before they even talk to a salesperson.
With the world at our finger tips thanks to the ever-expanding internet and social media, we can find interest in many things. This can even include us tapping on an ad that we find interesting only to bounce a few minutes (or seconds) later. This intent was not real, it was just browsing.
The browsing is not only fleeting, but is being misrepresented by many metrics as intent. This is the artifical intent of our day. In dating, this is like being “led on” by someone only to realize they had no intent on a relationship with you. They just liked flirting with you. This is not your partner. This is not your customer.
So no, it’s not artificial intelligence that will kill your business. It’s artificial intention. The only remedy is a brand built to seek true intention. Those searching for a real relationship and who aren’t “just browsing”. Even if there are many, this will not be worth your time because true intention is a direct reflection of their perception of you and what you provide.
Let your competitors chase the shoppers around and waste time, effort, and resources. You’ll be too busy bonding with buyers who have authentic intentions.
