AI for Breakfast

Chris Witham • March 15, 2024

Post 59 - Some useful AI tools for your business…


Today I thought I'd gather a few links for you if you're interested in finding out more about AI tools that can help with marketing your small business. Many of these offer a free trial. This is in no way a definitive list, there are so many and the list is growing every day!

As I'm discovering on a daily basis you need to try as many as you can to find what works for you and your workflow.

Please note I have used some of these, however it's not my place to favour any as you really do need to explore for yourself, we all work differently.


This post was brought to you with help from Perplexity, my custom GPT on OpenAI and the Bear App. All of which I do recommend as I'm paying for them and they work for me! (as the saying goes, your mileage may vary!)


Navigating the maze of AI marketing tools for small business owners

As a small business owner, diving into the world of digital marketing can feel like navigating a maze. With so many tools at your disposal, how do you choose the right ones to enhance your marketing efforts without getting lost? Fear not, for AI is here to guide you through.


Today, I'm spotlighting a list of AI apps that cater to a wide array of marketing needs, from content creation and design to language optimisation and autonomous campaign management. Let’s explore how these tools can simplify your marketing tasks and boost your business’s online presence.


  • Jasper AI (https://www.jasper.ai/): Your AI writing assistant, Jasper, can generate a variety of content, including marketing copy, blog posts, emails, and more. Whether you're stuck for words or just need to speed up your content creation, Jasper offers a solution.


  • Lumen5 (https://lumen5.com/): In today's digital age, video content is king. Lumen5 is an AI video creation tool that transforms your blog posts or scripts into captivating videos, perfect for engaging your audience on social media or your website.


  • Lately AI (https://lately.ai/): Struggling with social media posts, ads, or marketing content? Lately AI streamlines the content creation process, helping you maintain a consistent and compelling online presence.


  • Copymatic (https://copymatic.ai/): Copymatic serves as your AI copywriting assistant, crafting persuasive ads, landing pages, and marketing materials to capture your audience’s attention.


  • Pencil (https://www.pencil.ai/): For all your design needs, Pencil is an AI tool that generates graphics, social media visuals, and presentations, ensuring your brand stands out in the crowded digital landscape.


  • Persado (https://persado.com/): Language is powerful, and Persado’s AI language generation tool maximises this power across your marketing campaigns, helping you communicate with impact across various channels.


  • Optimizely (https://www.optimizely.com/): This AI-powered platform enables you to experiment with your website and app, optimising user experiences to drive engagement and conversions.


  • Albert AI (https://albert.ai/): Embrace autonomous digital campaign management with Albert AI, a tool that takes the guesswork out of your marketing efforts, allowing you to focus on growing your business.


  • Writesonic (https://writesonic.com/): Writesonic is an AI writing tool designed to generate high-quality content for websites, ads, emails, and more, helping you to engage your audience and boost your SEO.


  • Phrasee (https://phrasee.co/): The power of an email lies in its subject line. Phrasee’s AI-powered optimisation tool ensures your email campaigns cut through the noise, increasing open rates and engagement.


With these AI tools at your disposal, you're well-equipped to tackle the challenges of digital marketing, allowing you to focus on what you do best – running your business. Embrace the potential of AI to streamline your marketing efforts and watch your business grow.


Lines of colorful computer code on a dark background.
By Chris Witham December 11, 2025
Where AI really helps your Business If you spend any time on LinkedIn or X, you’ll have seen bold claims about how AI can help you build software in a matter of days. There’s a lot of excitement, a lot of big promises, and a fair bit of confusion for business owners trying to work out what’s real. A new term doing the rounds is “Vibe Coding” —the idea of describing what you want to an AI assistant and having it generate the code for you. It’s becoming popular because it can move things forward quickly and help people explore ideas they wouldn’t have been able to create alone. And the truth is, it does have its place. The challenge isn’t the technique. It’s the expectation that AI will automatically deliver finished, reliable, production-ready tools without any real design or thinking behind them. AI accelerates the work you already do well Used properly, AI can: • Remove huge amounts of repetitive work • Speed up drafting and iteration • Generate working prototypes in hours • Help non-technical people explore ideas • Improve documentation, planning and communication This is where it shines. But it still needs clarity, structure, and well-designed processes around it. It’s like having a very fast assistant rather than a fully formed development team. Why many AI projects don’t deliver what people expect Independent research this year showed a clear pattern: • Many early AI initiatives failed to produce measurable business value • Companies abandoned AI ideas because they couldn’t scale or integrate them • The gap between an impressive demo and a reliable tool is larger than people thought This doesn’t mean AI is overhyped. It means teams jumped straight to execution without the groundwork. The technology isn’t the issue. It’s the approach. Small businesses don’t need Enterprise Platforms Most UK small businesses don’t need to build a full software product. What they actually need is: • Better workflows • Faster content generation • Clearer communication • Improved customer support • Tools that reflect the way they work • Consistency and repeatability AI is perfect for this. A custom GPT trained on your tone, your documents and your processes can become: • A writing assistant • A customer support helper • A knowledge base navigator • An internal guide for staff • A quality-control layer • A process automator No engineering team needed. No complex infrastructure. No stress. Where AI builds real value right now AI works best when it’s part of a thoughtful, guided approach: • Define the outcome you want • Build a lightweight prototype (AI helps here) • Add structure, rules and guardrails • Connect it to your real workflow • Test it with real users or staff • Iterate until it feels natural You can still move fast. You just avoid building something brittle that breaks the moment it’s needed. The key insight: AI doesn’t replace expertise, it amplifies it AI is at its strongest when someone knowledgeable decides: • What it should do • What it shouldn’t do • How it should behave • What tone it should use • How it fits into the business • What checks and constraints matter That’s where tools like custom GPTs genuinely shine. They’re not software products in the traditional sense. They’re flexible assistants shaped around your business. With the right design, they can save huge amounts of time and deliver consistent, practical value without any of the complexity of building a full system. A more useful way to think about AI in 2026 Instead of “AI will build everything for you”, a healthier mindset is: AI speeds up the work, but you set the direction. For small businesses, that’s more than enough to make a real difference.
By Chris Witham August 21, 2025
Website Planet Interview
January 16, 2025
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: 'An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.' - Benjamin Franklin EXPLANATION: This quote reminds us of the enduring value of learning and education as a pathway to success.
January 15, 2025
WORD: Egregious DEFINITION: Outstandingly bad or shocking. USAGE: 'The error in the report was so egregious it couldn’t be ignored.' ORIGIN: From the Latin 'egregius,' originally meaning 'distinguished' or 'remarkable,' later used ironically to highlight glaring faults.
January 14, 2025
TRADE FOCUS: Chef AI APPLICATIONS: - MENU DESIGN: AI creates innovative recipes based on available ingredients. - SUPPLY MANAGEMENT: AI predicts ingredient needs to minimise waste. - CUSTOMER INSIGHTS: AI analyses feedback to improve dish offerings. - SKILL TRAINING: AI provides virtual cooking lessons and techniques.
January 13, 2025
On 13th January 1898, Émile Zola published 'J'accuse,' an open letter defending Alfred Dreyfus, which became a pivotal moment in the Dreyfus Affair.
January 12, 2025
IDIOM OF THE DAY: Bite off more than you can chew FIGURATIVE MEANING: To take on a task that is too difficult to manage. TYPICAL USAGE: 'She bit off more than she could chew by agreeing to organise the entire event.' ORIGIN: Likely from the literal difficulty of chewing an overly large piece of food.
January 11, 2025
IDIOM OF THE DAY: Throw in the towel FIGURATIVE MEANING: To give up or admit defeat. TYPICAL USAGE: 'After hours of trying, he threw in the towel and called for help.' ORIGIN: From boxing, where a towel is thrown into the ring to signal surrender.
January 10, 2025
AI GENERATED HUMOUR: Why did the AI bring a notepad to the beach? To take down sandy data! This joke connects AI’s data-driven nature to a playful seaside scenario.
January 9, 2025
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: 'The only way to do great work is to love what you do.' - Steve Jobs EXPLANATION: This quote highlights the importance of passion in achieving excellence in one’s work.
January 8, 2025
WORD: Ineffable DEFINITION: Too great or extreme to be expressed in words. USAGE: 'The beauty of the sunrise was ineffable, leaving everyone speechless.' ORIGIN: From the Latin 'ineffabilis,' meaning 'unutterable,' often used to describe profound experiences.
January 7, 2025
TRADE FOCUS: Jeweller AI APPLICATIONS: - DESIGN CREATION: AI generates intricate jewellery designs based on current trends. - GEMSTONE ANALYSIS: AI evaluates the quality and authenticity of gemstones. - CUSTOM ORDERS: AI creates virtual previews for bespoke pieces. - INVENTORY MANAGEMENT: AI optimises stock levels and demand forecasting.
January 6, 2025
On 6th January 1838, Samuel Morse successfully demonstrated the first public telegraph message, marking a revolution in communication.
January 5, 2025
IDIOM OF THE DAY: Put all your eggs in one basket FIGURATIVE MEANING: To risk everything on a single venture. TYPICAL USAGE: 'Investing all your money in one stock is like putting all your eggs in one basket.' ORIGIN: Likely from the precariousness of carrying all eggs in one basket, risking breaking them all if dropped.
January 4, 2025
IDIOM OF THE DAY: Spill the beans FIGURATIVE MEANING: To reveal a secret. TYPICAL USAGE: 'She spilled the beans about the surprise party.' ORIGIN: Likely derived from voting practices in ancient Greece where beans were used, and spilling them prematurely could reveal results.
January 3, 2025
AI GENERATED HUMOUR: Why did the AI start a podcast? It wanted to amplify its voice! This playful joke ties AI’s communication abilities to the world of podcasting.
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