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Episode

596 – Marketing in the AI Era with Shannon Bailey

Podcast
The How of Business - How to start, run, grow and exit a small business.
Published
Feb 16, 2026
Duration seconds
2230
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Summary

How AI is reshaping small business marketing and why clear positioning and strong messaging matter more than ever. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/596-shannon-bailey-marketing-and-ai/ Branding and messaging expert Shannon Bailey shares her entrepreneurial journey and explains (starting at 11:10) why clear positioning and concise messaging are essential in the AI-driven marketing era. As AI tools like ChatGPT reshape how customers search for information, small business marketing is entering a new era that rewards clarity over cleverness and positioning over fluff. In this episode, Henry Lopez chats with branding and messaging strategist Shannon Bailey, founder of Make Progress Strategies. Shannon begins by sharing her entrepreneurial journey, from a career in sales and corporate leadership to launching her own consulting firm, and what led her to take that leap into business ownership. We then explore how AI is changing marketing. Shannon explains why AI doesn't make marketing more technical, but more strategic. As AI platforms synthesize and recommend businesses instead of simply listing search results, vague positioning and generic messaging get exposed quickly. We discuss why small businesses may actually benefit in this shift, how earned authority now matters more than SEO tricks, and why niching down expands your reach instead of limiting it. Shannon also shares practical steps you can take today, including how to test your visibility using AI tools themselves. If you're feeling overwhelmed by AI disruption, this conversation will help you refocus on the fundamentals: clear messaging, strong positioning, and speaking directly to your ideal client, while also offering inspiration from Shannon's own path into entrepreneurship. Shannon Bailey is a st…