Use AI to stay visible and valuable in a tight economy
(Without a big team or budget)
You don’t need a team of 10.
You need to use what you’ve got—smarter.
It’s not just your imagination.
Projects are slower. Budgets are tighter. Everyone is stretched thin.
Even if we’re not calling it a recession, we’re all being asked to do more with less—especially marketers, small business owners, consultants, and creators.
So here’s the shift:
It’s not about creating more.
It’s about cutting down on waste.
It’s about showing up with precision.
And it’s about using AI to stay lean—without sacrificing quality or consistency.
Here’s how.
Use AI to cut production costs
You're not cutting corners. You’re cutting waste.
Prompt: Simplify your entire content workflow
“Act as a content strategist for a solo marketer.
My current content workflow takes too long and isn’t optimized.I want you to analyze my workflow and give me a new streamlined process.
Here’s what I currently do:
– I write [emails / social posts / blog / Substack] every [X days]
– I create visuals using [TOOL or DESIGNER]
– It takes me [# HOURS] per week to manageCreate a weekly system using AI tools (like ChatGPT, Canva, Notion) that:
– Reduces my production time
– Keeps my quality high
– Reuses existing ideas across multiple platforms
– Includes a basic weekly publishing checklist”
💡 Bonus: Use this to automate 70% of your work and reserve your energy for high-impact content only.
Prompt: Cut marketing spend that doesn’t work
“You are a fractional CMO.
Review my marketing activity and identify where I’m wasting time or money.
Then recommend low-cost, high-impact alternatives using AI.My current activities: [EMAIL / ADS / EVENTS / CONTRACTORS / SOFTWARE]
Monthly budget: [$XXX]I want to:
– Reduce costs
– Cut tools I don’t need
– Automate wherever possible
– Stay consistent and on-brandGive me a ‘cut, keep, optimize’ breakdown.”
This works great if you’re managing paid tools, freelancers, or overlapping platforms.
Stay visible—even without a big team
You don’t need a team of writers or a social media manager. You just need a system.
AI helps you keep showing up—without burning out.
Prompt: Stay visible on Linkedin
“Act as a personal brand strategist for a working professional.
I’m not job hunting, but I want to stay relevant, top-of-mind, and build authority on LinkedIn.Create a simple LinkedIn posting strategy that:
– Positions me as a helpful expert in [INDUSTRY OR ROLE]
– Includes 3 post ideas per week
– Each post should feel casual, helpful, and not ‘salesy’
– Give me AI prompts to help write each postAdd formatting tips (e.g., hooks, emojis, white space) for LinkedIn best practices.”
Even 2–3 posts a week builds long-term visibility and career insurance.
Prompt: Plan a lean, engaging Substack newsletter
“You are a newsletter strategist.
Help me design a simple, sustainable Substack strategy that builds community and trust.My goals: [EDUCATE / ENTERTAIN / SHARE IDEAS / DRIVE LEADS]
I want to send 1x per week and reuse ideas across social media.Give me:
– A recurring newsletter format (e.g., intro, tip, takeaway)
– 4 weekly topic ideas
– An AI prompt to generate each issue in my voice
– A plan to repurpose each issue into social content”
Newsletters become your source material for content across platforms.
Prompt: Launch a MeetUp group—on a budget
“Act as a community builder.
Help me plan a low-cost, high-value Meetup group for [TARGET AUDIENCE] around [TOPIC OR THEME].I want to:
– Host events monthly
– Keep costs low or free
– Use AI to write the event descriptions, invites, and follow-ups
– Drive word-of-mouth referralsGive me a launch checklist and suggested topics for the first 3 events.”
This turns you into a local authority—and builds strong referral pipelines offline.
Be ruthless with your time
When pressure is high, your time becomes your most valuable asset.
AI can help you get back hours per week—without sacrificing depth or quality.
Prompt: Create a weekly AI-optimized work schedule
“Act as a time management coach for marketers.
Help me build a weekly schedule that includes time to:
– Create content
– Serve clients
– Promote my work
– Test new offers or ideasUse AI for any task that can be partially or fully automated.
My work hours: [MON–FRI, 9–5 / NIGHTS / WEEKENDS]
My priorities: [E.G., CLIENT DELIVERY, LEAD GENERATION, PERSONAL BRAND GROWTH]I want to get more done, in less time, with better focus.”
This helps people create boundaries—so they don’t burn out trying to “do it all.”
Stay visible. Stay strategic. Stay lean.
When conditions tighten, most people pull back.
They go quiet. They wait it out.
But the smart ones?
→ They systemize their marketing
→ They eliminate waste
→ They use AI to create leverage
→ And they keep showing up—on-brand, on-message, and on-time
Not because they’re lucky.
Because they planned for this.