Make Your Business AI-Ready in 5 Steps

Ned Fasullo • May 14, 2025

Implementing AI into your business strategy can be transformative, but there are some best practices to make sure you are set up for success. Here’s a comprehensive checklist to make sure your business is ready to make the most out of AI.

1. Develop a Style Guide

A clear brand voice ensures that any AI you partner with represents your business authentically and consistently across all points of engagement. Create a detailed style guide that outlines your brand’s tone, personality, goals, and core values before you dive into creating content with AI. Specify how formal or casual the tone should be, and any ‘do’s and don’ts’ for messaging.

  • Identify key attributes of your brand personality
    (e.g., friendly, professional, humorous).
  • List specific words and phrases that resonate with your brand identity.
  • Create sample messages for AI to reference across different platforms
    (e.g., email, social media, website).


2. Think of AI as a partner, not just a tool

Viewing AI as a strategic partner helps you see its potential to contribute to your brand’s goals rather than just perform basic tasks. Treat AI as part of your team, and use it to enhance human creativity and efficiency. Identify areas where AI can supplement your team’s efforts, whether it’s by generating ideas, analyzing trends, or personalizing customer interactions.

  • Identify high-impact areas where AI can collaborate with human efforts, such as creating personalized email content or analyzing customer feedback.
  • Train your AI as you would other team members. Remember to “upskill” your AI when you have new knowledge, processes or brand information they need to know.

3. Regularly audit the knowledge that feeds your AI

AI-driven interactions are only as accurate and relevant as the data they’re based on. Clean, well-organized data enables AI to make informed decisions that reflect your brand and meet your goals.

  • Regularly update and maintain your data sources, ensuring that outdated or incorrect information is removed. List specific words and phrases that resonate with your brand identity.
  • Review your customer data for accuracy and relevancy. Update any outdated information.
  • Pay attention to the latest trends and make sure you are telling the right story on your website and other sources that feed your AI knowledge base.


4. Experiment and learn with your AI

AI thrives on learning and adaptation. Experimentation along with your AI allows you to discover what resonates with your audience and quickly adapt. Start by testing AI in small, manageable areas, like generating social media posts or customer follow-up emails. Track performance metrics to see what engages customers best, and adjust based on feedback.

  • Select one or two specific tasks to automate initially, like scheduling social posts 
  • Set performance goals for each test (e.g., response time, customer engagement, click-through rates).
  • Use insights from each test to fine-tune AI applications and expand to other areas once you’re confident in the results.


5. Align AI with Business Goals

Centralizing AI-driven content and data helps maintain consistency across all channels and gives you a single source of truth for measuring performance. Your Business App is your command center, and acts as a system of record for all things content and data.

  • Make it a habit to regularly review centralized data to adjust your strategy based on customer engagement
  • Regularly align your business goals with your AI and make sure it is telling the story you want it to!


With these 5 steps in mind, you are ready to kickstart and maintain a solid partnership with AI.

Level Up Your Foot Traffic: How Smart TVs and SkyKit Can Revolutionize Your Small Business Marketing

By Ned Fasullo • October 20, 2025
As a small business owner, you know the power of a steady stream of customers walking through your doors. But are you truly maximizing that precious foot traffic? Imagine turning those waiting moments, browsing minutes, or even quick transaction times into engaging marketing opportunities. That's exactly what indoor digital signage can do for you, and it's more accessible and affordable than you might think, especially with Smart TVs and the SkyKit digital signage system. Gone are the days when digital signage was a luxury reserved for big corporations. Today, even the smallest businesses with high customer volume can leverage this powerful tool to enhance their marketing, inform their customers, and even generate a little extra income. Why Indoor Digital Signage is a Game-Changer for Busy Small Businesses Think about the typical customer journey in your busy establishment. There are often moments of waiting, whether it's in line, for a table, or for a service. These are prime opportunities to capture attention and communicate valuable information. Traditional static signs can only do so much, but dynamic digital displays offer a wealth of benefits: Captivate Your Audience: Motion, vibrant colors, and constantly updated content naturally draw the eye. This means your promotions, new products, and important announcements are far more likely to be seen and remembered. Dynamic & Flexible Marketing: Unlike printed materials, digital content can be changed in an instant. Running a flash sale? Have a new menu item? Need to announce a temporary closure? Update your screens from anywhere with an internet connection, saving you time and printing costs. Educate & Inform: Use your screens to display FAQs, share testimonials, highlight upcoming events, or even show engaging "behind-the-scenes" content that builds a stronger connection with your brand. Enhance the Customer Experience: Provide entertainment, show live social media feeds, or display practical information like wait times. A more engaging environment can lead to increased customer satisfaction and perceived value. Boost Impulse Purchases: Strategically placed screens can showcase complementary products, tempting customers to add more to their purchase. The Power Duo: Smart TVs + SkyKit Digital Signage Here's where it gets exciting for small business budgets. You don't need expensive, specialized screens to get started. 1. Inexpensive Smart TVs: Chances are, you already have or can easily acquire modern Smart TVs. These readily available, high-definition displays are perfect for digital signage. They often come with built-in Wi-Fi and the ability to run apps, making them ideal for a streamlined setup. 2. SkyKit Digital Signage System: This is the brains of the operation. SkyKit transforms your Smart TV into a powerful marketing tool. It's a user-friendly, cloud-based platform that allows you to: * Create Stunning Content: Easily design professional-looking slides, videos, and playlists using pre-built templates or your own media. * Schedule with Ease: Program your content to play at specific times of day, days of the week, or for limited promotional periods. * Manage Multiple Screens: If you have several TVs, you can control all of them from a single dashboard, pushing different content to different screens if needed. * Remote Management: Update your screens from your laptop, tablet, or phone, whether you're in the back office, at home, or on vacation. Imagine having a beautiful display in your waiting area showcasing your daily specials, while another near the checkout promotes your loyalty program. All managed effortlessly from one simple system.  Creating Your Own Marketing & Product Messaging Let's look at how various small businesses can effectively use this setup:
Fractional sales article from Velocity Partners Group in Louisiana

Fractional Sales for the Win

By Ned Fasullo • June 17, 2025
Fractional Sales for the Win: How Small & Medium-Sized Businesses Are Leveraging Outsourced Sales Professionals for Success
Data charts representing fractional marketing services from Velocity Partners Group

Unlocking Growth: The Advantages of Fractional Marketing Executives for Small Businesses

By VPG • March 7, 2025
In today’s competitive landscape, small businesses must maximize every dollar and resource to stand out. Yet, many struggle to afford top-tier marketing talent or build a full-scale team. Enter the fractional marketing executive—a game-changing solution that provides strategic expertise without the full-time price tag. Here’s why small businesses should consider leveraging fractional marketing leaders or teams to drive growth.