Embracing AI to Drive Small Business Success
As technology continues to evolve, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changer for businesses of all sizes. For small businesses, in particular, AI can streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive growth in ways that were once unimaginable. As we move further into 2025, AI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s becoming an essential tool that helps entrepreneurs stay competitive, improve efficiency, and make smarter decisions.
AI is transforming how small businesses operate in powerful ways. Here are just a few areas where AI can create immediate value:
- Marketing Automation: AI-powered tools can help small businesses optimize their marketing efforts by automating tasks like content creation, social media scheduling, and email campaigns. This saves time and ensures that marketing strategies are personalized and data-driven. According to a study by McKinsey, 61% of businesses that use AI in marketing have seen a significant boost in customer engagement and revenue.
- Customer Service Efficiency: AI can improve customer service through chatbots and virtual assistants, which are available 24/7 to respond to customer inquiries, process orders, and solve problems. A report by IBM found that businesses using AI chatbots have reduced customer service costs by up to 30%.
- Operational Efficiency: From inventory management to workflow optimization, AI can help small businesses run more efficiently. AI-powered systems can predict demand, track inventory in real-time, and even suggest purchasing decisions to avoid stockouts or overstocking. Small businesses leveraging AI have reported an average 10-15% improvement in operational efficiency.
- Financial Insights & Decision Making: AI tools can assist small business owners in making data-driven decisions by analyzing financial data, generating reports, and providing actionable insights into cash flow, expenses, and profitability. According to a PwC survey, 63% of small business owners who use AI for financial management report improved cash flow forecasting.
How the ND SBDC is Leveraging AI
At the North Dakota Small Business Development Centers (ND SBDC), we’re not only guiding clients through the AI revolution—we’re walking the walk ourselves. We’ve begun integrating AI tools into both our internal operations and client services to increase efficiency and amplify impact.
Internally, we are using AI to:
- Streamline Session Notes: AI tools help our advisors document and summarize client sessions more efficiently, allowing them to focus more time on advising and less on paperwork.
- Draft Communications & Social Media: From newsletters to social posts, AI helps our team create engaging content faster while maintaining a consistent and professional voice.
In our work with clients, we’ve incorporated AI into:
- Business Plan Review & Development: AI-powered tools assist advisors in analyzing, refining, and building business plans, helping clients get to a polished draft more quickly and confidently.
- Operations Integration: We also help businesses discover and implement AI solutions tailored to their operations, whether it’s marketing automation or financial forecasting.
We’re committed to leading by example – using technology not just as a concept, but as a practical tool that enhances the services we provide every day.
Join Us: Unlocking AI to Grow Your Business
As small business owners continue to explore how AI can enhance their operations, we are excited to announce an upcoming event that will dive deep into how AI can help small businesses grow and succeed. On May 7th, in partnership with area resource partners, our Fargo/Southeast Center will host the annual half-day Small Business Summit. This year’s theme: “Unlocking AI to Grow Your Business.”
This event is designed specifically for small business owners, advisors, lenders, and resource partners. Throughout the day, participants will have the opportunity to engage in expert-led sessions and panels on how AI is transforming business functions such as marketing, customer service, and operations. One of the key sessions will focus on small business finance, providing insights into how AI can help business owners manage their finances, forecast growth, and access funding.
At the ND SBDC, we work alongside incredible partners like the ND APEX Accelerator and VBOC of the Dakotas to create a comprehensive support system for small businesses throughout the state. Together, we’re helping drive economic growth and prosperity—with AI as one of the many tools in our toolbox.
Tiffany Ford, State Director
And all the Staff of the ND Small Business Development Network
