Capsule

The season of giving is nearly here – and what better way to show your appreciation than with a thoughtful gift?

Gift-giving is a great way to strengthen your professional relationships whether it is with your employees, clients, or partners. But it has to be done right, otherwise, you could be having some awkward conversations come the new year.

In this blog post we’ll help you understand what makes a good corporate gift, why they’re important as well as the legal things you need to know about gift giving. We’ll also take a look at some of the best gift ideas to suit any recipient and budget.

Why are corporate gifts important?

Gift-giving is one of the best ways to show appreciation. Whether you’re rewarding an employee for their hard work, a client for their loyalty, or a vendor for helping you through a busy period.

Choosing the right corporate gift can be a challenge. It should be a thoughtful token of appreciation, but also general enough to remain professional and not cause offense.

Whether internally or externally gifted, it’s crucial to always consider your audience. You want to ensure that whoever receives it has a smile on their face.

Benefits of corporate gifting

There are a few key benefits to corporate gifting. But the specifics will depend on who you’re sending the gift to.

Most companies will send gifts around the holiday season, particularly to their employees, vendors and clients. However, each is done for a different purpose such as:

• To build brand awareness
• Reward loyal partnerships
• Strengthen trust between parties
• Promote your products and services.

Legal corporate gifting rules

Giving a gift should be easy, right? Well, that’s not always the case – not in the corporate world, anyway.. Some industries have strict rules when it comes to corporate gifting.

The business world is increasingly concerned with ethics and transparency. So, many businesses have gift-giving policies to avoid any potential claims of bribery, favoritism or conflicts of interest.

Ethics are most consider in these industries:

• Financial services
• Public sector
• Tech
• Pharmaceuticals
• Non-profit organizations
• News and media

But don’t let these rules put you off. Corporate gifting still has a range of benefits, just make sure you review ethics and bribery beforehand. You can do this by speaking directly to the company or any key contacts that you have relationships with. Most employees should be briefed by their HR and legal team on what gifting is and isn’t acceptable.

Are corporate gifts tax deductible?

There are a few tax implications that you need to consider when giving gifts to clients. So, before you go crazy with your generous holiday spirit, make sure you avoid any costly mistakes.

The IRS states that if a corporate gift is given during the course of trade or business then the gift may qualify for a tax deduction. But there are some limitations.

US tax law states that you can deduct $25 for business gifts during the tax year. There is no limit to how many people can receive a gift but there is a limit of $25 deductible per individual.

The giving and receiving of promotional gifts, like pens and t-shirts, is not deductible as it falls under advertising expenses. Items that aren’t tax deductible include:

• Gifts with values less than ​$4
• Items with an organization’s name permanently imprinted on them
• Items identical to those that the organization distributes or sells.

Common examples of these include pens, plastic bags, cases, or gift sets. Only gifts that are clearly a sign of an appreciated business relationship are tax-deductible.

Incidental costs

Incidental costs are any fees incurred as a result of giving corporate gifts. These are excluded from the ​$25​ limit. Some examples of incidental costs include:

• Engraving
• Packaging
• Mailing
• Insurance

Costs are only considered incidental if they don’t add significant value. For example, gift wrapping costs may be excluded, but buying an expensive basket to display a gift likely won’t.

How to find the perfect corporate gift

Finding the perfect gift takes time and consideration. There are hundreds of sites offering the best corporate gift but there are a few things you need to consider when choosing the right gift.

The four things you need to consider are:

• Personalization: Does the gift fit the person?
• Quality: Is the product a gimmick or something that will easily break?
• Purpose: Is this something that can be used or displayed regularly?
• Over promotion: Does this gift have a purpose other than purely advertising your service?

The best corporate gifts for 2024

Every business relationship is different, so it can be hard to find a perfect gift that fits your preference and budget. To make things easier we’ve compiled a list of the best corporate gifts on the market.

So take a look and find the hot ticket item that everyone in the office will be fighting over.

Under $25

Luxury chocolate gift box

You’ll struggle to find anyone who doesn’t enjoy these beautifully wrapped truffles. Each box has a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic treats which can be altered depending on your preference.

The simple design allows space for your branding to pop, making it a memorable gift at an even more memorable price. They even have a full vegan selection so there’s truly something for everyone.

Coffee subscription

Coffee is the lifeblood of most workplaces. So, why not give them a treat they can enjoy year-round?

Coffee subscriptions can be a real morale boost and it gives everyone a chance to find their favorite blend and roast. Just watch out for anyone fighting over the last few beans!

Notebook

The recipient of this notebook will want to take it with them wherever they go. And not just because it’s handy – it’s stylish too.

The pages are numbered and lined meaning they’re ready whenever inspiration hits. And there’s even a handy pocket that lets you hold onto important paperwork. With so many colors to choose from, you’ll be sure to find the perfect one for anyone in your life.

Reusable digital notepad

Looking for a more sustainable way to take notes? This reusable digital notepad allows you to jot notes how you normally would and then send them to your mobile device.

It also helps you keep confidential notes private, avoiding the need to print and you never have to worry about running out of pages.

Bluetooth item finder

Know someone who struggles to keep track of their essentials? These handy Bluetooth tags can attach to anything from keys to bags to headphones.

They connect with any personal or smart home device, you’ll then be able to track their location in an app and they even give off a sound to help you locate your item quickly and easily.
Under $50

YETI travel mug

This multifunction travel mug is perfect for anyone on the go, whether you’re looking to keep your coffee warm or iced tea cool.

It’s leak-resistant lid helps you avoid any embarrassing spills and its sleek design makes it a hit with everyone.

Trekking pack

Know someone who’s a huge fan of the great outdoors? Give them a gift they’ll love with this customizable trek pack.

This high-quality kit is fashionable, waterproof and even comes with some eco toiletries they can use while out on the trail. What’s better is you can add your logo so everyone else out there will know your brand.

TravelCard Plus

This power bank is small but mighty! The TravelCard Plus is the size of a credit card making it one of the smallest and lightest power banks available.

Equipped with a USB-C PD port, USB-C and lightning cable it can charge a range of devices with a 3,000 mAh rated capacity.

Sony wireless headphones

Perfect for remote work or listening to music and podcasts on the commute, these wireless headphones are powerful and compact. Boasting a range of colors, they have excellent battery life and a crisp sound quality.

The headphones are quick charging but with a 50-hour battery life, they can easily run for days at a time.

Rechargeable hand warmer

It’s getting cold outside, and this rechargeable hand warmer is a treat for anyone who wants to avoid the chill.

It’s small and compact but packs a punch. The battery lasts for up to three hours and heats up to its maximum temperature in less than two minutes.

Under $100

iLOLA Tea Disc Essentials Set

A perfect gift for any tea lover. The iLOLA tea set allows you to personalize your gift with a choice of any two teas from their collection.

It also comes with a 1920s-style tea infuser and iLOLA thermos so you can brew a perfect cup, every time, wherever you are.

Chic coffee table books

Coffee table books are a great way to add a touch of style to a space. And with so many different topics on offer, it’s easy to find one to suit every taste.

Whether it’s fashion, football or food there’s something for everyone and a huge range of prices to fit every budget.

Money plant

Money plants have often been seen as a symbol of luck, wealth and prosperity. Despite their intricate look and braided stems, they’re very easy to care for.

It even comes with a white-gray Ecopot that helps to prevent overwatering meaning it’s ready to decorate any space.

Personalized embossed drink dispenser

What better way to unwind after a long day than with a drink from your personalized dispenser. Made from 100% pine, this dispenser is customizable allowing you to add a name, company or brand.

Its classic style makes it a welcome addition to any office that’ll have everyone fighting over it come 5 pm on a Friday!

Skyline etched tumblers

These fine-quality glasses can display a range of hand-sketched city skylines from across the globe.

You can even customize them to include your workspace in the skyline making them a perfect reminder of how your business fits within the city you love.

Conclusion

Corporate gifts are a great way to build professional relationships. But finding the right gift is only part of the puzzle. Different companies have different rules when it comes to receiving corporate gifts, so be prepared to share an item’s value or even provide receipts.

Don’t let the technical side of corporate gifting get you down. At its heart, corporate gifting is all about building relationships with clients.

Client relationships are key to business success. That’s why so many companies use a CRM to manage their customer interactions with ease.

Try Capsule CRM free for 14 days and see how it can help you manage your customer relationships.

Our Capsule webinar about Social Selling was held with Alexander Low, founder of DCM Insights. In it, Alexander focussed on the art of social selling on the world’s largest professional network and also shared value insight about how to elevate your social selling game on LinkedIn.

Key points covered include:

• How to craft a compelling and professional linkedIn profile.
• Proven techniques to expand your linkedIn network and create meaningful connections that lead to sales.
• Using content to engage with your target audience.

Our second Capsule webinar was a video selling masterclass with Morgan J Ingram, founder of Ascension Media Productions. Morgan outlined the art and science of harnessing the power of video to amplify your sales and drive your revenue.

In the webinar Morgan covers:

• How to strategically incorporate video into your sales process.
• Crafting compelling and persuasive video content that captures attention, communicates value and prompts action.
• Offering consumers the medium they want.
• The key elements that lead to higher conversion rates and ultimately boost your sales success.

The world of architecture is filled with awe-inspiring creativity and innovation. However, behind every breathtaking structure and innovative design, is a range of challenges and complexities.

Project management for architects is no easy feat. You need to balance aesthetics with functionality, all while keeping on the right side of strict regulations and staying within your budget.

It may not be the most exciting part of running an architecture firm, but good project management is a vital part of the process.

In this article, we’ll delve into the intricacies of project management in architecture firms. You’ll learn the essential skills, recommended tools and best practices to ensure every project is a resounding success.

The challenges of project management in architecture firms

While many think that being an architect is all about creativity and following your vision, it’s likely they don’t appreciate just how much project management is going on behind the scenes.

Architectural projects often span multiple years and involve numerous stakeholders. Keeping a complex, multi-year project on track requires meticulous organization and communication.

Without diligent project management, delays and cost overruns can quickly spiral out of control.

Then there’s the human element to consider. You need to collaborate with clients, engineers, contractors and others daily. Each one of those stakeholders has their own different concerns and priorities, which you need to take into account and balance.

Varying project delivery methods also complicate matters. Some projects are design-bid-build while others are design-build or CM at risk.

Each method comes with different concerns and criteria to consider.

Then there are the seemingly endless factors that are completely outside of your control. Weather conditions, availability of materials and fluctuating costs have the potential to throw your project off your carefully planned tracks.

Essential skills for effective project management

To successfully manage projects in an architecture firm, managers need the right abilities. The following skills are critical to keeping your project on track.

Communication

Good communication is the cornerstone of any project. In architecture firms, this involves articulating your design concepts, addressing client concerns and facilitating collaboration between different teams.

Project managers must be adept at listening, translating ideas, resolving conflicts and providing frequent updates.

Strong writing skills also allow project managers to craft sharp documentation. Be clear and concise in your communication, avoiding any unnecessary jargon or overly complex language.

Time management

With multiple projects running simultaneously and tight deadlines looming, architects must be comfortable managing a complex to-do list. Keeping on top of your time requires efficient schedules that minimize delays.

Undoubtedly there’ll be some tasks that you simply have to deal with personally, but trying to tackle everything by yourself is impossible. Instead, get comfortable with delegating or deferring any low-priority tasks.

Problem-solving

Unforeseen challenges are par for the course in architectural projects. The ability to adapt to changing circumstances — whether that’s new information, regulatory updates or client requests — enables you to keep the project aligned with its objectives.

Get comfortable with using different decision-making models. For example, if a project falls behind schedule, the project manager could conduct a SWOT analysis to identify the best path forward:

• Strengths: The technical skills of the team, innovative design solutions
• Weaknesses: Underestimating the permitting process timeline, lack of client input
• Opportunities: Fast-track permitting, modular construction methods
• Threats: Client dissatisfaction, going over budget

The SWOT framework helps the project manager pinpoint the cause of any challenges by formally analyzing the project from multiple angles. This evaluation can help architects to find relevant solutions

Financial literacy

Budgetary constraints are a constant challenge in project management. You need to be comfortable managing costs, negotiating contracts and keeping every project financially viable.

Creating accurate project budgets is crucial. Project managers must have analytical skills to develop precise cost estimates and budgets. As the project unfolds, they also need budget management skills to track expenses and detect any discrepancies.

Monitor financial performance using key metrics like ROI, profit margin and cash flow.

### Emotional intelligence

While often overlooked, emotional intelligence is crucial for managing team dynamics, resolving conflicts and creating a harmonious working environment.

Emotional intelligence can be broken down into four key competencies:

• Self-awareness
• Self-management
• Social awareness
• Relationship management

By understanding and managing yourself, you’ll be in a better position to understand and respond to the emotional needs of team members, clients and stakeholders, fostering positive relationships and collaboration.

If you’re still relying exclusively on pen and paper to manage your projects, it’s time for an upgrade. There are plenty of digital tools and apps you can use to streamline project management, with options for every budget. Here are some of the different types of software that can enhance efficiency and productivity in architecture firms.

Task management tools

Each project is a series of related tasks; these tools help you organize and track those tasks, enabling you to monitor progress, allocate resources and meet deadlines.

The best task management software allows you to get a quick overview of even the most complex project, showing you at a glance where you are, your next steps and key responsibilities for those tasks.

Top task management tools:

Collaboration platforms

We’ve already seen that communication is a key skill for project management. These platforms help foster communication and collaboration among team members, clients and stakeholders, ensuring everyone is on the same page. Whether it’s sharing the latest guidelines with the team or checking in with the client, collaboration platforms make it easier to keep in touch and share vital information.

Top collaboration tools:

Document management systems

Even the simplest architectural projects have a mountain of paperwork. Storing project documents in a searchable, shareable database makes managing this task little more manageable.

A centralized repository for all your requests for information (RFIs), change orders and specifications can save you a lot of time and headaches.

Top document management systems:

Time tracking software

Ever get to the end of the week and wonder where all that time went? Time tracking tools show you how much time you and your team spent on various tasks, providing insights into productivity and showing where you might need more resources.

Top time tracking software:

Customer relationship management systems

One of the core components of any project is the people — your relationships with clients, contractors and more all have a significant impact. With the right customer relationship management (CRM) software, you can manage every aspect of those relationships, from reaching out to potential clients to successful project management.

Better yet, the best project management CRMs come with many of the other features we’ve already discussed above. For example, Capsule CRM helps architects with:

• Refined task management and record-keeping
• Improved team communication
• Efficient talent management
• Better financial management
• Meaningful client relationships

Capsule comes with dashboards and reports to track progress, along with a robust mobile app to keep your team connected wherever they are. It also integrates with your other favorite apps, connecting your tools and sharing data for maximum efficiency.

Learn more about how a CRM for architects can benefit your firm today.

Best practices for architectural project management

Even with the right skills and software, you can’t guarantee a positive outcome for every project. Still, adhering to the following best practices will significantly increase your chance of completing your next architectural project.

Regular check-ins

Things can change quickly in any project; the sooner you find out about those changes, the better. Regular check-ins with the team and stakeholders foster collaboration and enables you to address any concerns promptly.

Keep the communication going even after you’ve completed the project with post-project reviews. Looking back at what went well (and what didn’t) can provide valuable lessons that will help you optimize your processes.

Comprehensive documentation

Maintaining detailed documentation of every aspect of the project, from design drafts to contractual agreements, ensures transparency and serves as a reference point for future projects.

Store all project documents like sketches, blueprints, models, specifications, submittals, RFIs and more in a central, shareable repository. This way, you always have the information you need to hand.

Documentation should begin in the planning phases, with extensive notes on project scope, deliverables, budgets, schedules, requirements and key stakeholder contacts.

As the project progresses, diligently document all meetings, communications, decisions, change orders, problems and solutions. Details like meeting attendees, key discussion points and assigned action items improve accountability.

Proactive risk management

Identifying potential risks early on and developing contingency plans can make unforeseen challenges easier to deal with. This approach can help your team pivot quickly if needed.

During the planning phase, conduct a thorough risk analysis to identify any vulnerabilities in the schedule, budget, scope, resources, technology needs or regulatory issues.

Develop risk management plans detailing how each high-probability risk will be addressed if it arises. Then, as the project progresses, regularly re-assess for new risks and monitor existing ones.

Having preemptive contingency plans allows for smooth, stress-free project management. For example, if permitting is delayed, you can have fast-track alternatives ready. If materials costs spike, you know exactly what other options are available

Continuous learning

To remain adaptable and innovative, it’s important to embrace a culture of continuous learning. This involves staying abreast of industry trends, technological advancements and regulatory changes.

Provide opportunities like conference attendance, courses and reading materials for team members to continuously expand their knowledge. Bring in experts for “lunch and learn” sessions to share insights.

Regularly re-evaluating tools, workflows and best practices keeps your project management strategies fresh and optimized. The field evolves quickly, so firms that commit to continuous learning will always lead the pack.

Conclusion

Effective project management is imperative for architecture firms, but it’s still just one piece of the puzzle. Beyond strong project management, firms must maintain top-tier designs, innovative solutions and client relationships.

While project management is crucial, it’s also important to think long-term about your team, capabilities and vision. The role of an architect is constantly evolving, and staying up to date with societal needs, ethical considerations and global trends is paramount.

Discover more about how a CRM can help your firm manage current and future projects. You can enjoy a 14-day free trial, and see how Capsule’s features can save you time and offer peace of mind.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the key features to look for in project management software for architecture projects?

How does architecture project management software differ from general project management tools?

What makes a project management tool effective for project managers in engineering firms?

Can project management software improve collaboration in architecture projects?

What are the benefits of using a task management tool within project management software?

How do project management skills contribute to successful project management in architecture?

What should project management professionals consider when choosing project management software for architecture projects?

How does project management software assist in managing projects for architecture firms?

What are some popular project management software options for architecture project management?

How does project management process integration in software benefit architecture projects?

Everyone is talking about AI. Artificial intelligence has changed the way many businesses operate, helping them to work smarter, not harder. AI tools can help companies automate and streamline processes across multiple departments. This in turn can boost efficiency and productivity.

There are hundreds of tools out there and each of them varies in both features and price. With so much choice, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. But don’t let the sheer volume of available options scare you off. There are plenty of ways to integrate AI into daily business life, without spending a small fortune. And to help you we’ve detailed 10 free AI tools that solve common business problems, from content creation to note-taking.

AI algorithms are often utilized in business tools to make them more efficient and boost productivity. To do so, they utilize artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to streamline complex processes and simplify problems.

Advancements in natural language processing (NLP) and deep learning have only increased AI’s popularity. Complex algorithms are helping organizations optimize their workflows, increasing business productivity.

Some businesses are still unsure about how AI can improve productivity. These tools offer the opportunity to streamline operations and enhance efficiency making difficult tasks simple and quick.

Let’s look at these benefits in more detail.

Increase productivity

Businesses move fast, so they need tech that can keep up. AI tools are capable of handling huge data sets and can complete repetitive tasks with little to no mistakes.

This limits the amount of human error and allows your employees to spend more time on creative projects instead of menial tasks.

Streamline processes

AI can analyze data quickly and accurately. This allows for better decision-making, saving businesses both time and money. AI can help businesses spot bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

If an organization can identify productivity slumps, then business leaders can find ways to address these issues. In turn, they’ll see higher levels of business activity and cost savings.

Avoid human error

Unlike human employees, AI rarely makes mistakes. Repetitive tasks can lead to errors but with AI you can optimize these processes and minimize this risk.

Artificial intelligence is capable of mundane tasks like data entry, answering customer queries, and inventory management. This means your staff can save time and focus on more important projects that require a human approach.

Enhance customer experiences

AI tools can improve the efficiency of customer service. Customer support chatbots work 24/7 to help customers get answers to common questions quickly. It can deliver exceptional customer experiences, exceed expectations, and help you stay ahead of the competition.

Chatbots can analyze customer feedback and assess the mood of the person it’s interacting with. This frees up your team to deal with more complex customer issues saving you time and improving productivity.

While useful, free AI tools do come with some limitations, especially compared to their paid counterparts. Most AI tool providers offer a free and paid version of the product and without a subscription, you may miss out on some important features.

It’s important to understand that while free tools may not offer all the features of paid options, they can still be valuable for businesses. Businesses should carefully consider the limitations of free AI tools and determine how they can best leverage them to enhance their operations.

Now you’ve seen the benefits, it’s time to look at the best free AI tools available to businesses.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is one of the most popular AI tools available. Its simple interface makes it easy to use and it has quickly become commonplace in workplaces across the world.

This free AI chat tool uses NLP and ML to generate simple and human-like responses from user prompts, making it a great tool for content creation. It uses intuitive machine learning platform mechanisms, and transformer neural networks to predict and generate content based on what’s been fed into it. Marketers can use it as a co-pilot when writing content, aid with interview prep with clients and build sales emails.

It also can automate multiple customer service tasks simultaneously. ChatGPT can streamline communications by supporting chatbots by helping them to handle multiple conversations simultaneously. Answering numerous customer questions and queries, quickly and efficiently can lower costs and streamline operations.

ChatGPTs powerful knoweldge extraction tools and machine learning models are always developing. As a user, you’ll be able to enjoy new, improved versions regularly – making ChatGPT an invaluable tool in a marketer’s toolkit.

Rating: 9/10

Jasper.ai

Jasper.ai is an AI copywriting tool designed to help create high-quality written content. Its NLP algorithm allows you to customize the tone and voice of your copy to match your brand guidelines. Not only does it speed up content creation, but it also actively works to improve your writing by making suggestions and improvements.

Jasper has a range of uses, making it great for content creation. It can create clear and well-written content, in over 26 languages, quickly and easily. This makes it a great tool for writing whitepapers and long-form content like eBbooks that can be marketed globally.

It also works to boost your search engine result page rankings (SERPs) by integrating with tools like SurferSEO and Google Chrome. This can increase productivity by boosting your output, saving you both time and money.

However, it does have a few cons. Jasper sometimes repeats words and phrases, meaning content needs to be checked closely for potential errors.

Rating: 7/10

Grammarly

Grammarly uses AI to optimize your writing. It checks for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. It also suggests ways to make your writing clearer and more precise.

It accelerates writing tasks and allows you to champion your brand voice by selecting specifics around tone.

Utilizing a tool that constantly evaluates your writing can save you time by simplifying the editing process.

It works to identify errors that could make you look unprofessional and helps ensure that your content is succinct and high-quality. It offers a browser extension that can check other collateral. This makes it easier to check errors on a multitude of platforms including sales emails.

Rating: 8/10

PhotoRoom

Not a whizz when it comes to Photoshop? PhotoRoom is an easy-to-use tool that can help you edit images on the fly. It uses an AI algorithm to spot objects within a photo and allows you to move or remove these elements.

Popular with e-commerce businesses, marketers, and graphic designers, PhotoRoom helps you create professional-looking images in a snap. Its user-friendly interface offers a range of editing options so you can let your imagination run wild.

The free version allows you to edit five images each month and does limit the number of advanced features available. The paid version however allows you access all features including high-quality image export, color adjustment and customer watermarking.

Rating: 6/10

Designs.ai

Now you’ve edited your photo, it’s time to get it posted! Designs.ai offers various features to help you create visually appealing images and designs. Whether you’re looking to create a logo, social media post, presentation, complete video sequence or video animation, Designs.ai allows you to generate images based on what you upload.

It also provides more advanced editing tools like text formatting and object placement – so you can get the best design every time without splashing out on expensive software.

The free version allows you to create ten designs per month, with the help of their basic design features, templates and watermarks. The paid version offers unlimited access to all features and templates from $39 a month.

Rating: 6/10

Synthesia

Synthesia makes video creation a breeze. It offers a huge library of pre-built video templates that can be customized with different text, images, animations, and AI-generated video.

Synthesia.io saves you time and resources by creating excellent content without the need to start from scratch. Its algorithm uses AI to generate video content, custom AI avatars and video templates that match your specific needs. It also provides a wide range of language features that can help you reach international audiences.

The free version allows you to create minute-long videos and utilize their AI avatars. However longer videos with more complex features will require a subscription fee.

Rating: 7/10

Descript

Descript combines audio and video editing into one easy-to-use free AI tool. It offers a range of complex editing tools such as noise reduction, video stabilization, plus EQ and compression.

Descript has incredible transcribing capabilities. It uses AI to transcribe audio and video recordings, allowing you to easily edit your script. It’s as simple as editing a word document, changes you make to the text are copied over to the video almost instantly. This means that you can edit the transcript directly, making it easy to remove filler words, rearrange sentences, and more.

It can assist with a range of content creation issues thanks to its varied AI tools. Including greenscreen effects, voiceover dub and eye contact repositioning.

Our only complaint is the time restrictions, a free package only allows you one hour worth of transcription and video editing per month.

Rating: 9/10

AnswerThePublic

Want to find out exactly what’s on the minds of your customers? AnswerThePublic can help. It’s a keyword research and blog idea generator tool. It uses search engine autocomplete data to generate long-tail keyword ideas that directly target specific audiences.

It allows marketing teams to generate fresh and relevant ideas that put them ahead of their competitors. Businesses can ask specific questions and identify the phrases that their target demographic is searching for. This helps them to directly communicate with their ideal customer profile (ICP).

Its ability to utilize such a large pool of data is incredible, and its keyword suggestion tools help inspire unique and creative topics. However, it can be tricky to get the hang of and the interface isn’t the friendliest on the list.

Rating: 8/10

Murf

Murf is an AI-powered voiceover platform built to enhance audio content production. It works by creating AI-generated voices that work perfectly with social media videos, tutorials, podcasts, or any other audio project.

Its user-friendly platform provides a seamless experience that maximizes productivity. To get started, all you need is a script. Murf does the rest and creates a professional-sounding voiceover in minutes.

The free version allows up to 10 minutes of audio creation including transcribing and AI voice generation. It also allows three users to work simultaneously, meaning teams can easily collaborate on projects.

Rating: 9/10

Fireflies

Minute-taking can be tedious – and it’s hard to actively engage in a meeting while simultaneously taking notes. Fireflies solves this problem by identifying important moments in a meeting and transcribing them in real-time. It allows you to search and analyze transcripts to find valuable information and insights.

It integrates seamlessly with popular platforms like Zoom and Google Meet allowing for easy collaboration. The AI tool helps support effortless collaboration by allowing you to share detailed meeting highlights across your team and business.

The free edition allows you to clip soundbites and provides automated summaries of each business. It allows 800 minutes of storage meaning you can make the most of your valuable team interactions. However, you will need a subscription to ensure full integration with your company’s software such as your CRM.

Rating: 7/10

Gemini (previously Google Bard)

Gemini is a free AI tool from Google that helps you find and understand big ideas and information. It’s one of the best platforms out there for taking in lots of data and giving back useful insights. Because it’s a free AI tool, anyone looking to get smarter or stay ahead can use it without paying anything.

This AI tool simplifies complex data, making it user-friendly while providing deep, actionable insights. It brings together lots of information in a way that’s easy to get. Even though it might take a little bit of time to learn how to use it well, it’s worth it. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find Gemini super helpful for work, research, or just learning new things on your own.

Rating: 9/10

Dall-e

One of the best free AI tools, Dall-E is an advanced AI image generator that excels in turning text prompts into visually captivating AI images. Its core strength is its ability to generate stunning images, seamlessly blending creativity and technology.

As a leading tool in image generation, Dall-E makes image editing and image creation easy, enabling users to produce high-quality content quickly. The tool’s intuitive interface allows anyone to create intricate and detailed visuals without any real training.

Ideal for professionals and hobbyists, Dall-E is redefining the boundaries of digital art and design. It allows not only for creating content, but also works as a photo restoration tool. With its unmatched proficiency in creating diverse and intricate AI images, Dall-E is essential for anyone looking to elevate their visual content.

One of the key features missing, though, is the lack of photo editing options built-in directly in the Dall E art generator. But it’s probably just a matter of time before it’s implemented, though.

Rating: 8/10

Copy AI

[Copy AI] (https://www.copy.ai/tools) is a free AI copywriting tool that has transformed how we approach content creation in marketing strategies. Its paid version offers more features, but in the free plan, marketers can quickly turn their idea generation into tangible content.

Its advanced AI writer adapts to numerous writing styles so that the quality output is consistent and tailored to specific needs.

This tool excels in its ability to generate high-quality content swiftly, offering a seamless solution for businesses and individuals aiming to elevate their content strategy.

With Copy AI, crafting compelling narratives and engaging copy is simplified, allowing users to produce superior content that resonates with their audience. As a result, Copy AI has become a go-to resource for anyone looking to enhance their writing with efficiency and creativity.

Rating: 8/10

Invideo

Invideo is redefining traditional video production by integrating multiple AI models into its platform. This makes creating videos that captivate and engage easier than ever – all without signing up.

This tool stands out by offering a streamlined approach to crafting engaging videos, blending storytelling with the precision of AI technology.

Its robust AI model, enables InVideo users to navigate the complexities of video creation, transforming raw ideas into polished, professional outputs.

It simplifies the video production process, allowing creators to focus on creativity rather than technicalities.

As a result, Invideo is becoming an essential tool for individuals and businesses looking to produce high-quality videos with little effort.

Rating: 7/10

Beatoven AI

Beatoven AI is as a transformative force in music production, standing out among the best free AI tools available today.

It harnesses generative AI tools to revolutionize audio editing, enabling creators to produce complex audio files easily.

As a free AI tool, Beatoven AI democratizes music creation, offering novices and seasoned musicians access to sophisticated music production AI features without financial barriers.

Its intuitive platform simplifies creating and manipulating audio files, making high-quality music production accessible to everyone.

With Beatoven AI, the power of generative AI is at your fingertips, making it an indispensable asset for people looking to explore the frontiers of audio creativity.

Rating: 8/10

Codeium AI

Codeium AI is a revolutionary software development assistant and we reckon it’s one of the best free ai tools. It uses AI to tackle issues that usually need human intelligence.

It’s a handy tool for data analysis, enabling developers and data scientists alike to build predictive models with unprecedented ease.

Codeium AI’s advanced algorithms provide a platform for users to automate repetitive tasks. This makes it especially valuable for those with varying levels of coding expertise, from beginners seeking to deepen their understanding to experts aiming to expedite their workflow.

Through simplifying complex coding tasks, Codeium AI democratizes the development process and allows more individuals to contribute to innovation and problem-solving in technology.

Rating: 9/10

AI tools aren’t one size fits all. That’s why it’s important to take your time researching and evaluating each platform and how it may benefit your organization.

You want to find tools that are compatible with your team, business, and current software. That way you can make the most of these tools and use them to help you develop your organization.

Implementing new AI tools doesn’t happen overnight. You need to create a clear plan of action that highlights how it can be utilized. This helps your team to better understand the importance of utilizing these tools to maximize productivity.

You can manage this process by following four simple steps:

• Evaluate business needs
• Compare platforms
• Creating a training plan
• Assess and improve

Let’s explore these steps in more detail.

Evaluating business needs

Before selecting an AI tool, you need to assess what areas of your business need the most support. Look for bottlenecks in productivity, company pain points, and any general inefficiencies.

What problems is your business experiencing? Is customer service slow or does content creation need a boost? Consult with relevant stakeholders in all departments and speak to employees at every level. Everyone in your company can provide unique and valuable insight into the common problems they’re facing and provide opportunities to streamline these issues.

Comparing platforms

Research is crucial when it comes to AI. Artificial intelligence has a range of abilities and opportunities but not all of them will be useful to you and your business. Before diving in, take time to explore what’s out there.

You will need to implement training on how to use these platforms, so you want to ensure it’s easy to use. Consider things like user interface and troubleshooting resources to assess how difficult these platforms will be to maintain.

Create a detailed training plan

It takes time to adjust to new working practices. To successfully implement AI in your business you need to create a detailed plan that explores how you will manage this.

Begin with weekly training sessions that cover individual features within the software. Explain how the technology integrates with the platforms you currently use like your CMS or CRM. You should use day-to-day, relatable, business pain points as examples to support your training. That way your employees can see the specific benefits and improve overall integration.

Assess and improve

A business and its needs are always changing. That’s why it’s crucial to review your AI tools periodically. Check to see whether the new tools have actively improved productivity and assess how well employees have taken to the new processes.

If take-up is slow or you’re still facing issues, evaluate why. Maybe it wasn’t the right fit, or maybe training could’ve been more extensive.

It may be that the tool doesn’t integrate well with your other software. Knowing the issue is the first step toward finding a solution.

The future of AI

AI is continuing to grow in popularity, and no one knows for sure what it will mean for the future of business. What seemed impossible just a few years ago, is now well within the capabilities of new AI tools.

As technology evolves so will AI. Tools will become more efficient, accurate, and quicker and the number of features will continue to grow. Some experts have even predicted that AI will take digital technology out of the two-dimensional screen form and become part of the physical environment surrounding an individual.

While this seems like science fiction, it does offer insight into the extensive world that AI has the potential to create. However, for now, we should enjoy the benefits it’s already brought us when enhancing chatbots and image software.

Conclusion

Incorporating AI tools into your business day-to-day provides a range of advantages. From streamlining communication to enhancing content creation and video production. AI tools have the potential to revolutionize the way you operate and help you stay ahead in an increasingly competitive market.

But before choosing, you need to carefully evaluate your needs and consider factors such as compatibility, user-friendliness, and adoption rate. The right software is crucial for business growth, whether it’s an AI tool or a CRM program. Take the time to explore how it can help you.

Try Capsule CRM for 14 days for free to see how it can help support you.

Free AI tools: Frequently asked questions

What are some of the best free AI tools available for content creation?

Can free AI tools help with technical tasks without requiring extensive technical knowledge?

Are there any free AI tools specifically useful for marketing and copywriting?

How do free AI tools for image and video creation work?

Is it possible to use free AI tools for more complex projects like music creation or art generation?

What are the advantages of using free AI tools for start-up ideas and own projects?

Are there any limitations to using free AI tools compared to paid versions?

“Sales and marketing teams should pull in the same direction and help each other achieve their goals.”

How many times have you heard something like that being bandied around in a meeting with your CEO, business leader, or some sort of motivational speaker?

But you know what the reality really is. Marketing is obsessed with building brand awareness, slowly building their pipeline, and passing down low-quality leads to your sales team. And for the long-suffering Marketing Managers in the back, your sales team is constantly asking you where their leads are.

Both sales and marketing face unique pressures. But, as wishy-washy as this might sound, businesses will only grow when sales and marketing move together as one cohesive unit.

And there’s data to prove it too. There’s a dizzying array of stats on this page from LXAhub but these are the most important:

• businesses with aligned sales and marketing teams are up to 67% more efficient at closing deals
• aligned sales and marketing teams can achieve up to 38% win rates

Ready to bring your sales and marketing teams together and crush more deals, and boost your bottom line? We’ll tell you how in this blog post.

Defining sales, marketing and alignment

Let’s clear up exactly what sales and marketing do, how they operate, and what their priorities are. This’ll make it easier to understand where friction might occur, where there’s common ground and how you might be able to bring the two teams together.

Marketing function

A marketing team is a group of individuals responsible for planning, creating and tracking marketing activity across an organization.

Its primary goal is to generate as many sales opportunities as possible. Marketing does this by:

• making individuals and businesses familiar with your brand name
• helping people understand the value of your product and service
• converting these prospects into customers
• continuing to build long-term relationships with customers.

Sales Opinion

Your marketing team typically oversees activities that promote your products and services to customers and generate brand awareness and leads.

However, responsibilities go further, as marketing also conducts market research, identifies target audiences, identifies leads, and anticipates customer needs.

As Penpoin explains, a marketing team will develop a brand’s unique selling proposition, set pricing and develop product strategies.

Sales function

While marketing generates sales opportunities, the sales team is responsible for actually selling them to the people who may be interested in a product/service.

Core tasks will include vetting leads, educating prospects on the benefits or value of your products or services, and closing deals through persuasion and traditional sales activities.

Sales teams are often under pressure to hit sales targets and ensure sufficient revenue is coming in.

Sales Opinion

Marketing Opinion

Sales and marketing alignment

According to an article for HubSpot, sales and marketing alignment, or “smarketing”, is a shared framework of strategies and goals for the sales and marketing departments.

Alignment is characterized by continuous communication between the two departments, as well as a joint effort to work towards shared objectives and provide assistance to one another.

The primary basis for alignment between sales and marketing is their shared goals of attracting customers, generating revenue and achieving profitability.

Sales and Marketing Opinion

Why sales and marketing should work together

For businesses to invest the necessary time and effort into aligning sales and marketing, stepping back to and fully understanding why alignment is valuable. Similarly, given that each department faces its own pressures, leaders must also understand why alignment is so valuable and the strategic benefits it can bring.

Research is clear on the issue of alignment. Studies carried out by Marketing Profs show that organizations that achieve sales and marketing alignment enjoy 38% higher win rates and 36% higher customer retention rates. Conversely, misalignment is worth at least a 10% hit to annual revenue.

Sales Opinion

The Moments of Trust report published by LinkedIn found that 87% of sales and marketing leaders say collaboration between both teams is key to business growth, while 85% say this is the single biggest opportunity for businesses looking to improve performance.

90% believe aligning sales and marketing messages and initiatives positively impacts the customer experience too.

Marketing Opinion

Although sales and marketing are responsible for different parts of the sales funnel, they both ultimately want the same outcomes: more sales, more revenue, more profit, higher customer satisfaction levels, higher retention of existing customers, more referrals from satisfied customers, and greater business growth. For these reasons, it makes sense that the two departments should be aligned.

Also, there’s a significant crossover between the two departments’ responsibilities and activities. For instance, in most modern sales organizations, responsibility for generating leads is shared between the two departments, rather than the sole responsibility of one or the other.

How alignment benefits marketing

One of the biggest ways alignment helps marketing is centered around content production. Many organizations don’t realize the value or importance of content.

It can be used at the top of the funnel to attract and encourage prospective customers to engage with your organization. And for the bottom of the funnel, content is essential to help sales executives close deals.

According to a study by the Content Marketing Institute, 60 to 80% of all marketing content generated for sales teams ultimately goes unused.

Marketing Opinion

Often this is because of misalignment between sales and marketing, and a poor understanding of content marketing, as well as sales requirements.

Sales and marketing alignment can reduce the time wasted by marketing on unused content. Improvements to communication can prevent instances where sales teams are unaware of content, while sales teams can also communicate their own needs more effectively.

Marketing teams should do more to educate sales teams on the importance and value of content marketing, and how it can be used as a tool to generate leads.

Learning what works and does not work for sales teams can also help marketing teams to tweak their messaging, based on real-world responses.

Sales and Marketing Opinion

Steve and Dan think this is important and something that both sales and marketing functions do poorly.

How alignment benefits sales

Sales teams benefit significantly from alignment with the marketing department. By working closely with the marketing team, sales reps can gain a better understanding of who they should be targeting efforts towards and what messages they should be using to maximize success.

Through close communication, marketing teams can better understand some of the challenges that sales reps face on a day-to-day basis. This allows marketing to work on the kinds of content that will help sales teams to close more deals.

In many cases, marketing departments gain valuable information about leads that the sales team could really benefit from. Therefore, a process needs to be in place so that this information can be passed along before a sales rep makes their pitch.

Marketing Opinion

For example, marketing teams may know how a lead ended up on the company website, or what problem they are trying to solve. They may also know about the lead’s preference, like how they should be contacted and at what times.

Aligned teams share this kind of information, and this enables sales teams to tailor their strategy and messaging accordingly, resulting in more deals closing.

Why do sales and marketing become misaligned?

Lack of communication is at the heart of misaligned sales and marketing teams. If the two departments aren’t in constant communication and if they do not take an active interest in one another’s success, they are quickly going to find themselves going in different directions.

Marcello Grande points out in an article published on LinkedIn Pulse, that some of the biggest causes of misalignment are because sales and marketing often have different priorities, use different metrics, and have different incentives. This is why strategic alignment is necessary.

Many other alignment problems can be boiled down, to simply that sales and marketing often lack a unified narrative. They don’t share the same vision, or they see the products and services they are selling differently, and this manifests in the way they communicate with existing and potential customers.

Sales Opinion

Both departments may provide messaging to leads without consulting with one another and this can result in inconsistencies and confusion.

For example, marketing may promote a product or service in one way, and then sales may try to close the deal by using entirely different messaging.

The outcome of this could be that a prospect becomes confused about exactly what they’re buying and backs out of the deal. If messaging was unified, the deal would have closed.

Sales Opinion

Marketing Opinion

Finally, sales and marketing teams may also have to report to different senior executives and this can also lead to issues with alignment.

How to encourage sales and marketing alignment

Below, you’ll find some tips that can help you to keep sales and marketing on the same page.

1. Agree on shared goals, terms and metrics

You should try to agree some shared goals. Try to make these targets as specific as possible and ensure they’re measurable. Sales and marketing should also agree on some shared metrics, while lead scoring needs to be standardized across the two functions, with both teams agreeing on how leads should be scored.

Try to agree on areas for improvement and work together to achieve them. This could be increasing the number of qualified leads generated, or increasing closed deals. Both departments can contribute to achieving these objectives.

Research published by Adobe illustrates that most businesses don’t have a definition of a qualified lead that sales and marketing have formally agreed to. For full alignment, you should define terms like marketing qualified lead, sales qualified lead, etc, so that there’s no room for confusion.

2. Define the roles of sales and marketing

You should clearly define the roles of sales and marketing. Although some degree of overlap is inevitable, in general, marketing should be concerned with activities related to the top of the sales funnel, while sales should be concerned with activities related to the bottom of the sales funnel.

There are some activities that’ll need to be defined more carefully. For instance, who is responsible for lead scoring? How much responsibility, if any, does sales have for content creation?

Knowing exactly what each department is responsible for can help to reduce confusion and tension. It can also decrease the time that’s wasted on activities that have already been carried out by someone else.

3. Collaborate on marketing content creation

Creating sales and marketing content typically falls under the marketing team. However, some of this content should serve the sales team, so working closely with the sales team makes sense.

Marketing teams need to know what messages are successful for sales reps and which messages aren’t working as well. It’s also important for sales to tell marketing the common questions they receive from prospects, because it may be possible to answer these earlier in the process through marketing content.

Creating a unified narrative is important. Both departments should be clear on what’s being sold, what the product or service is intended to do, who can benefit from it, and the overarching brand story to tell leads and existing customers.

4. Make use of cross-departmental shadowing

Another great way to ensure your sales and marketing teams are aligned is to make use of cross-departmental shadowing.

Harvard Business Review outlines, it can be useful for marketing team members to shadow sales calls regularly and even to attend some sales meetings, so that they can understand prospect challenges better.

Shadowing the other department can help teams to understand the challenges they face. In the case of marketing departments, understanding the sales process and the realities of current sales efforts can help with creating sales content.

It also gives marketing an opportunity to provide useful information on the kind of messaging sales reps can use to boost success rates.

5. Commit to sharing progress at meetings

A key part of how to align sales and marketing involves continually sharing progress, insights and analysis. While alignment requires shared goals and objectives, both departments still create their own reports, carry out their own analysis, and have results they can share with the other team.

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of constant communication if true alignment is to be achieved and a great way to facilitate this is to commit to regular meetings between senior figures in sales and marketing.

During these meetings, both departments should highlight their results and progress, share any useful insights and analysis, and be clear on any problems they are facing. It is also important for both sales and marketing to be clear if they need something from the other department, or if they feel changes are needed.

Achieving sales and marketing alignment

There are no simple answers for how to align sales and marketing, as alignment is a continuous process. Nevertheless, at the very heart of the issue, communication channels need to be open, the two departments need to be sharing progress, insights and challenges, and there must be shared and agreed goals and metrics.

Click here to learn more about Capsule CRM, which serves as a CRM and project management tool. This can be really useful for sales and marketing alignment, allowing information to be shared more easily while increasing overall transparency. You can get started by accessing a 14-day free trial today.

Sales and marketing alignment: Frequently asked questions

How can sales and marketing teams work together for better alignment?

What are the consequences of sales and marketing misalignment?

Why is aligning sales and marketing important for generating marketing qualified leads?

What role do sales enablement teams play in supporting sales and marketing alignment?

How can marketing leaders tend to the needs of the sales team for successful sales?

What are key performance indicators (KPIs) for measuring sales and marketing alignment?

How can regular meetings between marketing and sales teams improve the buying process?

What strategies can be employed to overcome marketing misalignment within an organization?

Why is it important for marketing teams to understand the sales process?

How can marketing professionals use marketing data to better align with sales objectives?

ChatGPT, an AI platform powered by a large language learning model has emerged as the frontrunner in the race for AI supremacy.

But as it stands, to get the most out of AI, you need to learn how to prompt it.

Prompts help you give the AI tool you’re using specific instructions on what you want to get out of it.

Whether you’re using ChatGPT to generate some email comms; Midjourney to create photo-realistic digital art; or Boomy to craft an AI tune, the right prompt will help you get better results in all these use cases.

In this blog post, we’ll teach you what a prompt is, how best to structure your own and round up some of the best ones we’ve seen.

[Editors note: if you fancy yourself a bit of a prompt engineer, skip to our top prompts here.]

What are ChatGPT prompts?

ChatGPT prompts are a way to communicate with an artificial intelligence system, to get a desired response or generate specific content. It’s like giving instructions or asking a question to an intelligent program.

When you provide a prompt, you’re giving the AI some context or information to work with. This helps guide its understanding and influences the type of response it generates.

The prompt can be a sentence, a paragraph, or even a longer piece of text.

For example, if you want to generate a short story about a detective solving a mysterious crime, you could give a prompt like:

“In a small town, Detective Foxton was called to investigate a strange murder case.”

Based on that prompt, ChatGPT will then continue the story with its own creative input.

It’s important to note that the quality and accuracy of the AI’s response depends on various factors, including the training it has received, the available data, and the complexity of the task.

How to use ChatGPT prompts

It’s really straightforward to start using ChatGPT. The trick is in learning how to master them. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can start using them:

1. Identify an AI-powered tool: Do some desk research and find an AI tool that’s easy to use. There are plenty of options online, but we use ChatGPT at Caspule, as we think it’s the best general-use AI available right now.

2. Determine your goal: Decide what you want to achieve with the AI. Do you need help writing a story, generating ideas, answering questions, or something else? Having a clear objective helps formulate an appropriate prompt.

3. Write your prompt: Type a prompt that clearly communicates your intention or the information you want the ChatGPT to work with. Keep it concise and specific. If you’re unsure, you can also provide some examples or additional context to guide the AI’s response.

4. Submit the prompt: Once you’ve written your prompt, submit it to the ChatGPT

5. Review and refine: After the AI generates a response, look through it to see if it’s any good. If needed, you can refine or modify your prompt to get a better outcome. Iteration helps when fine-tuning ChatGPT’s output.

6. Evaluate results critically: Remember, AI-generated content may not always be perfect or error-free. It can suffer from hallucinations, a phenomenon where the AI conjures up falsehoods to complete its task. Be critical, and thoroughly assess any output.

Tips for getting the most out of your ChatGPT prompts

Experimenting with what you input into ChatGPT is crucial to understanding its capabilities and expanding its use cases. Here are some initial tips on how to do this:

Talk to the AI as if you’re speaking to a person

So, it might feel uncomfortable initially to treat this piece of tech as a person – but hear us out!

When you’re constructing prompts, consider the little nuances, quips and anecdotes you use to embellish things you’d say to a person.

They give context, provide clarity and help articulate your point. Do this with ChatGPT or whatever AI you’re using.

These little details help it understand what it is you’re asking it and it will produce better results.

Context is key

ChatGPT and other large language model AIs are smart enough to understand context.

Here’s an example. In the image below, I’ve asked ChatGPT to ‘Give me a 10k training plan’.

In its answer, ChatGPT has made some assumptions. It said:

“Certainly! Here’s a 10K training plan that spans over a period of 12 weeks. It’s designed to gradually increase your running endurance and prepare you for a 10K race. This plan assumes that you have a basic level of fitness and can comfortably run at least 2-3 miles (3-5 kilometers) without any issues”

But what if you’ve already got a good base level of fitness and want to run a 10k in six weeks’ time?

Let’s try this prompt:

‘I want a 10k training plan for someone that’s got a good base level of fitness. They do some light weight lifting in the gym once a week and they can run a 5k in 26 minutes. The training plan needs to span six weeks.’

As you can see from the picture above, compared to the first result, ChatGPT has produced a six-week plan, that’s more suitable to the suggested fitness level.

It was a simple case of giving it more detail, and more context around what we wanted from it.

Another example, specifically for sales professionals, I asked our AI Content Assistant (which uses the ChatGPT API) to ‘Write me a 100-word prospect email for a company that sells turtles’

Here’s the result:

Subject: Discover Tranquility with Captivating Turtle Companions

Dear [Prospect’s Name],

At [Company Name], we specialize in offering captivating turtle companions that bring charm and tranquility to your living space. Our exquisite collection features ethically sourced and expertly cared-for turtle species.

Immerse yourself in their enchanting world, from vibrant red-eared sliders to majestic diamondback terrapins. Our knowledgeable team will assist you in finding the perfect turtle companion to suit your preferences and lifestyle.

Enhance your space with the delightful presence of our remarkable turtles. Experience the joy they bring firsthand by visiting [website URL] or contacting us at [contact information].

Find serenity with our enchanting turtles today!

Best regards,

Your Name
Your Title
Company Name
Contact Information

But once again, this email doesn’t quite hit the mark. What if we’re selling to a logistics company based in Kansas? What if we know that the prospect likes Sea Turtles? And what if we know they’ve attended a conference in the past?

Here’s the next prompt:

“Write me a 100-word prospect email for a company that sells turtles. The company you’re selling to is based in Kansas, we know that the prospect likes sea turtles. They’ve attended a big sealife conference on the 6th June 2022.”

Subject: Exclusive Offer: Discover Sea Turtles in Kansas!

Dear [Prospect’s Name],

As a fellow marine life enthusiast who attended the sealife conference on June 6th, 2022, I wanted to share an exciting opportunity. [Company Name] has expanded to Kansas, bringing captivating sea turtles closer to you.

Our commitment to ethical sourcing ensures their well-being. To celebrate, we offer an exclusive 15% off your first sea turtle purchase.

Experience the magic of sea turtles in the heart of Kansas!

Let’s discuss this opportunity further and answer your questions. Together, we can create a lasting connection between you and these awe-inspiring creatures.

Warm regards,

Your Name
Your Title
Company Name
Contact Information

While this writer takes more scrupulous eye when producing that sort of copy, the premise is clear: adding context to a prompt gave the email a much wider, more refined scope.

So, in essence, embellish your prompts with context. Use specific, simple-to-understand language and articulate any useful information.

Get the AI to assume a persona

Feeling uncomfortable about anthropomorphizing AI yet? Well, prepare to feel more uncomfortable: you get really good results if you ask it to adopt human characteristics.

For instance, you could prompt it to write a piece like a pirate, write tweets like Elon Musk, or if you were doing some market research, you could ask it to act like a member of your prospective buying committee.

Here’s an example of the output from ChatGPT when I asked it the following:

Pretend you’re a marketing manager at a small business with 25 employees. You don’t have CRM. What things would you be looking for if you were considering a CRM system?

As you can see from its output, while it is generalized, many of the points it makes are accurate.
While ChatGPT has practical uses, it also has an almost complete repository of humanity at its silicon-laced fingertips. This prompt utilizes its literary prowess to produce a rather unnerving result.

The prompt: Write me a cautionary tale about AI in the style of William Shakespeare in about 250 words

To summarize, to hone in your results and to articulate complex points simply, ask AI to adopt a persona – you won’t regret it!

Rein the AI in

In our many interactions with AI, we’ve noticed it does have a tendency to run away with itself sometimes. And we’re not alone.

Reddit is awash with examples. This post from May 2023 talks about how the longer a conversation with ChatGPT goes on, the worse its responses get.

In his blog post, Bernard Marr, a futurist and thought leader, talks about AI hallucination. In his post, he describes hallucinations as “…the generation of outputs that may sound plausible but are either factually incorrect or unrelated to the given context.

“These outputs often emerge from the AI model’s inherent biases, lack of real-world understanding, or training data limitations. In other words, the AI system “hallucinates” information that it has not been explicitly trained on, leading to unreliable or misleading responses.”

So how do you mitigate these issues?

Well, unfortunately, while AI does automate a lot of manual tasks, as of right now, it isn’t perfect, so you need to carefully scrutinize anything it outputs.

Fact check any content. Check customer emails and if you start to see the quality of its responses degrade over time, like the example we posted above, remind the AI what the purpose of the initial query was.

The best ChatGPT prompts

To create this article, we’ve trawled the internet (so you don’t have to) to find some of the best prompts around.

This list is not definitive, but it should be enough to get you started with AI.

Top 5 prompts

#1 – The ultimate prompt
Let’s start with the big guns: this prompt is one of the best. It allows you to create better-quality prompts, by instructing the ChatGPT to tease detailed information out of you, the user, to improve the quality of its output.

Once it arrives at a quality prompt, simply execute it and scrutinize the results.

“I want you to become my Prompt engineer. Your goal is to help me craft the best possible prompt for my needs.

The prompt will be used by you, ChatGPT. You will follow the following process:

1. Your first response will be to ask me what the prompt should be about. I will provide my answer, but we will need to improve it through continual iterations by going through the next steps.

2. Based on my input, you will generate 2 sections, a) Revised prompt (provide your rewritten prompt, it should be clear, concise, and easily understood by you), b) Questions (ask any relevant questions pertaining to what additional information is needed from me to improve the prompt).

3. We will continue this iterative process with me providing additional information to you and you updating the prompt in the Revised prompt section until I say we are done.”

#2 – Midjourney prompt maker
Midjourney is one of a few text-to-input AI art creators. It takes text instructions and generates imagery based on that. Like ChatGPT, it relies on text-based prompts to generate results.

The quality of the final image very much depends on what you tell Midjourney and the nuance of what you tell it.

MagitekZed has created this prompt generator that produces excellent-quality images. You simply cut and paste the prompt into ChatGPT and then follow the instructions.

Here are a few examples of images and their respective Midjourney prompts:

#3 – Top tier cold email prompt
As a sales professional, you’ll always be drafting email communication to your prospects and customers.

Use this prompt to brainstorm ideas for a top-tier cold email and then adjust and amend them as you need accordingly:
“I need a cold email idea that will engage my [ideal customer persona] with a unique and compelling perspective on [subject] and persuade them to take [desired action] on my [your website/product].”

#4 – Brainstorm blog posts prompt
One of the biggest barriers to writing a blog post is the so-called ‘blank page’ moment, where you can’t think of what to write, or even how to write it.

Thankfully, there’s even a prompt for that now:

“Can you provide me with some ideas for blog posts about [topic of your choice]?”

#5 – Embrace the role play
In sales, dealing with objections is one of the biggest challenges a salesperson can face.

By feeding ChatGPT details about your product and your business, and a scenario you wish to rehearse, you can practice how to handle some of the common objections and devise strategies to overcome them. The prompt:

“Pretend you are a lead who doesn’t see the immediate value of our CRM product. I’ll address your concerns and demonstrate their importance.“

Our ultimate list of ChatGPT prompts

We’ve scraped the web and found some of the best ChatGPT prompts for you to use.

They’re divided up by the typical use cases sales and marketing professionals have day-to-day.

And it’s worth booking marking this page – we’ll keep this list updated with new prompts, as and when we find them.

Editors note: Last updated 05/12/2023

Cold email prompts

1. “Generate a cold email idea that will engage my [ideal customer persona] with a unique and compelling perspective on [subject] and persuade them to take [desired action] on my [your website/product].”
2. “Create a cold email idea that will establish trust and credibility with my [ideal customer persona] by showcasing the expertise and professionalism of my [your company/brand].”
3. “Create cold email idea that will provide a unique and compelling offer to my [ideal customer persona] and persuade them to take [desired action] with a sense of urgency and exclusivity.”
4. “I’m looking for a cold email idea that will showcase the benefits and value of my [product/service] to my [ideal customer persona] and persuade them to make a purchase with a strong call-to-action.”
5. “I need a cold email idea that will use a personalized and targeted approach to engage my [ideal customer persona] and persuade them to take [desired action] with a clear and compelling message.”
6. “I need a cold email idea that will provide a behind-the-scenes look at my [company/brand] and persuade my [ideal customer persona] to take [desired action] with a sense of authenticity and relatability.”
7. “I’m looking for a cold email idea that will provide a step-by-step guide on how to use my [product/service] and persuade my [ideal customer persona] to make a purchase with clear and compelling instructions.”
8. “I need a cold email idea that will demonstrate how my [product/service] can solve the specific pain points and needs of my [ideal customer persona] in a relatable and engaging way.”
9. “I’m looking for a cold email idea that will showcase the unique selling points of my [product/service] and persuade my [ideal customer persona] to make a purchase with a sense of urgency and exclusive offers.”
10. “I need a cold email idea that will compare my [product/service] to similar options on the market and persuade my [ideal customer persona] to choose us with clear and compelling evidence.”
11. “I’m looking for a cold email idea that will draw in my [ideal customer persona] with a relatable and authentic message, and then persuade them to take [desired action] with a strong call-to-action and compelling visuals.”
12. “I need a cold email idea that will provide valuable and relevant information to my [ideal customer persona] about [subject] and persuade them to take [desired action] with a clear and compelling message.”
13. “I’m looking for a cold email idea that will overcome objections and concerns my [ideal customer persona] may have about my [product/service] and convince them to take [desired action] with a sense of urgency.”
14. “I need a cold email idea that will establish credibility and authority with my [ideal customer persona] by showcasing the success stories of previous customers who have used my [product/service].”
15. “I’m looking for a cold email idea that will attract the attention of my [ideal customer persona] and persuade them to take [desired action] with a unique and compelling subject line.”

General marketing prompts

1. Write a minute-long script for an advertisement about [product or service or company]
2. Write a product description for my [product or service or company]
3. Suggest inexpensive ways I can promote my [company] with/without using [Media channel]
4. How can I obtain high-quality backlinks to raise the SEO of [Website name]
5. Make 5 distinct CTA messages and buttons for [Your product]
6. Create a [social media] campaign plan for launching an [your product], aimed at [ Your target audience]
7. Analyze these below metrics to improve email open rates for a fashion brand paste metrics]
8. Write follow-up emails to people who attended my [webinar topic] webinar
9. Structure a weekly [newsletter topic] newsletter
10. Make a post showcasing the benefits of using our product [product name] for [specific problem/issue].
11. Generate 5 creative ways to use Instagram Reels for [your product or service or company]
12. Create a social media post that targets [the specific audience] and explains how our product [product name] can help them.
13. Create a personalized email greeting for a VIP customer
14. Write a list of 5 YouTube video ideas for [your product or company]
15. Create two Google Ads in an RSA format (using multiple headlines and descriptions) for an A/B test for “Your product”.
16. Write a 160-character meta description for my blog post about [topic].

Copywriting prompts

1. What is the AIDA model and how can it be used in copywriting?
2. How can I use the PAS formula to create persuasive copy?
3. What is the difference between a feature and a benefit in copywriting?
4. How can I use storytelling in my copywriting to connect with my audience?
5. What are some common copywriting formulas and how can they be used?
6. How can I use social proof in my copywriting to build trust with my audience?
7. What are some best practices for writing headlines in copywriting?
8. How can I use emotional appeals in my copywriting to create a strong connection with my audience?
9. What is the difference between direct response copywriting and brand copywriting?
10. How can I use scarcity and urgency in my copywriting to increase conversions?
11. How can I use the problem-agitate-solve method in my copywriting?
12. What are some common copywriting mistakes to avoid?
13. How can I use power words in my copywriting to increase conversions?
14. What is the difference between long-form and short-form copywriting?
15. How can I use customer testimonials in my copywriting to build trust with my audience?
16. What is the difference between copywriting for web vs copywriting for print?
17. How can I use storytelling in my copywriting to increase conversions?
18. How can I use the before-after-bridge method in my copywriting?
19. What is the difference between copywriting for B2C vs B2B?
20. How can I use the inverted pyramid method in my copywriting?
21. How can I use the power of specificity in my copywriting to increase conversions?
22. How can I use the power of the senses in my copywriting to create an emotional connection with my audience?
23. What are some lesser-known copywriting techniques that can be used to increase conversions?
24. How can I use humor in my copywriting to connect with my audience?
25. Can you give me an example of a successful copywriting campaign that was unexpected or unconventional?
26. How can I use sensory language in my copywriting to create a stronger emotional connection with my audience?

Start using ChatGPT prompts today

Mastering prompts is an essential skill in harnessing the power of AI for sales and marketing purposes. With practice, experimentation, and thoughtful refinement, you can leverage ChatGPT and other AI tools to achieve better outcomes and drive success in your sales and marketing efforts.

Click here to learn more about Capsule CRM and access a 14-day free trial.

Best ChatGPT prompts: Frequently asked questions

How can ChatGPT prompts be optimized for target audience engagement on social media platforms?

What are some examples of the best ChatGPT prompts for customer service agents?

Can ChatGPT prompts assist in creative writing, like developing a science fiction novel or powerful and meaningful lyrics?

How can ChatGPT prompts aid in educational settings for middle and high school students?

Are there specific ChatGPT prompts that can help with web and software development?

Can ChatGPT prompts be used for professional development, such as writing a sales script or developing a speech recognition system?

How can ChatGPT prompts enhance user engagement and feedback for businesses?

When we ask our customers what they need when integrating QuickBooks with their CRM it’s that both CRM and integration should be quick to set up and easy to use, the sync should be seamless and this should save time and give more clarity into the business.

A lot of CRMs claim to have a QuickBooks integration. But be careful, not all integrations are easy to set up or have the features you need. Many only integrate through a third-party app, meaning extra costs. You’ll want to pick one that’s easy to set up, easy to use but that also does everything you need it to.

First, let’s take a look at the benefits of integrating QuickBooks with a CRM, and then we’ll look at some of the best CRMs that integrate with QuickBooks & QuickBooks Online, and how customers rated them.

The benefits of integrating QuickBooks with a CRM

QuickBooks organizes your business finances helping you track purchases and payments, and how your business is doing financially. But it doesn’t actively help you manage your leads and customers. Therefore, when you want to start increasing sales and deliver a personalized service to your customers, it’s important to connect QuickBooks with a CRM.

QuickBooks Online isn’t optimized for customer relations

QuickBooks organizes your business finances helping you track purchases and payments, and how your business is doing financially. But it doesn’t do a lot to help you manage your leads and customers. Therefore, when you want to start increasing sales and deliver a personalized service to your customers, it’s important to connect QuickBooks with a CRM.

When you do this, it will make what you know about your customers spring to life. You’ll know where they’re at in the buying process. You’ll be able to record communication preferences and record a conversation history. You’ll be able to make sure someone on your team is responsible for that relationship. And this is a 360-degree view that everyone on your team can see.

You’ll experience a shorter sales cycle

QuickBooks can feel clunky when there are too many people involved. It can even lead to bottlenecking during the invoice and estimate phase. When you aren’t meeting the demands of your sales cycle, it’s a sign you need a dedicated CRM.
When you integrate QuickBooks with a CRM, you’ll be able to quote and follow-up with prospects immediately. This will speed up the sales cycle and lock-in new customers before they take their business elsewhere.

You can skip multiple data entries

Limiting the amount of data entry is imperative for any business operation. When you integrate a CRM, you can enter customer, lead, and vendor information only once—syncing it with your QuickBooks account.

Entering this data only once is not only convenient, but it cuts down the chance of data entry errors.

Only put paying customers on the books

Managing a handful of leads in QuickBooks can get messy. While converting every prospect is a nice thought, it’s not a reality. When you keep your potential leads separate from your current business, your productivity will increase, and your accountant will be grateful.

CRMs help business owners see the big picture

Integrated CRM software will offer a comprehensive view of customer data that QuickBooks can’t provide. Most platforms will include a 360-degree view of open estimates, balances, refunds, payments, orders, receipts and other pertinent information. When you have access to all of this information on a single application, you can wield it to speed up deals, prevent delayed payments, and address future needs.

Everyone will have secure access

Rightfully so, some organizations don’t want to make their accounting data public to every member of the team. Using an integrated CRM allows teams to access and share lead lists without everyone having access to QuickBooks. Team members can use an integrated CRM to create and send estimates to customers, speed up every aspect of the sales cycle, and improve the overall customer experience.

CRM platforms can even mirror this data in QuickBooks and create rules to empower or limit individual permissions. The ease of access can allow business owners to delegate tasks, maintain control, and save time.

7 CRMs that integrate with QuickBooks

Now that we’ve mentioned what you’ll get out of choosing a CRM that connects with QuickBooks, let’s take a look at the best rated CRMs.

1. Capsule

Capsule is a smart, simple CRM that’s easy-to-use but also highly customizable to different businesses’ needs. The QuickBooks Online integration that Capsule offers is slick, quick to install, and easy to use. Recent reviews are positive and praise Capsule for how easy the integration is to set up and sync.

“

Capsule really makes your life easier and is a great and efficient way to
manage customers. It also ensures that you don’t miss a step when managing
customers and your work flow. Using the app is simple and intuitive, which
means you can get on and do the things you enjoy.

”

If you already have customers and suppliers in QuickBooks Online and are looking to get started quickly with a CRM then this integration will auto-import those contacts in just a few clicks. Once connected you’ll be able to add sales opportunities to those contacts, track communications, and nurture those relationships.

Once you’re up and running you can choose which contacts to sync so QuickBooks Online isn’t cluttered with leads and email marketing contacts. Capsule will then automatically update records in QuickBooks Online.

As those sales start coming in you can easily create an invoice once a sale is complete. A seamless link from Capsule pre-populates the invoice form inside QuickBooks Online.

So exactly what financial information can you see inside Capsule? You’ll be able to see estimates and quotes as well as lifetime customer value (LTV), invoice history, and value of overdue or outstanding amounts – right alongside contact details and communication history. This makes it easy to get a complete overview of your customers and their accounts.

Most suitable for: QuickBooks users looking to get started quickly and easily with an affordable CRM and sales teams looking for a less complex, flexible CRM that integrates seamlessly with accounting solutions such as QuickBooks.

QuickBooks Marketplace Rating: 4.5/5 (53 ratings)

Capterra: ranked in 2022 Capterra Shortlist for CRM Software as an Emerging Favorite with an overall score of 82.

2. Method

Method is tightly integrated with QuickBooks and works with all versions of QuickBooks, even QuickBooks Desktop versions. Method syncs most QuickBooks records to the CRM including customers, invoices, and payments. Estimates and invoices can easily be created within Method.

Recent reviews mention Method’s great customer support.

“

Their team is very knowledgeable about their solution and are very hands-on
and quick to provide support. Great App!

”

If you need this level of integration with QuickBooks it’s a good choice but the complexity does come at a cost as it’s one of the more complex CRMs to master and customize, and it’s also one of the more expensive options on this list.

Most suitable for: Businesses that use QuickBooks extensively and are willing to invest time and money in the customization possibilities.

QuickBooks Marketplace Rating: 4.8/5 (1607 ratings)

Capterra: ranked in 2022 Capterra Shortlist for CRM Software as an Emerging Favorite with an overall score of 74.

3. Insightly

Insightly’s signup flow isn’t as seamless as Capsule or Method. With the other two integrations you can quickly sign up from the QuickBooks App Marketplace but with Insightly you first have to sign up for an Insightly account and then install and connect the QuickBooks integration within Insightly.

Recent reviews are generally negative and many reviews focus on cost, support, and lack of true integration.

“

There was no support, unless I paid double the list price. The app does not
have true QBO integration. You have manually input the contacts into
Insightly.

”

Once the integration is connected you then have to manually link contacts between Insightly and QuickBooks Online – it’s not automatic. When you have linked data, you’ll be able to see financial information about customers such as LTV, invoice history, estimates, and value of overdue or outstanding amounts. The thing is though that once this link is set up the data isn’t kept in sync. That’s not the only thing lacking – there’s not an easy way to create invoices either. If having an integration that is easy to set up and that is kept in sync is essential for your business then it might be best looking for another CRM.

Like the other CRMs on our list, Insightly will give you the complete history of a customer so your team will be able to get a deeper understanding of who they’re dealing with and offers a suite of marketing and project management tools (at a cost).

Most suitable for: Companies that want project management features in their CRM platform and where budget isn’t as much as a concern.

QuickBooks Marketplace Rating: 4.4/5 (232 ratings)

Capterra: ranked in 2022 Capterra Shortlist for CRM Software as an Established Player with an overall score of 77.

4. Salesforce

Intuit has recently released their own integration between Salesforce and QuickBooks. The integration focuses on automatically creating invoices when a sales opportunity is won. This is a narrow focus, and as a result, you miss out on the functionality that other CRMs offer such as synchronization of customer data, and a 360-degree view of the customer record in the CRM. This limited functionality has already been noted in the first review in the marketplace.

“

The connector works as intended and does it’s job well. This will be a very
useful tool once the functionality is expanded.

”

Most suitable for: Businesses with deep pockets that want the complexity of Salesforce and don’t mind the limited functionality of the QuickBooks integration

QuickBooks Marketplace Rating: 2.6 (9 ratings)

Capterra: ranked in 2022 Capterra Shortlist for CRM Software as a Top Performer with an overall score of 96.

5. Copper

While Copper’s integration isn’t listed on the QuickBooks Online marketplace, it does seem fairly easy to set up, with some customization options around how much information is displayed. What it doesn’t do however is pull in any contact data from QuickBooks itself – so unless you already have decided to use Copper as your CRM first and have contacts in there then the integration won’t do much.

The integration itself displays information similar to the other CRMs we’ve mentioned. QuickBooks invoices associated with a lead, person, company, or opportunity in a section next to that record. It might seem surprising then that there’s no way to easily create an invoice or estimate.

Most suitable for: Companies that don’t mind putting in the extra effort to manually keep customer records updated in both systems.

QuickBooks Marketplace Rating: Does not feature on the marketplace.

Capterra: ranked in 2022 Capterra Shortlist for CRM Software as an Emerging Favorite with an overall score of 81.

6. HubSpot

HubSpot’s integration is listed on the QuickBooks online marketplace but it has been built via a third party. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad or not as good as a native integration but it does mean that you will have to pay extra for the integration (SyncQ’s prices start at $29/QucikBooks company/month). And unless you’ve already decided that this is the right combination for you, it doesn’t give you a lot of room to give it a try before you buy. It’s hard to evaluate this integration based on testimonials as it’s only received one review so far.

That being said, the integration delivers similar functionality to what you get from Capsule and Method: it brings in estimates and quotes, you can easily create an invoice once a sale is complete, brings in accounting data such as lifetime value and invoice status, and syncs contacts. With Capsule and Method, you don’t have to pay extra to take advantage of using the integration whereas with HubSpot you do.

Most suitable for: Businesses that don’t necessarily want to hook everything up with their QuickBooks Online account straight away and want a while to play around with a CRM on its own before deciding if it’s right for them.

QuickBooks Marketplace Rating: 3.6/5 (17 ratings)

Capterra: ranked in 2022 Capterra Shortlist for CRM Software as an Emerging Favorite with an overall score of 83.

7. Pipedrive

The Pipedrive integration is very similar to HubSpot’s and is built by the same third-party developer. So again you’re going to have to pay not only for your CRM subscription but also for the integration on top of that (SyncQ’s prices start at $15/user/month).

Again the functionality is similar to what you would expect: it brings in estimates and quotes, you can create an invoice after a sale is complete, it brings in accounting data such as lifetime value and invoice status, and syncs contacts. However, there’s quite a bit of manual setup and configuration – probably why the integration receives positive feedback for support – as this is necessary to get the integration set up correctly.

Most suitable for: Sales-focussed businesses who have already played around with Pipedrive and aren’t daunted by the prospect of manually configuring an integration.

QuickBooks Marketplace Rating: 4.1/5 (35 ratings)

Capterra: ranked in 2022 Capterra Shortlist for CRM Software as a Top Performer with an overall score of 85.

Choose the CRM that’s best for your business first

Integrating your accounting software with your CRM is important to get a complete picture of your customers. That’s why so many CRMs these days do have an accounting integration and in some way, many are offering an integration with QuickBooks Online.

And if you do use QuickBooks it’s important that not only does your chosen CRM have an integration, but this integration must do what you need it to – offer more insight into your customers and accounts, saves time when creating invoices, and saves time on data input. If you keep this bigger picture in mind, you’ll find the CRM with features that are right for your business and one that your team will actually use.

CRM for Quickbooks: Frequently asked questions

What makes a CRM the best choice for integration with QuickBooks accounting software?

How does CRM QuickBooks integration enhance the sales process?

Can QuickBooks CRM integration help in reducing data entry tasks?

What are the benefits of using Zoho CRM with QuickBooks?

How does CRM integration with QuickBooks improve customer support?

What should businesses look for in a CRM to ensure it integrates well with QuickBooks?

Are there specific CRMs that are recommended for QuickBooks Enterprise users?