How to Grow your AI business with Webflow and Memberstack

If you have had any interaction with basically any kind of technology in the last year, you have noticed the rise of a new category of AI-enabled tools. These tools, driven largely by the introduction of consumer generative AI applications, have transformed the way people produce, consume, and distribute content on the internet. Like any groundbreaking technology, it can be tough to find your place within an ever-changing market. Growing an AI business requires a different approach than other companies. Entrepreneurs will need to determine a strategy that makes use of these new capabilities while still maintaining the structures and processes every business needs to succeed.

Introduction

“Artificial intelligence” is a somewhat misleading term, often functioning as a catch-all for a wide variety of tools which have similar functions and capabilities. For most internet entrepreneurs trying to create businesses right now, it refers to generative tools powered by “large language models” (LLMs). These tools are capable of taking in inputs from users, and producing a variety of multi-modal outputs, be it text, audio, images, or video. While there are certain technologies in this space which have had particular success over the last year and a half, the landscape of what is possible is constantly changing. This presents a special challenge for people looking to grow their business online.

Image: Mohamed Hussain

As with most of our strategy recommendations at Memberstack, our biggest advice to developers is to figure out ways to reduce your workload around creating these tools so that you can focus on the stuff that really matters. This is why we are such big believers in the power of templated websites and workflows. We love platforms like Webflow and Make.com because they significantly reduce the amount of time entrepreneurs need to spend developing technologies and increase the amount of time spent doing the hard stuff — like getting your product or service in front of the people who might pay you to use it. Depending on the kind of business you are hoping to build, you should build your strategy around these highly agile, easily adjustable companies which can make changes based on what your customers want. Remember: this is still a very new industry and people may still be unaware of how these tools could transform their processes.

Examples of AI Businesses

Again, because of the newness of these technologies, we have only just started to see the kinds of businesses that might be created. Integrating AI into the existing workflows can completely transform the way businesses work. A rule of thumb when thinking about what services are best augmented by AI: try to find high volume activities which, in the past, would have required human feedback or interpretation. Here are some categories of businesses which most completely this criteria:

Agents: agents are automated entities which can take in inputs and connected tools, and execute workflows on their own. Some potential uses for agents might include:

1. Customer Support: agents which can take customer requests and systematically categorize or respond to them.
2. Lead Generation: agents which can find sales leads from LinkedIn or elsewhere and engage in meaning lead generation over time.
3. Appointment Setting: agents which can optimize the scheduling and preparation for meetings with potential customer leads.
4. Content Marketing: agents which can find potential content topics and execute workflow to generate platform and multi-modal content.

Businesses which can create agents for other companies is one of the biggest business opportunities in AI for 2024. So many companies have yet to create a concise strategy around agents. OpenAI has released an agent-like service through their “assistants”, which are bots capable of performing multi-step actions. 

Image: OpenAI

Process Automation: process automation are AI-enabled workflows which use data inputs and tools to automate some process already done by humans. These differ from agents in that they augment processes completed by humans (and rarely execute tasks on their own).

1. Talent Management: for companies trying to hire employees right now, job listings often receive hundreds (if not thousands) of applications. Talent Management automations can help reduce the effort required to sort through applicants by setting clear parameters which applications must meet.
2. Content Generation: the process of generating content requires the coordination of a lot of things, including SEO optimization and writing talent. An automated process can help streamline this process while also guiding the actions of writers.
3. CRM: AI-enabled customer management can allow you to glean new insights from data and create actionable plans for growing your business.

Agencies: perhaps the biggest opportunity right now in the AI-business space comes from agencies. The constantly changing nature of the industry and the wide variety of use cases makes agencies the easiest way for you to remain agile while still having a compelling pitch to potential clients.

SaaS: sometimes known as “wrappers”, these tools create a front-end UI for these LLM platforms. There are many businesses being created in this category, ranging from prompt selling businesses to AI profile picture companies. 

The best business for you depends on the tools you are comfortable using and the specific niche in which you are able to find clients.

Understanding AI

Because AI is such a new technology, it is often prone to misunderstanding. These misunderstandings can both overstate and understate the things it is capable of doing. For a quick overview of how the technology works:

What is an LLM?

Large Language Models (LLMs) are at the forefront of artificial intelligence, revolutionizing how we interact with technology by generating human-like text. These models are trained on extensive datasets, enabling them to understand and produce language with remarkable accuracy. LLMs can write articles, create poetry, or even code, making them invaluable for a wide range of applications. Their ability to process and mimic human language has opened up new possibilities for creativity and efficiency in content creation, significantly impacting various sectors by automating tasks that once required human intellect. These kinds of LLMs which are capable of creating multi-modal media are usually placed under the umbrella of ”generative AI”.

Limitations

Despite their groundbreaking capabilities, Large Language Models (LLMs) are not without their limitations. One of the most notable challenges is their tendency to produce outputs that may lack accuracy or veer into the realm of fabrication, a phenomenon often referred to as "hallucination." This is because LLMs, while adept at mimicking human language patterns, do not truly understand content in the way humans do; they generate responses based on statistical likelihood rather than comprehension. This is why it is important to always have a “human-in-the-loop” (HITL) when using AI to generate content. If hallucinations fall through the cracks, it can severely damage the credibility of the content you are creating.

While these hallucinations can produce interesting or comical results, they also have significant implications for the future of the internet, especially as these tools become more integrated into our everyday lives. For example, in the picture below, the history of the term “hallucination” offered by the Claude bot is itself a hallucination! Do you think you’d be able to tell?  

Marketing your AI Business

Marketing your AI business requires a multifaceted approach that leverages both traditional methods and innovative strategies unique to the AI industry.

SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is crucial for AI businesses to rank higher in search results, making it easier for potential customers to discover their AI solutions. By optimizing website content with relevant keywords, AI companies can attract a targeted audience actively searching for AI technologies.

Socials

Social media platforms offer a dynamic environment to showcase AI capabilities, share success stories, and engage with both tech-savvy audiences and industry peers. Platforms like LinkedIn are particularly effective for B2B AI businesses, while Instagram and Twitter can help capture broader consumer interest.

Starting a monthly Newsletter/Sending email updates

Starting a monthly newsletter and sending email updates keep your audience informed about the latest developments, product launches, or AI insights, fostering a sense of community and loyalty. This direct line of communication is invaluable for nurturing leads and keeping your brand top of mind.

Posting blog posts tailored to SEO

Posting blog posts tailored to SEO serves a dual purpose; it boosts your SEO efforts and positions your AI business as a thought leader in the field. High-quality, informative content that addresses current AI trends, challenges, and solutions can attract organic traffic and generate leads. AI-generated content can also be designed to maximize SEO outreach while still retaining the unique voice of your business.

Growing a Community

Growing a community through a commenting feature on your blog or user forums encourages interaction and feedback, providing valuable insights into customer needs and preferences while also boosting user engagement and content visibility. Many AI companies have found strong communities on platforms like Discord, due to the ability to integrate bots into the ecosystem, encouraging user activities and monitoring the actions of community members.

Tips to Strengthen your AI Business

Outside of specific marketing activities, gaining a familiarity with AI tools and processes for your own business can help you learn how to best build systems for other people. For example:

Prompts and Knowledge

Prompts are how you communicate with LLMs in order to generate content. These prompts can generate unique, engaging content for your blogs, social posts, or newsletters, showcasing the capabilities of your AI while also serving practical marketing needs.

While the best practices for writing prompts are still being discovered, generally you should try to:

• Be Specific and Clear: Clarity is key when formulating prompts. Specify exactly what you're looking for in the response. Vague prompts can lead to unpredictable results, while detailed prompts guide the model towards generating the desired output. For instance, instead of asking for "tips on marketing," ask for "five strategies for digital marketing for small businesses focusing on social media."
• Incorporate Context: Providing context helps the model understand the prompt's background and the type of information you seek. This is especially important for complex topics or when you need content that fits within a larger narrative. For example, "Given the rise in remote work, outline best practices for managing virtual teams, focusing on communication tools and team building activities."
• Use Knowledge Bases: A new feature on some LLMs (like Open AI’s “Assistant” feature), knowledge bases allow you to upload internal documents from your company in order to curate a proprietary collection of knowledge from which your LLM pulls information. This can give your business a competitive advantage against other similar companies and can reduce the risk of hallucinations.
• Use Keywords Strategically: Keywords signal to the model the essential elements to include in its response. However, keyword stuffing can confuse the model or degrade the quality of the output. Choose a few relevant keywords that clearly indicate the topic and desired focus of the content.
• Define the Desired Tone and Style: The tone and style of the writing can significantly impact how your message is received. Indicate whether you want the response to be formal, informal, persuasive, informative, or entertaining. For example, "Write a humorous blog post about the challenges of working from home, suitable for a young, tech-savvy audience."

Analytics

In the rapidly evolving landscape of AI businesses, leveraging analytics to track and measure performance is not just advantageous—it's essential. Analytics provide a wealth of data that can guide decisions, refine strategies, and ultimately enhance the efficacy and efficiency of AI-driven systems, including those powered by Large Language Models (LLMs). By systematically analyzing how users interact with generated content, businesses can gain insights into preferences, behaviors, and trends, enabling them to tailor their offerings for maximum impact.

Improving Prompts Based on Data Feedback

One critical area where analytics can drive significant improvements is in the optimization of prompts for LLMs. Detailed analysis of engagement metrics—such as click-through rates, time spent on page, and interaction levels—can reveal what types of content resonate most with your audience. This data becomes invaluable feedback for refining prompts. For instance, if analytics indicate that users spend more time on content generated from prompts asking for case studies compared to listicles, it signals a preference that can inform future prompt creation. Adjusting prompts based on such feedback ensures that the content generated is more aligned with user interests, thereby increasing engagement and satisfaction.

Moreover, sentiment analysis can provide deeper insights into how content is received. Positive sentiments may validate the effectiveness of certain prompts, while negative sentiments could highlight areas for improvement. This ongoing loop of feedback and adjustment creates a dynamic system where prompts are continually refined to produce content that better meets user expectations and needs.

With Webflow and Memberstack

If you are looking for an easy-to-start business which’ll get your foot in the AI industry quickly, you should consider premium prompt selling. Our team at At Memberstack has created a first of its kind template for this which gives you all the tools you might need to create a business around selling your prompts (a business idea which was explained above). For each prompt, you will be able to take inputs from the user, connect them to the OpenAI API via Make, and then output the generated content.

https://www.memberstack.com/webflow-templates/premium-ai-business-template

This template features a sleek homepage which contains more that 20 pre-made prompt templates covering a wide range of probable use cases. We encourage you to use our examples and to create your own prompts to help you get started building your site! 

When you click into one of the template prompts, you are met with a two-column workflow, in which the user is prompted to answer some prompt-specific questions. By clicking the generate button, the user is able to see the results of the tool in real time. 

The prompts also include a place for visitors to leave comments, which allows for the creation of a collaborative community on your site. It’s also a great way to collect feedback on the effectiveness of your prompts. 

The site also features a fully customizable profile page, which lets you build a better understanding of your customers. This is a great way to get insights on the types of prompts which your customers might find most useful. 

Finally, the site aggregates all recent generations into a single screen for your users, allowing for easy retrieval of all generated content. 

This is an easily monetizable business idea – just put some of your very best prompts behind a paywall. The freemium model is a good way to demonstrate value to customers before enticing them to purchase more complex offerings. 

This premium template, which is available at a discount for existing Memberstack customers, features:

• Real-time copy generation
• OpenAI/ChatGPT Integration (via Make)
• Real-time commenting
• Simple prompt generation system
• Private & secure user prompt log

In addition to the template, you get pre-made Make scenario blueprints for each prompt, comprehensive tutorial videos, access to a private Slack group, and direct support from Memberstack staff.

This is a really excellent option for anyone looking to productize and sell their prompts to customers.

Challenges

Embarking on the journey of creating an AI business is filled with excitement and potential but comes with its set of challenges. Awareness and preparation for these challenges are crucial for success in the highly competitive and fast-evolving AI landscape.

Navigating the Minefield of False Information and Legal Concerns

One of the primary hurdles for AI businesses is the propagation of false information. AI models, particularly those based on language, can inadvertently generate inaccurate or misleading content. This issue not only affects the credibility and reliability of AI services but can also lead to misinformation spreading. To mitigate this, AI businesses must invest in robust fact-checking mechanisms and ensure their models are trained on high-quality, accurate data sources.

Understanding the Competitive Landscape

Knowledge of the competitive landscape is vital. AI is a burgeoning field, and new players are constantly entering the market. Staying ahead or even keeping pace requires an in-depth understanding of what competitors are doing, not just in terms of technology but also how they market their products and engage with their audience. This involves analyzing competitors' offerings, marketing strategies, customer feedback, and innovation trajectories. By doing so, AI businesses can identify gaps in the market, refine their value proposition, and adopt best practices in user engagement and retention. Additionally, understanding competitive dynamics can inspire collaborations that leverage complementary strengths, fostering innovation and expanding market reach.

Conclusie

As AI continues to evolve and permeate various sectors, staying agile, informed, and responsive to both the opportunities and challenges it presents will be key. For those embarking on this exciting venture, the potential to redefine industries and impact lives on a global scale offers an unparalleled reward. In sum, the journey of creating and nurturing an AI business is a testament to the power of human innovation, a reminder of the challenges that accompany cutting-edge technology, and a beacon of potential for the future.