The More Things Change

Here's a thought I can't quite shake.

When digital marketing arrived, it changed everything about how we reach people. New channels, new formats, new metrics. The scramble was real. And somewhere in all of that, the actual point of marketing never really moved. Connect your thing to a person in a way that resonates with them.

Same thing happened about ten years ago with account-based marketing. Suddenly everyone was scrambling to adopt it, building target account lists, buying intent data, realigning their entire go-to-market around it. I remember looking at it and thinking — isn't this just good marketing? Find the audience that actually matters to you. Understand what they care about. Show them how your thing fits their world. Tell that story consistently across every channel over time. Digital, direct mail, events, email, sales outreach. Doesn't matter.

That was always the job. ABM just gave it a name.

AI is doing it again. The tools are shifting fast, the anxiety is real, and the scramble is fully underway. I see it everywhere, including in myself.

I had the chance to share some of these thoughts at Phoenix Forward last week with a room of founders and early-stage marketers. Honestly wasn't sure it would resonate. Felt a little too simple. I showed up not knowing what to expect and found out sixty-three people had registered. More than I anticipated.

I opened by asking if anyone else was anxious about what AI was doing to their business.

Nearly every hand went up. Including mine.

Which told me everything I needed to know.

The tools will keep changing. The channels will keep multiplying. The scramble will find a new name.

But the game is still the same. Find the people who need what you have. Understand what actually moves them. Tell a story that earns their attention over time.

AI can help you do that faster. It cannot do it for you.

Nate Hurst runs Atypically, a fractional CMO and brand strategy practice for early-stage tech companies.