Reducing Overhead Costs with AI: Ending Repetitive Tasks and Freeing Up Your Workforce

At Magic Mile Media, we’re no strangers to wearing multiple hats. Our team is small, but our responsibilities are big, and AI has been a game changer for us. We use AI (Artificial Intelligence) daily to help us cut through the clutter and focus on what really matters—delivering impactful results for our clients and readers. Whether it’s editing videos, creating headlines for Neuse News, or brainstorming new strategies, AI is becoming an invaluable tool for us.

The Problem with Repetitive Tasks

If you’re a small business, you’ve probably felt the struggle of having too much to do and not enough people to do it. Repetitive tasks like data entry, scheduling, or processing paperwork can eat up huge chunks of your day. And all that time spent on tedious work could be spent driving growth and being creative.

How AI Can Make a Difference

AI-driven tools can handle repetitive tasks that take up hours of your workday. Imagine if you didn’t have to think about scheduling, managing files, or handling routine customer inquiries—AI can handle all that for you. By automating these processes, you are cutting down on overhead costs and freeing up your team to work on the projects that keep moving your business forward.

Start Small, Grow Gradually

I get it—AI can be intimidating. There’s always new software, new tools, and it can feel like a lot to keep up with. What I've learned is to start small. Find one problem in your daily routine and see if you can solve it using an AI tool. Once you get the hang of it, you can gradually bring more AI into your operations. It doesn’t need to be a massive change all at once.

A Real Example: Email Automation

One of our biggest wins using AI at Magic Mile Media has been automating a validity check on our daily email operations. We send about 2,128,380 emails yearly—yes, you read that right. Each newsletter we send is powered by an RSS feed that has to be checked daily to ensure everything’s in working order. Occasionally, a technical glitch can cause problems, which result in our subscribers not getting their emails on time.

We have found a solution utilizing AI. We set up an automated workflow that checks each RSS feed every morning at 6:45 and sends us a confirmation email letting us know if everything is running smoothly. This small bit of automation saves us time, keeps our emails consistent, and ensures we’re always on schedule.

Making AI Work for You

For many small businesses, the idea of integrating AI can feel overwhelming. But the truth is, AI can make your life easier. I'm simply encouraging you to use tools like AI to handle time-consuming tasks so that you can do what you do best—build relationships, think creatively, and grow your business. Start with one small change, and let AI show you how much potential your team really has.