In this episode of Empowered by AI, Michelle Muncy-Silva talks with Ilise Benun about breaking the feast-or-famine cycle in small businesses and how AI can support clear positioning, consistent outreach, and relationship-based marketing.
Ilise draws on nearly four decades of experience helping creatives and solopreneurs get better clients with bigger budgets. She explains why marketing breaks down when it relies on word of mouth alone, why positioning must focus on outcomes instead of services, and how consistency matters more than motivation. She also demonstrates how she uses AI prompts to refine niches, identify real prospects, uncover client pain points, and find places to build relationships.
Time-Stamped Discussion Highlights
00:00 – Introduction and Ilise’s background in marketing and mentoring
01:00 – Feast-or-famine cycles and why they affect both new and experienced solopreneurs
02:00 – Why word of mouth is not a marketing strategy
03:00 – Marketing as relationship-building done consistently over time
04:00 – Positioning based on outcomes, not services
05:00 – Why self-promotion is not about you
06:00 – Why some business owners spiral while others keep going
07:00 – Consistency over motivation and perfection
08:00 – The “me first” philosophy and caring for the business first
09:00 – Using your real voice in marketing, especially in the age of AI
10:00 – Avoiding sameness and perfectionism
11:00 – Asking questions instead of trying to sound smart
12:00 – The three parts of Ilise’s simplest marketing plan
13:00 – Targeted outreach, content marketing, and strategic networking
14:00 – Why newsletters keep you top of mind
15:00 – Why commenting can be more effective than posting on LinkedIn
16:00 – Introduction to Ilise’s free AI kit
17:00 – Starting with an elevator pitch to give AI context
18:00 – Using AI to refine niches and assess market viability
19:00 – Finding real potential clients with AI
20:00 – Identifying client pain points and drafting outreach messages
21:00 – Using AI to find events and networking opportunities
22:00 – Removing marketing obstacles with AI support
23:00 – Final reflections and where to connect with Ilise
Watch the full episode and see the live AI demo on YouTube:
youtube.com/@EmpoweredbyAISLAI
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