SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – More and more small businesses are turning to artificial intelligence to create flyers and social media posts.
About 48% of small businesses say they are already using AI for data and marketing, according to a Small Business Now report by Constant Contact.
Andrew Lovell is creative director for Camp Ape, a creative studio specializing in brands, campaigns and merchandise. Lovell said he has noticed the shift small businesses are making toward using artificial intelligence, but said businesses could miss out on the impact of a unique logo when they choose not to work with a graphic designer.
“I have a lot of designer friends, but we all do everything differently, and we operate differently and all that stuff, but we also have a story to tell, and how we help our clientele is how we make impact within their communities,” Lovell said.
Lovell said he understands that creating a unique experience costs time and money.
The average restaurant owner spends nearly 2% of its overall budget on marketing, according to an article published by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
For food truck owner Myisia Parker, every dollar counts. Parker owns Grubz 417 with her fiancé. She said she tried to work with a graphic designer in the past, but the cost led her to put her own creativity to the test.
“They were charging like $100 for like 30-minutes and come back with another $100, I mean, they had it broken down in sections. And I just couldn’t afford that. So I figured I’d go out there and try to do it myself. So that’s what I did and what I’m doing,” Parker said.
Parker said she is not relying on AI, but using it as a tool to help her reach people in her community, and it has saved her money.
“The money that I would have spent on that, I can put it right back into my business. I can’t afford nobody to, you know, pay nobody to work. But my grandson came in and helped me,” Parker said.
68% of small business owners expect their marketing budgets to increase in 2026, according to Constant Contact. Parker said she will continue to work around marketing costs for her business.
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