This week, I sat in on a webinar that gave a powerful glimpse into the future of marketing.
Hosted by Braze, a major player in customer engagement tech, the session focused on something called Agentic AI — and more specifically, AI decisioning agents.
Now, before your eyes glaze over, let me tell you why this matters. Because while this tech may be enterprise‑only (for now), what’s happening at the top of the market today will be knocking at your door sooner than you think.
And if your business isn’t ready, be assured your competitors will be.
What is Agentic AI (in plain English)?
Let’s break it down.
Agentic AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can take independent action — in other words, it doesn’t wait for a human to press "Go". It makes decisions, takes action, and learns from the outcomes.
In the marketing world, this comes to life as AI decisioning: autonomous systems that monitor the behaviour of tens of thousands of customers, in real time, and make ultra‑targeted decisions like:
- What message to send
- When to send it
- Which channel to use
- What offer to include
- Even how to personalise the message, offer, and timing — all at once
And it does this thousands of times a day all without any human input
The Power of the AI Agent – Told as a Story
The webinar shared a great example.
Imagine you run a shoe company. A customer — let’s call her Evelyn — previously bought a pair of dress shoes from you. Based on traditional segmentation, you'd probably send her similar styles again.
But behind the scenes, Evelyn’s browsing behaviour has changed. She’s been looking at running shoes and recently bought a water bottle, and downloaded a fitness tracker app.
An AI decisioning agent spots this. It updates its understanding in real time and, without you lifting a finger or getting involved, sends Evelyn a tailored offer for running shoes — in her exact size, preferred colour, and at the perfect price point. The message arrives just before the weekend, when she’s most likely to go shopping. And it's sent via the channel she’s most likely to check — a push notification on her phone.
No guesswork. No delays. No wasted effort. Just one‑to‑one marketing at scale and it works!!
But I’m an SME. Why should I care?
Right now, this kind of AI is largely used by big brands — think streaming platforms like KO Sports (who used it to boost subscriptions by 14% and cross‑sells by over 100%) or insurers like MetLife.
But here’s the thing:
This is the direction of travel.
And this tech only works if your customer data is centralised, clean, and connected.
And that’s where smaller businesses need to act — not in two years when this tech trickles down, but now.
Here’s what SMEs can (and should) do today
You don’t need full‑blown AI agents. But you can implement the core foundations that make this kind of personalisation possible — using tools that are already affordable and accessible.
The secret?
A single, all‑in‑one CRM and marketing automation platform. (Not a frankenstack — it’s too messy)
These platforms let you:
- Track your customers across channels (email, social, web, etc.)
- Capture preferences, behaviours, and engagement
- Segment intelligently based on real activity
- Trigger automated messages and offers at the right time
- Unify your sales and marketing into one system
Think of it as building your marketing brain. Even without Agentic AI, you can start sending better, more relevant communications automatically — freeing up time and increasing conversions.
Why this matters: A wake‑up call for SMEs
Here’s the hard truth:
If you’re still using spreadsheets, disconnected email tools, or separate systems for CRM and marketing — you’re not ready for what’s coming.
Your more tech‑savvy competitors are already investing in smart platforms like HubSpot, Constant Contact, Go High Level, or bespoke solutions that integrate everything from lead capture to post‑sale engagement.
And when Agentic AI becomes more affordable (as all tech eventually does), they’ll be ready to switch it on — and race ahead.
You, on the other hand, will be stuck playing catch‑up.
Where Alldigital Marketing Fits In
At Alldigital Marketing, we help SME businesses get ahead of the curve:
• Help you choose the right platform for your needs and budget
• Design your sales and marketing workflows
• Implement and automate your customer journeys
• Train your team to use the tools (or manage it for you if you’re short on time)
We make the transition painless. Most of our clients see a return on investment in under 6 months, with 20–30% YoY growth thanks to improved conversion, retention, and reduced manual work.
The Takeaway
Agentic AI is changing the game for big brands. But it’s also a clear signpost for smaller businesses.
If you want to compete tomorrow, you need to prepare today. That means:
• Centralising your data
• Aligning your sales and marketing
• Automating what you can
• Personalising wherever possible
The tools exist. The opportunity is real. And the sooner you act, the faster you'll grow — and the harder it will be for others to catch you.
Need help getting started?
Alldigital Marketing is ready to walk the walk with you. Book a FREE no‑obligation call or a full demo now.
Let’s build your marketing engine — and get ready for the AI‑driven future.