The AI Tools Every Small Business Should Consider (And Which Ones to Avoid)
By Turnpoint Strategies
Is AI Worth the Hype?
Let’s be honest. If you’re running a business, you’ve probably rolled your eyes more than once at the endless stream of “AI will change everything” headlines.
You’re not alone.
The truth is, artificial intelligence can help small businesses run smarter, leaner, and faster—but not all tools are worth your time. And the last thing any owner needs is one more platform promising efficiency and delivering clutter.
What you really need is clarity. Which tools will help you run a better business today? Which ones will just waste your time, or worse, undermine your customer relationships?
That’s what we’re breaking down here.
1. Start with Tasks You Already Hate Doing
No surprise here: the most effective AI tools are the ones that cut the boring stuff.
Email sorting, scheduling, and rewriting repetitive content. This is where AI shines. These aren't the glamorous tasks, but they’re the ones stealing your time.
Worth Using:
SaneBox: Automatically cleans up your inbox and flags what matters.
Grammarly: Helps your team write clearly and professionally without extra editing rounds.
ChatGPT or Claude: Use these for drafting outlines, recapping long documents, or simplifying language, just make sure you still apply your own filter.
You’re not handing over control, you’re taking back your time.
Related: If you’re still spending hours on tasks that don’t generate revenue, you may have deeper profit leaks you’re overlooking.
2. Marketing? Use AI to Scale, Not Substitute
Every platform from Canva to Mailchimp is touting AI features these days. But here’s the reality: most customers can tell when your message has been outsourced to a robot.
Use AI as a tool, not a voice.
What’s Useful:
Canva AI: Great for resizing visuals or whipping up clean templates fast.
Jasper or Copy.ai: Useful for ad variants, subject lines, or brainstorming. You still need to tweak for tone.
SEO Assistants (like Surfer or Clearscope): Help structure content to rank, but they won’t write anything worth reading on their own.
Where It Goes Wrong:
Full blog posts written without editing
Autopilot chatbot responses that frustrate customers
Want to keep your people motivated, not just retained? Check out why pay alone won’t drive performance.
3. Financial Tools Are Getting Smarter But Use Them Carefully
AI tools can flag spending trends, forecast cash flow, and even suggest pricing adjustments. Sounds great, right?
But here’s the caveat: they’re only as smart as the data you give them.
Tools That Help:
QuickBooks (with Smart Insights): Flags unusual transactions and trends.
Fathom or LivePlan: Great for turning numbers into visuals your team can understand.
Dext or AutoEntry: Take the pain out of entering receipts and invoices.
Still, none of these should replace a basic understanding of your financials. AI can give you speed, but you need to bring the strategy.
Speaking of strategy, this is exactly where benchmarking your numbers gives AI real value.
4. Watch Out for Overbuilt Tools That Promise Too Much
Here’s a trend we’ve noticed: small businesses often get tempted by enterprise-grade AI platforms that sound powerful but deliver confusion and complexity.
You don’t need a tool that requires three consultants to set up.
Proceed with Caution:
AI-powered CRMs: These can be great but only if you already have clean customer data and a sales process to build on.
Hiring tools that score candidates automatically: You could miss out on strong fits just because the résumé didn’t match a formula.
Auto-generated business plans: No AI tool understands your industry, location, and market better than you do.
Looking to build a smarter forecasting system without extra noise? This guide will walk you through how to build a franchise cash flow forecast in just 60 minutes.
5. Use This Simple Test Before You Add Any Tool
We recommend clients use this filter any time they’re considering a new AI tool:
The A.I.M. Test:
Actual Problem: Does it solve something specific you’re struggling with?
Integrates Easily: Will it work with what you already use?
Measurable ROI: Can you clearly track the time or money it saves?
If it doesn’t check all three, don’t onboard it yet.
Final Word: Use AI to Multiply, Not Replace
Artificial intelligence isn’t the answer to every problem in your business, but it can amplify what’s already working.
It helps good operators run tighter systems.
It helps strategic thinkers move faster.
It helps small teams punch above their weight.
What it won’t do is replace smart leadership, good judgment, or a strong team culture. That’s still on you, or us, if you want backup.
Let’s Talk
We help business owners like you identify silent losses, build smarter systems, and grow with confidence.
Schedule a free consultation
Email us at info@turnpointstrategies.com
Learn more at www.turnpointstrategies.com
Turnpoint Strategies
Strategic thinking. Practical execution. Real results.
