How Middle Way Marketing uses AI to streamline its project management

💡 Inside the AI tools boosting productivity at Middle Way Marketing

Middle Way Marketing (MWM) and Cosmos recently partnered to reduce the time MWM spends on project management tasks. Previously, this process required manual reconciliation between emails, spreadsheets, and project management tools.

To start, our teams audited and documented the existing workflows using a 3-step process:

1. Document the workflow to identify the most time-consuming tasks.

2. Re-architect existing data models to support automation.

3. Design the best automation to perform these tasks.

Documenting the Process

We reviewed the workflow, recorded critical information for each task, and identified inefficiencies to streamline. We focused on 3 goals:

• Trace the workflow: Map how information moves through the system from initial client contact to project completion.

• Capture key data points: List all necessary information for project tracking, including client details, project type, and key dates.

• Identify time-consuming tasks.

This planning step helped us gauge how much of the process could be automated and set realistic time-saving expectations. We then focused on the most time-intensive tasks, which fell into 2 categories:

• Data entry: Manually inputting project details across multiple platforms took significant time and increased the risk of errors.

• Data reconciliation: Ensuring consistency across different tools required cross-checking and manual updates by multiple people.

We then planned which tools would capture and publish the necessary information across all tracking platforms.

Re-architect existing data models to support automation

Before implementing the solution, we reorganized existing data to facilitate automation by:

• Normalizing values: Using consistent naming and formatting to reduce possible data types and minimize the need for manual oversight.

• Creating derived values: Using formulas in spreadsheets and project management tools to generate downstream values like statuses or calculations, giving users more control over conditional logic.

For example, if a project status is "Complete" only when several conditions are met, it’s better to use a formula for this check rather than asking Zapier to update the value, reducing the number of operations and potential troubleshooting.

Design and implementation

Most project cycles at MWM are kicked off via email and a team member manually records important information from the email in several places.

To save MWM time, we designed and implemented an AI-assisted solution that parses information in real-time and makes decisions on how to record that information across multiple platforms.

Using Zapier, a no-code automation tool, we integrated the solution with MWM's existing tech stack with minimal custom code. After normalizing data fields, we divided the solution into 2 parts:

• Large Language Model for data extraction: The LLM extracts relevant project information from various sources, including emails and client communications.

• Automated data distribution: Zapier automatically populates project details across multiple tools, keeping data consistent and reducing the need for manual oversight.

Results

The new AI-powered workflow impacted MWM's operations in 3 keys ways:

• Cost-savings: Using Zapier’s Pro plan and OpenAI’s pay-per-usage API, the cost of automating this process is ~$35/mo, which is significantly less than the cost of an individual performing these tasks.

• Time Savings & increased productivity: The project tracking process now takes less time, saving an average of 10 hours per month. Team members spend less time on manual data entry and experience fewer interruptions, leading to increased productivity.

• Real-Time Campaign Processing: The automation handles incoming projects as they enter the system. Previously, a human needed to set aside time regularly to process a certain number of projects. With these tasks now automated, campaigns can start faster without manual oversight.

AI & productivity

This project shows how AI can be strategically employed to automate repetitive business operations. By using AI for data extraction, entry, and reconciliation, companies like MWM can:

• Save money

• Increase productivity by reducing context-switching 

• Minimize data entry errors

This new process also helps MWM prepare for growth, as it can handle increased workloads without proportional increases in manual effort. With the built-in Zapier and OpenAI price tracking tools, MWM can easily scale its operations and manage costs.

While there has been much discussion about how AI will change the way we work, it’s not always clear how this works in practice. Large Language Models, no-code tools, and AI-assisted platforms like Microsoft Copilot offer significant promise for general tasks. However, the key to productivity lies in how well AI-assisted workflows can perform the tasks specific to your business. In this case, the project management tasks are well-suited for automation because all the tools are interoperable, making it easy to reproduce the workflow in Zapier.

If you’re interested in exploring custom AI workflows for your business, Cosmos can help. Reach out to us to learn more about how to leverage automation to improve your team’s productivity.