AI For Exporters with Norma Foster & Pascal Fintoni

Ben Bradford: 00:00:13

Good morning and welcome to a very special edition of the Horizon podcast, our first ever live episode.

I'm your host, Ben Bradford and thank you very much for everyone who is joining us live this morning, but equally anyone who's watching or listening to the recording. I hope you're all well, no matter where you are in the world.

To celebrate today's special occasion, I'm delighted to be joined not just by one fantastic expert and special guest, but as you can see, we've got two of them here with me this morning. We've got the wonderful Norma Foster and the brilliant Pascal Fin. Tony, thank you both very much for joining me. Hope you're both doing well.

I'd just like to give you first both quick opportunity just to explain, introduce yourself and explain why you're here.

Pascal Fintoni: 00:01:07

Well, I think we should start with a wonderful Norma Foster, then.

Norma Foster: 00:01:12

It is amazing to be here and I'm so excited for this morning. I help businesses to grow internationally in a way that feels good and does good for people, planet and profit.

I've been doing this for a long time, but right now it feels like one of the most exciting and important times to think and rethink almost how we connect and trade globally.

Pascal Fintoni: 00:01:41

Wow. How am I supposed to follow this? It's amazing.

So listen, Ben, thank you again for the invitation and what a pleasure to spend some time with Norma Foster as well.

Recently I had to update my speaker's biography and rather distressingly, I had to update the number of years I've been working digital marketing and now as a speaker and consultant. It's been 30 years literally that I've been involved in demystifying the use of technology for sales and marketing and customer service.

And I would agree with the Norma, you know, with the introduction of artificial intelligence, there's almost like a relaunch of our thinking, the mindset, but also the way in which we can approach building meaningful human connections using the Internet.

Ben Bradford: 00:02:21

Well, I'm so glad, to be honest. We've been able to get two of you here today because over the next half an hour we're going to try and, and tackle some large topics.

s it currently stands here in: 2025

But importantly, I want people to, to, to realize kind of how they make them work for their business and get the most out of them as well because people obviously put in their own time and effort into that so how they see return through LinkedIn and AI as well. So to help us do that, I'm going to open the floor up as much as possible to you both.

As I said, I'm sure a half hour will fly by but equally we will leave five minutes or so for a Q and A at the end. So I know we've had some questions pre submitted and Norma and Pascal been kind enough to receive some questions as well and pass them on to us.

But if anyone does have any questions then please feel free to use the comment box. As I can see, some people already are. Good morning everybody.

But hopefully we'll run through as many of those as we can in the last five minutes or so. But to get the ball rolling to kick off, let's start with a pretty wide and open question and I'll start with you Norma, if that's okay.

What's changing in exporting and, and how are businesses navigating that, that changing landscape?

Norma Foster: 00:03:50

and a lot more creative since: 2020

I think the big thing these days is that buyers expect real relationships, not just transactions and they're making decisions long before they speak to you. And I hear this a lot from clients. Oh, I don't really like LinkedIn or media or such.

Like people are definitely going to check you out before they even make contact with you. So you know, behavior is evolving, it's becoming way more personalized, the pace is faster and, and those sales cycles are almost changing as well.

People are researching deep, deeply online before they talk to you.

And of course this aspect of trust, I think these days, particularly with the advent of AI and building trust is so much more important because tech and AI are redefining exporting and you can use it for all sorts of things that I'm sure we'll talk a bit more about today. Building customer profiles, scouting markets, tailoring messaging at a fraction of the time and cost that we had to Invest previously.

And LinkedIn's now a really critical marketing platform and you know, we need to learn how to use LinkedIn really well but get our content out there around our thought leadership, our skills and experience and use it really in a very human way to build those all important relationships because at the end of the day export or UK business, people do business with people that they trust. So that's the big thing for Me.

Pascal Fintoni: 00:05:47

I like that a lot. Nomad, thank you very much for helping me actually reflect on what I mean about using AI.

So for me, I came up with this little sentence I think is helpful, which is idea of AI. What does it stand for? Because in a way it's a shortest acronym with the most kind of meaningful, meaningless definition.

And for me, which will please someone who's listening right now. And English, for me, it's the art of the possible and imagination is the key.

And for me, what has been interesting about, you know, you asking Ben about what's changed, what's changed that up to a point we've all kind of managed to work our way around digital marketing, search engine optimization, social media marketing and LinkedIn, but we had to make do. Limitations, limitations of time. Sometimes even the tech had its own limitation.

I mean, we can all think about our relationship with Google, Yahoo and Bing and how we had to second guess its shortcomings to then try and get it to work for us. And an AI is kind of railroading through all of that and actually making things that we wish you could have done in the past now very, very possible.

And actually that's part of the challenge I see Ben and Norma, which is that we now have permission to be unreasonably ambitious about how we're going to be using LinkedIn and online communication.

But remember, everyone, you know, not take your point, Norma, for all there is, the, the appeal is about accessing the convenience factor of, of the tech. This should never be done at the expense of meaningful human connections.

Norma Foster: 00:07:16

Totally agree with that and well said. Yeah, for sure.

Ben Bradford: 00:07:21

That, that marriage of the people your experience getting yourself across with the AI, that's, that's what everyone should be aiming for.

But, but, but, you know, but by sounds and kind of what I take away from, from listening to, to both of you as well as, as people, as businesses and in lots of different walks of life. You know, sports is probably a good example. We always talk about the extra 5, 10%.

How can we squeeze out that little bit extra to put ourselves head and shoulders above the competition or the rest of the field? And I said businesses are exactly the same.

And, and how then how can businesses do that through LinkedIn, through AI, to give themselves that advantage, find that extra percentage?

Norma Foster: 00:08:14

I think, you know, for a lot of businesses that I work with and have the pleasure and privilege of working with a great deal of different types of companies from lots of different sectors, that extra something very much comes from mindset and being open to new ways of thinking and Working and, you know, we're talking about this huge aspect of businesses is missing the human side of technology. It's not just about how you use them for the sake of it. Technology should make us more human and more concerned about people, not less so.

For me, you know, that that mindset is about using it to enhance relationships and deepen trust, not replace it.

Using AI to understand your customers better, not just push out messages and make connections, you know, what are you going to do with those connections that's really meaningful and adding value? And I think it's this aspect for me of the human mind is way more powerful than most of us can imagine.

And we need to be using more of that power on purpose.

So not sacrificing to AI and allowing AI to do all the work for us, but really use it as a, as a, as a sounding board, a business partner, you know, a research assistant or whatever we want to use that for, and giving it very firm and clear direction and doing that in a very purposeful and meaning meaningful way. I think that's absolutely critical. I mean, Steve Jobs and Einstein both said that, you know, intuition and flow is, is the collateral of business.

Intellect is, comes a second place for sure.

And it's about tapping into, you know, that flow and that intuition with the support of all the tools and the technology to get the best from your day.

Pascal Fintoni: 00:10:32

I want to add to that and move on to what you said, you know, about this idea of being imaginative and inventive. Because for me, the business case of AI, for all you know, people have seen the headlines. I'm sure they've done some testing themselves.

But if the argument is about reclaiming time, then my kind of point is, so we're going to do with the extra time that you have now available to you.

And my contribution would be from a marketing and sales and customer service point of view, is that you're going to imagine and invent a better way to look after your customers. Whether that's after sales scares, after sales care, whether that's doing the transactional bit or this.

Obviously the marketing bit is ultimately in an environment that is very crowded, an environment that can be very noisy. And AI will contribute sadly to that. How do you stand out?

And we're going to stand out just because the way you've chosen to do what you do, the way you've chosen to communicate what you do is relevant and poignant to your audience. So then you move into finding ways to share your values, finding ways to share what you do, and you ask him about the 5, 10%, Ben.

And I think for me it begins by once again being unreasonable by your own wishes and applications of AI. And you should start by literally doodling what you want to do with those official advisors, official assistant.

And my first two kind of practical takeaways would be to really spend time to try out all AI platforms, not just ChatGPT. And I know that it's now the synonymous to AI chat, GPT. Clearly there's nothing like being the first one out two and a half years ago.

But actually as, as a responsible business owner, you want to have some understanding of the different platform and some of the strengths and weaknesses and blind spots and so on so that you can really move forward with the creative side and the execution side as well.

The other one that you could do very easily would be to make a list of all your current software solutions in a business, particularly around export research to lead generation to lead conversion, and actually get in touch with those vendors, you know, no matter what you're using, whether you're using Zoom and any accountancy packages, any kind of, you know, CRM system, all of those make a list and then get in touch with the vendors and ask for an update on their plans for AI, if not already, and if they already have AI kind of plugins, which typically are just added with much communication, then ask for a demo or a tour and then you can start to really see what's possible. And then with your colleagues you can start to imagine a different way of working.

Norma Foster: 00:13:11

And I love that. I think there's a big thing there about the courage to try out new things.

You know, Eleanor Roosevelt said we need to do something that scares the bejeebas out of us. I don't think that was her exact words, mind you, every day and just, you know, take a brave pill.

And I think consistency plays a huge role as well, just staying front of mind, not just taking that selling mentality, but showing up every day. And, you know, James Clear talks about these wonderful 1% incremental gains and just building up the results consistently over a period of time.

Ben Bradford: 00:13:51

I think that's, that's a good point that I personally can kind of resonate that idea of going outside your comfort zone and kind of being scared of something. And for LinkedIn's maybe a good example where you can quite quickly get in your head the idea of, oh, well, what if people don't like this content?

Or what if people aren't going to interact with it or engage with it? And then you start spiraling down kind of A bit of a, a corridor that, that isn't kind of where you want to be and where you want to get to.

Whereas I think, and what I've learned myself and from speaking to people like yourselves, both of you as well, is, well, if you haven't put anything out there, then where you're not gaining anything full stop.

But people, especially in LinkedIn and the likes, the community that it is, people want to learn, people want to hear, people want to engage, want to have that kind of community feeling about it.

And you will only get that from going outside your comfort zone and posting yourself, but posting stuff that is genuine, stuff that is personal to you and bring that personal side in.

Like you said, Norma, and I suppose you could say being a bit more vulnerable, if you want to put it that way, but at least opening the door and giving that genuine impression as well.

Next question from me, and a bit of a fun one really I'd say is what's possible when it comes to mail and LinkedIn, what can businesses achieve and what's out there for them essentially?

Norma Foster: 00:15:33

Shall we swap it up a bit? Pascal, would you like to start this time?

Pascal Fintoni: 00:15:36

Yeah.

So I suppose the only way I know how to answer this question is to go through the customer journey, which I know is a term that's been used a lot, but that's just very, very helpful one. So sometimes I call it Ben, the before, during and after.

But this idea of sitting down for a moment and imagining that you walk in the shoes of a first time kind of website visitor or first time LinkedIn profile reviewer and everything that comes with it.

And for me therefore, the one thing that I've been so impressed, both in terms of my own attempts as well as what my customers have done with regard to international trading, is the extent to which you can do the one, the most extensive, informative, but also inspiring for the market research.

Not only will you be inspired as an individual in terms of your own content creation and relationship and so on, and we've been playing Nomad with some really impressive customer avatars and kind of very information rich country profiles that becomes a source of inspiration internally because in the past, I'm sure you'll agree those were just so hard to do because it would take hours and hours of research on Google and you spend more time actually not finding information, let alone finding it.

But I think what is interesting about AI, you can also request that information, whether it's to customer, international, customer avatar or the country profile, to be kind of organized, shaped and kind of written in Your style as well, you know, in a way which we.

There's going to be a lot more because what we want to avoid, Ben, is situation where people use AI particularly for strategic thinking, where it goes the ways of previous action plan where you know, people spend a day or two, put together an amazing action plan never to be looked at after at again. And what I like about AI, you can actually request for the, the format and the style of writing or. And more to be done into your style. So.

So for me, the number one thing that I really am so impressed is how you can do that market research for and even challenge yourself in terms of markets that you think you know well, you know, and then challenge yourself well, what is it that we don't know so well?

It could be that the media landscape there, what is it that, you know, we need to know a bit more about maybe the support network in that particular country and so on.

So for me, you know, use the customer journey and how they're going to discover and then move on to making those I think very advanced form of request as opposed to, which is hard moving away from using a search engine where you just put five words and hope for the best. Here you can have meaningful interaction with AI for a good half hour, I think.

Ben Bradford: 00:18:13

Sorry, usual tech, headphones dropped out halfway through that. But I am back with you. So I do apologize if you asked me a question and it looked like I totally blanked you. I did it, I promise.

But I am, I am back with you. So, so thanks, thanks for that. And I suppose.

Norma Foster: 00:18:31

Sorry. No, go ahead.

Ben Bradford: 00:18:33

No, and I was saying, you know, kind of that idea of what's possible and getting people to appreciate that and, and start implementing those plans.

That's what's kind of the exciting bit about it and the exciting thing for, for businesses and one thing kind of I suppose I would say is I said at the beginning, you know, it's, it's such. And it's, it's so great to have both you here and to get both you together.

And I think unfortunately that doesn't seem to happen often enough that we can kind of get both of you bouncing off each other as you are.

And that's one of the reasons I think, why kind of I was so kind of excited when I heard that you were both working together, launching a new AI for exporters master class, which I think your first sessions running in roughly three weeks, 13th of. Of May.

So I just want to give you both kind of opportunity now just to outline what it is and, and why people and businesses should be kind of so excited by the proposition as I am.

Pascal Fintoni: 00:19:37

Well, to be honest with you, that was another reason for me to spend more time with Norma Foster. So it's very selfish reason why we launched the master class.

But now generally we, we met quite a few times and in conversation I realized what Norman knows about. For example, am I you so good with the exhibition and market visit?

You're so, so good at getting in on that agents, distribution, partnership and everything that you do with your customers. And I was saying to you, well, you know, AI could support that and I could support that. So the only really came from a conversation we had at.

During conversation we're just sharing, you know, what we do and what we were looking for was a version where it could be practical, very, very practical and almost do it as a show and town style where we would share the tactic, we share the resources and really allow people within a couple of hours to know everything there is to know about AI. For exporters with a particularly lean towards of course, using LinkedIn for those meaningful connections.

Norma Foster: 00:20:39

Yeah, completely. And you know, Pascal and I have done many workshops and webinars in the past.

It's been a while since we worked together so I'm really looking forward to that. And it's about bringing all of that experience.

You know, we've both lived abroad and have a lot of experience of what it actually means to live and work in international markets. I mean Pascal mentioned, you know, the, the pre, during and post exhibition and market visits and all of the experience that we can bring to that.

And I think, you know, piling all of that knowledge and experience into a series of master classes and some mastermind groups is just giving people the opportunity to go full immersion and to really get the best value out of a focused approach bit by bit where you know, we're doing some handholding with people they've got the opportunity to implement, then we're doing some more hand holding and we're taking them on a journey that feels manageable and actually super productive, where they've got the opportunity to do some networking as well.

So I just think that blended approach almost of events happening, but with some networking and some mastermind groups that we're planning as well in between that will just add immense value to the work that you're doing.

Have you having somewhere to go where you can ask questions and get the support that you need to actually realize the results that you deserve in your business.

Ben Bradford: 00:22:24

And I think kind of enough point from us is kind of just thank you so much as well for agreeing that listeners of the Horizon podcast, readers of the magazine as well, can, can receive that 25% discount for, for the, for the master class.

Because I think having that proposition as you two have just brilliantly kind of laid out and the opportunity to hear from you both here, you bounce off each other, pick your brains, ask questions and, and truly relate that back to their own business and being able to do that for, for as it says, American, the, the 75 pound plus, that is, it's, that's a fantastic opportunity but and proposition for any business to, to, to take advantage of really. So if you would like to know more about that, then we've got contact details on screen there. You can email us@editororizonmag.online.

you can reach out to us at Horizon Magazine UK on LinkedIn or individually on LinkedIn as well. What, whatever works best for you.

But if you, you want to book onto the course, you want to find out more about it, or alternatively, you know, if you can't make that date in May, but you want to know about any future dates, then by all means get in touch and we'll be more than happy to help you and tell you, tell you more about it because I think everyone, like I said, should be as excited about it as, as I am now, as promised and I'll say well done.

Thank you very much to Nora and Pascal because we've managed to keep that with six minutes left for some questions which is, is brilliant, a brilliant effort. So if anyone has got any questions at all, please just drop them in box and ask away.

But I know we got some pre questions came in as well, so, so starting with them and I'll start with, with you, Pascal. Someone's asked kind of just very, very straightforward that they're disappointed by the results that they're getting from, from ChatGPT.

They don't feel what they're input into. What they're getting back is, is kind of the results that they're after.

How would you suggest or what could they do to try and make their results better?

Pascal Fintoni: 00:24:32

Yeah, and listen, I'm not going to be the guy to say you're blaming the tools and you should look at yourself, but it is a bit like this, you know.

Now listen, understand we spent 30 years using search engines and suddenly here comes ChatGPT and it's not the search engine, but it looks like a search engine and it behaves like a search engine. So let's be kind to ourselves. So the way which I would improve the results is actually start by jotting down what you want to do with chat GPT.

So whether you want to use pen and paper, whiteboard, post it or you know, just your computer. But when want to do is imagine for a moment that you're emailing your request or your questions to a real person.

In fact, I now teach that people should format their briefs. I'd like to call them briefs, not prompts like an email to a person. The subject line with everything that comes with it.

And what you want to do is make an appointment in the diary. So really chatgpt Copilot, Gemini Perplexity and all the others, they're not designed for quick fixes really they can do that.

They give the appearance Ben that you can make it a quick fix. But you know, you should really make, make an appointment of a good half hour to work through whatever project and task you have.

And Google have a lovely expression. They call this a chain of thought.

So the idea being that it will take you at least 6, 7, 8, 10 kind of exchanges and interaction with ChatGPT to get to what you want.

So prepare for that meeting, prepare for that appointment with the consultant or the assistant, write it down and then it'd be easier to then type it into that box. It looks like a search engine box, but it's not. And make sure that you see it as a kind of consultation session.

Ben Bradford: 00:26:16

Wise words and something that I think I myself sometimes forget. So need to make sure I listen to you there.

Pascal, Norma, popping over to you in a question we've got in and one that kind of we've touched on a little bit at the moment and is really important in the AI world where everything can be generated and you. But you lose that kind of authenticity. How do we make sure that our LinkedIn content feels personal, feels authentic and shows us as people?

Norma Foster: 00:26:48

I get asked this question so often in masterclasses and webinars and actually what I like to do is encourage people not to sit down with a blank sheet of paper or you know, an attempt to write or type out what should be going on their LinkedIn. Write them to body up with each other and then have a conversation like we're having now and record that conversation.

You could do it on Zoom, you could do it on a, on a, on a recording device. Personally I use Otter AI or Dragon software to do a recording of that and then you're capturing things which will be really useful for you.

When you're using AI to, to create that authentic content, you put the recording into Something like Otter. You get a transcript, you feed that into chat GPT and then invite it to analyze the tone of voice, the format.

You then add in things, bits of content that you really love. You give a little bit of information about the structure, which, you know, we, we'll go through all of that in, in the master class.

What do the algorithms love? How do you need to prepare all of that?

And then you can ask AI to, to assist you to create that really authentic, genuine, original thinking that you've put in there by way of prompts and, and then you can refine it and upload it. It's great for creating your profile, your about section, your headlines, great for creating really authentic content.

And you can take it a step further and, and translate that into different languages. We know that your engagement will go up more than 400% if you're actually addressing people in their native language online.

And AI is absolutely brilliant at just once you've got your tone of voice in there of actually doing some pretty good translations for you into different languages, you see your engagement in the markets that you're targeting absolutely go through the roof and a brilliant way, by the way, to engage with people before you head off to events and exhibitions and such like as well.

Ben Bradford: 00:29:14

Right, so I'm going to ask you both one more question and we're going to keep it, keep it as short as we can, I'm afraid, just to make sure that we, we finish on time.

But keeping it simple, ask you, Pascal, regards to AIU into terms of LinkedIn, Norma free tips, whether they're free, tips that you'd give to a novice, someone starting out, or some tips that you'd provide kind of an expert who wants to reach that, that next level. Just any last little tips that you would give. The floor is yours. Let's start with you, Pascal.

Pascal Fintoni: 00:29:53

So I would, because I do this with my clients, I would spend the next week or so, even two weeks, just keeping track. What I call your time thieves. So where are you seemingly spending a lot of time on activities that are important to you.

But the likelihood is using logic, AI can support you. Because if you know what the time thieves are, that could be a good entry point into AI.

But let's assume that you've been using AINA for a while and it's time for you to rationalize what you do. So I would start by really using best practice and document all your workflows internally.

So the way you do what you do with AI needs to be documented for new recruits as well as Just make sure that you don't use memory. And I would create a library of your best AI briefs. And then number three, because that's, that's a sure winner.

But Norma just told you I would use AI to find sources of news for my, the market that we should target and create using AI and matching my tone of voice, obviously by educating AI, I would create the ultimate news roundup for that particular market.

Ben Bradford: 00:31:01

Norma?

Norma Foster: 00:31:03

Yeah, I think Fundamental is making a great first impression. You know, if people find your profile, make sure that the profile looks amazing. There are new features coming all the time.

You can now have scrolling background images on your LinkedIn profile, but just make sure you've got it packed full of resources and that it's working hard for you. I think that is just so incredibly important.

And, you know, reflect on this aspect of LinkedIn is your virtual 24.7business self out there on the web. So it's all about networking and people often forget that. You know, I hear, oh, LinkedIn's like Facebook for business. No, it's not.

This is a networking platform. Platform that is built on quality relationships.

So whether you're a beginner or a novice, I would say start by going to other people's content and commenting on that, but not, oh, great piece. Love your post. A quick like or whatever, add some really meaningful comments onto that. LinkedIn absolutely loves it.

So add the comments and start the conversation and try and keep that conversation going as long as possible.

Absolutely great compliment to pay people who've put the hard work in to develop posts because they're always keeping an eye on who's liking my post and who's commenting.

So it's a great way to build those early relationships and get familiarity and become known as the really great guy or girl that is paying attention to my posts, making some really useful comments and helping me to do better day by day.

Ben Bradford: 00:33:01

Both you succinct, Succinct. Yeah, Fab answers. Didn't expect anything less.

Thank you very much for that and thank you in general, both you for joining me again this morning, taking the time out.

I know how busy you both are, but it was great just to have you both here, here about LinkedIn AI and, and how, yes, they're separate, but use them together and use them well and how it can really benefit and propel your business. And also for, for, like I said, offering that discount for the masterclass session.

And again, if anyone has any questions on that, we'll put our details up again at the end.

But by all means, feel free to get in touch, but unless anyone else has anything else, last thing for me to do is say thank you very much to Pascal and Norma, and thank you very much to all of you for listening and watching this morning. Hope you have fantastic days. Thank you.

Pascal Fintoni: 00:33:56

Bye. Bye.

Ben Bradford: 00:34:07

Ra.