Introducing Business Matters, a new feature for local businesses from Source staff. Our goal is to cover topics from the world of brick-and-mortar and online commerce, and discuss issues that affect businesses, from branding to marketing.
AI slop. It’s everywhere.
If you’re fed up as a small business owner, think about how your customers are responding.
If it feels like a tsunami, with potentially higher waves than ever before, rest assured. Small and medium-sized businesses are not helpless either. And if you are a customer or client (and aren’t we all?), there is hope that in the future, wave after wave of slippage will not drown us.
Sometimes creativity wins.
In a recent article for Forbes magazine, Sabine Reveiler stated, “Consumers are tired of overproduced campaigns and cherry-picked perfection, and are no longer moved by unattainable ideals.”
Leveiller uses the term “overproduction” to succinctly identify the characteristics of AI-generated content and images.
No matter how professional your content feels, it’s still superficial, a highly polished surface that mostly mimics boilerplate content.
As Reveiler points out, if consumers are desperate for brands to speak to them honestly and even “admit their mistakes,” AI-generated content can even double down on mistakes made, creating the illusion of non-existent sources to back up dubious claims.
Showing your customers, “Yes, we are human, and we care.”
Leveiller offers a number of creative strategies that allow companies to more effectively “show integrity” to their customers.
“[P]”People want to know who they can really trust,” she argues.
And that thirst for trust provides an opportunity for small businesses to share their stories, their challenges, how they operate, and the people behind it all.
The keyword here is “people.” At the end of the day, it’s people who build relationships with people.
Relationships and respect, not just transactions
The key to building strong relationships and building trust is a two-step process.
First, it’s consistent. When the world is becoming, in Leveiller’s words, “chaotic and unpredictable,” it’s important to communicate reliably with your customers.
Customers value knowing that a company takes pains to deliver on its promises and conduct business according to standards they recognize on a daily basis.
Quite simply, customers want to know that they will always receive the same quality of product and service with every interaction.
No surprises – at least no bad surprises!
The power of “a little surprise”
This is where Leveiller’s second point, creativity, comes into play.
“That’s one of the biggest benefits of being a small business,” she asserts. “While they are definitely authentic, they are sometimes surprising enough to arouse curiosity.”
For example, she says:
— A “candid behind-the-scenes” look at your business
— Partnering with local musicians and artists
— Stunts like walking around town in a costume to promote some kind of “alternative” event, “Pink Friday” instead of “Black Friday,” or a non-Valentine’s Day, etc.
(Click the link below for more information.)
The key is to find a “wow” that stays true to your brand’s personality. Ideally, it’s connected to your customer base and community.
“Moments like these don’t require big budgets, but they do require boldness, timing, and a readiness to show personality,” Reveiler said.
Locally, it means island-specific, or perhaps tourist-specific if tourists are your customers.
The only limit is your imagination.
Of course, if you’d like to brainstorm ideas, please speak to a Source sales representative by emailing advertising@visource.com or calling (340) 244-6631.
Full article: Sabine Leveiller “Small Business Marketing in 2026: Trends Worth Exploring”
https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescommunicationscouncil/2026/01/16/small-business-marketing-in-2026-trends-worth-exploring/
