The AI-augmented inbox: From data analysis to accessible design

Overview

AI isn't just a trend anymore. It’s a prerequisite for any higher ed team trying to do more with less. This session provides a practical, 'under-the-hood' look at how I actually use AI in my daily workflow to create email marketing. I'll show how AI can handle the heavy lifting of building an email campaign from beginning to end, so you can focus more on efficiency, accessibility, and the strategic impact of connecting with your audiences.

What We Will Cover

We will walk through the entire lifecycle of an email campaign, demonstrating how AI can serve as a specialized assistant in four key areas:

• Research & Data Interpretation: I’ll share how I use AI to research email trends in higher ed, featuring a benchmarking analysis of regional graduate business schools.
• Content Generation: Attendees will learn how to improve content strategy in marketing campaigns, not just for email! I’ll demonstrate how to move beyond repetitive prompting by building "Gems" or custom GPTs using your school’s brand guidelines and program-specific demographics to ensure every draft is consistently "on persona" or “on brand”.
• Technical Optimization (HTML & Accessibility): I’ll demonstrate how AI acts as a second set of eyes for technical quality assurance. We’ll cover troubleshooting messy code and implementing accessible best practices, like setting up proper heading structures. This isn't just about making emails look good; it’s also about ensuring emails are accessible for screen readers and structured clearly for new AI-driven inbox summaries.

Delivery Style

This session is a technical deep-dive presented through real-world case studies from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Rather than just discussing AI theory, I will showcase the exact tools and prompts used to streamline our email marketing, moving from raw data to efficient, automated campaigns. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for improving their own departmental workflows.