OP #298: AI & Marketing Book, Distractions, and Studying AI Prompts

Author

Darren Herman
June 10, 2025

Thanks to everyone who reached out after last week’s OP—always appreciate the inbox love.

This week’s coming to you after a high school graduation party for one of my son’s closest friends. My son’s a rising senior, which means we’re officially entering the final lap of high school parenting. If you’ve got little kids: enjoy the mess, the chaos, the everything—it goes faster than any of us expect. If all goes as planned, my wife and I will be empty nesters in just three years. That’s both exhilarating and mildly heartbreaking.

Also… while I tend to steer clear of politics in this newsletter, it’s hard not to rubberneck the Trump–Musk fallout. We all knew it was coming. Now it’s here, and I’ve got my popcorn ready. Somewhere in the world, every other country is watching this unfold and muttering, “America, you OK?”

OK, lets get started with some good reads to kick off the week:

Thanks for subscribing to The OP—I genuinely appreciate it. I read and reply to every single email that comes in. Might take me a day or two, but I’ve done it since day one and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

And be sure to read below - I’m giving away a few copies of my pal David Berkowitz’s new book on AI and marketing.

Be well, do good.
Darren

The Cold Start Problem of AI in Marketing AND a Giveaway Contest

Why most marketers freeze at the prompt window—and how to fix it.

You might have seen this post on LinkedIn last week but I’m writing more here - so I’d recommend reading.

Every week, I’m in the room (or on the call) with Chief Marketing Officers and Heads of Digital Growth. There’s no escaping the conversation: How are we using AI to create value—faster?

It’s one of the top three topics in every marketing leadership meeting today. Yet, oddly, few teams have a clear roadmap. Not because they don’t care. But because we’re all living in what I call “the in-between phase.”

This is the early innings of AI. The tools are powerful—but uneven. The case studies are scattered. The best practices? Mostly anecdotal. We’re operating without a mature playbook, and the result is what I call prompt paralysis.

You know the moment. Someone opens ChatGPT. Stares at the blinking cursor. And then… nothing.

Despite all the hype about “natural language” interfaces, most professionals—especially in marketing—struggle to imagine what’s possible. They don’t know what to ask. They don’t know what good looks like.

That’s why I was excited to get an early copy of David Berkowitz’s new book, The Non-Obvious Guide to Using AI in Marketing (Amazon link).

This isn’t a whitepaper or a futurist’s daydream. It’s a practical, tactical resource for marketers who want to go from curiosity to capability—right now. David, who’s delivered 400+ keynotes and written 600+ articles on marketing and tech, distills the essence of AI’s usefulness for our industry.

The book won’t solve everything. In 18-24 months, much of it will probably feel outdated. But in this moment—the messy, transitional, early adopter moment—it’s the best starter kit I’ve seen.

Want a copy?
I’m giving away three copies of the book to Operating Partner readers who fill out a short form. [click here to fill out]

If you’re a marketer who’s ever felt the weight of a blank prompt screen… this might be the book that helps you break the seal.

Congrats to David on the launch—and to all of us trying to stay ahead of the curve.

Distractions & Prioritization

I’m doing something I rarely do: planning ahead for The OP. Why? Because we’re closing in on a milestone—letter number 300—and I’ve got the seed of an idea I’d love to grow with your help.

Here’s what I’m noodling on:
How do you eliminate distractions in your life—especially in business?
And how are you prioritizing what’s actually important?
Do you follow a framework? Use a specific tool? Wing it with discipline?

Interpret these questions however you’d like—there are no wrong answers. Just hit reply and share your thoughts. I’ll be collecting responses in a Google Doc and will weave them into that 300th edition. If you want to remain anonymous, just say so. Otherwise, I’d love to give credit where it’s due.

Looking forward to hearing how you all stay focused in a world designed to distract.

Below are a few articles I came across this past week that I found interesting. While I may not agree with everything in each one, I think they're worth a read. If you stumble upon an article you think I or the Operating Partner community would enjoy, feel free to share it with me. Of course, I reserve the right to decide what gets featured in the OP.

Thank you for reading the Operating Partner!

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