How I Made My Whole Launch Campaign With AI (No Photoshoot, No Designer)
I’m a UK founder launching a postnatal fitness business, Restore & Rise. For my pre-launch marketing I used four AI tools instead of a photoshoot or a designer: ChatGPT to polish venue photos, HeyGen to create a professional avatar, Canva AI to build a presentation and marketing assets, and Claude to refine my messaging and write prompts. Each tool did a different job, and one of them failed completely. Below is what worked, what didn’t, and which tool I’d use for which task.
Why did I use AI for my launch marketing instead of a photoshoot?
Most women at the start of a fitness journey don’t want to be photographed, and that includes many Muslim women. That made it hard to fill my posters with real class members before I’d launched. I needed imagery that looked real, represented the women I want to serve, and didn’t need a studio booking or a designer’s fee. AI tools filled that gap.
Which AI tools did I use, and for what?
Polishing venue photos and adding props - I used ChatGPT
Creating a professional photo of myself - HeyGen
Building presentations, posters and social posts - Canva AI
Refining talking points and writing prompts- Claude AI
How did I improve my venue photos with ChatGPT?
The photos I took of my hired community hall on my phone didn’t do the space justice. I used ChatGPT to enhance them so they looked more polished. I also used it to add fruit and toys to the kids’ room, because childcare alongside the class was part of my original offer.
Can AI create a professional photo of you? What happened with ChatGPT and HeyGen?
I had no professional sporty photos of myself, so I tried ChatGPT first. The result made me look much older, and no prompt fixed it, including ones written by Claude. I then searched for a tool that could do the job without a photoshoot and found HeyGen.
In HeyGen I built a full character, which gave me the professional look I wanted. It also opened up other uses, such as making an ad for my class in different languages. I went down that rabbit hole for a while, but all I needed was one polished photo to start my Instagram.
https://www.heygen.com/en-gb/apps
How did I turn my talking points into a presentation with Claude and Canva AI?
This is the workflow that saved me the most time:
I wrote my speaking points and refined them with Claude until they were final.
I uploaded that file to Canva AI.
I told Canva AI who the audience was and added my photo.
Canva AI produced the whole presentation.
A presentation like this normally takes me days. I’ve paid for Canva for years, starting with background removal in my fashion business, and it’s been part of my online business ever since.
Is it okay to use AI-generated images of hijabi sportswomen in marketing?
I used AI to create multicultural women in sportswear, including hijabi athletes, for my posters.
Which AI tool should you use for which launch task?
Fixing weak photos of a venue or product: ChatGPT
A professional photo of yourself without a shoot: HeyGen
Posters, social posts and presentations: Canva AI
Messaging, prompts and structuring your content: Claude
You don’t need a photoshoot or a designer to launch. You do need to know which tool to use for which job.
FAQ
Can AI replace a photoshoot for a small business launch?
For early marketing, yes in many cases. I created polished images without a shoot, but I’d still use real photos once I have real members.
Which AI tool is best for making a professional photo of yourself?
ChatGPT didn’t work for me, because it aged me. HeyGen gave me the result I wanted.
How much time did the AI tools save?
The presentation alone would normally have taken me days.
Do I need to pay for these tools?
Yes, I have an annual subscription for Claude ai & Canva. I used monthly subscription for Hey gen. Chat GPT I used the free version.
Is this video sponsored?
No
