Prompt Playbook: First Steps in AI Consulting PART 1

2025 is the year companies start getting real ROI from AI. Not faffing with toys, experimenting or testing - but actually seeing returns.

This means there is an opportunity for AI consulting.

And the numbers show that big consulting businesses know it…

Look at what's happening: Boston Consulting Group now makes a fifth of their revenue from AI work - from zero just two years ago. McKinsey? 40% of their business this year will be AI-related. IBM's locked in over $1 billion in AI consulting commitments. And KPMG? They went from making nothing from AI last year to targeting $650 million in opportunities.

This playbook isn't about competing with these giants. (I mean, if you want to by all means go for it!).

But for the rest of us this instead about getting your first steps right in a massive market where there's room for everyone. As a consultant, I charge $500-1000 per hour depending on the client, and these initial consultations often lead to ongoing retainers and implementation work. It’s lucrative and (dare I say) easy work.

You don't need to beat McKinsey to do extremely well.

Let's get started

The 2025 Opportunity

Every business on earth is trying to figure out what to do about AI. Some will get it right and thrive. Others will get it wrong and struggle. The difference? Often it's having the right guidance at the right time.

This isn't just another tech trend. It's not NFTs (remember those? No?). It's not blockchain, a cool technology searching for a problem to solve. It's technology that everyday people are already using, both personally and professionally.

Grandparents are using ChatGPT. Believe me, they were not using Web3. 😅 

The market is ready, the need is real, and 2025 is when it all comes together.

The Two Blocks

Now, I can hear the objections forming

"But Kyle, I don't know enough about AI..." "How would I even find clients?"

These are the two main blockers I hear all the time. And guess what? We're going to solve both this week. That's our game plan - get you that first client, delivered consultation, and growth in confidence.

Your Secret Weapon: Industry Knowledge

Here's something crucial I've learned from helping over 150 people move into AI consulting: success doesn't come from being an AI PhD. It comes from being able to translate AI's importance to businesses in YOUR field.

Think about it. If you're in marketing, you know exactly what keeps CMOs up at night. If you're in HR, you understand the real challenges of talent acquisition and management. If you're in operations, you know where the bottlenecks are.

You, unlike many, are i) using AI and ii) in an industry. You can combine these two facts. You know better than most what industry problems AI can solve. And which it cannot. That’s gold. You can save companies a lot of time and energy (and mistakes!).

Your job is not being the smartest AI expert on earth. Your job is translating and interpreting why AI is so important to people in your industry. And helping them navigate their way in.

The Just in Time Approach

I made somewhere over $300,000 last year (with a brand new business) using a simple philosophy: sell first, build later. This isn't about being unprepared - it's about being prepared at the right time, for the right client, with the right solution.

By going out to the market first before building anything you can

• test there’s a market in the first place!

• ask what the market actually wants

• build based on that need rather than what you think they need

For consulting in particular here’s the basic flow we’ll follow this week

1. We pitch consultations first

2. Land the client

3. Work out their specific problems

4. Prepare targeted solutions

5. Deliver value

6. Get testimonials

7. Repeat and grow

Notice we secure the client first then work out how we are going to help them. I’ll go into more detail later in the Playbook but the basic premise here is "Just in Time" learning versus "Just in Case" learning.

The old school approach is to learn everything about AI just in case you need it. That's slow, inefficient, and frankly, paralysing. You’d go off and get certifications, degrees, PhDs.

And still be an unhelpful consultant! Ha!

Instead, we're going to learn what we need, when we need it, for specific clients with specific problems.

Here's our "cheat code": We're going to do all the work before we step into the room. Then just deliver the value. More details later!

What's Next?

Tomorrow, we're diving into outreach. But here's the twist - we're starting with zero friction. I'm going to show you how to get your first consulting clients without the usual barriers.

So you can literally get into a room with them next week. Sounds a bit mad but it’ll work.

No lengthy pitch decks, no complex proposals. None of that. We need to reduce the time from “hmm I want to consult about AI” to “ok I’ve just legitimately helped a company” as much as humanly possible.

Here’s a quick rundown:"

Part 2 - Zero-Friction Outreach: How to land your first consulting clients using a proven approach that removes all barriers to entry.

Part 3 - Just-in-Time Preparation: Once you've got that first meeting booked, I'll show you exactly how to prepare. No more getting ready "just in case" - we prepare with purpose.

Part 4 - The Consultation Playbook: A step-by-step guide to running your first consultation, including what to do when you don't know the answer (it happens to all of us!).

Part 5 - Building the Flywheel: How to turn that first consultation into a thriving practice, including getting testimonials, referrals, and making the transition to paid work.

This playbook is laser-focused on that crucial first step - getting started. We're not trying to build a consulting empire overnight. We're focused on getting you that first win, that first piece of evidence that you can do this.

Keep Prompting,

Kyle