WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.160 Let's just start with a maybe provocative idea. 00:00:04.500 --> 00:00:08.519 The traditional AI automation agency. It's fundamentally 00:00:08.519 --> 00:00:11.660 a trap. It sounds like a strong statement, but, 00:00:11.660 --> 00:00:14.039 you know, we're watching this happen. The market's 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:17.339 going through this great commoditization. It 00:00:17.339 --> 00:00:20.120 feels very much like the travel agent story maybe 00:00:20.120 --> 00:00:22.019 20 years back. Yeah, that's a great parallel. 00:00:22.359 --> 00:00:24.140 You just can't survive anymore by only selling 00:00:24.140 --> 00:00:25.859 the technical workflows. You got to stop selling 00:00:25.859 --> 00:00:28.480 the how. We've seen it, haven't we? That $25 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:34.200 ,000 custom AI dashboard project. It didn't fail 00:00:34.200 --> 00:00:36.320 because the tech was bad. Not at all. Right. 00:00:36.380 --> 00:00:38.539 It failed because the client, well, they wanted 00:00:38.539 --> 00:00:40.240 internal ownership. They didn't really see the 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:43.280 agency as like a strategic partner, just a builder. 00:00:43.420 --> 00:00:45.700 Yeah. A tool builder. And that failure, that 00:00:45.700 --> 00:00:48.600 specific story, it really. points towards a completely 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:50.200 different way of operating, doesn't it? Absolutely 00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:52.640 does. So today, we're going to dive deep into 00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:55.060 exactly that, a new playbook. And this isn't 00:00:55.060 --> 00:00:57.299 just theory. This model, it's being used right 00:00:57.299 --> 00:01:00.280 now by successful folks out there, people like 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:03.780 Jack Roberts at Teddy AI. They're pulling in 00:01:03.780 --> 00:01:06.640 over $100 ,000 a month because they radically 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:09.200 shifted how they present their value. So our 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:11.140 mission for you today, listening in, it's pretty 00:01:11.140 --> 00:01:13.540 straightforward. We're going to unpack why that 00:01:13.540 --> 00:01:15.959 old agency model, why it's kind of failing now. 00:01:16.180 --> 00:01:20.530 Then how you can sell real. quantifiable commercial 00:01:20.530 --> 00:01:23.010 value we'll talk about the critical three framework 00:01:23.010 --> 00:01:26.230 for that and also why getting really specific 00:01:26.230 --> 00:01:28.769 like laser focused with your niche this kevin 00:01:28.769 --> 00:01:31.030 bacon strategy idea why that's so essential for 00:01:31.030 --> 00:01:33.790 getting referrals and then finally we'll lay 00:01:33.790 --> 00:01:35.709 out the four key components you need to build 00:01:35.709 --> 00:01:39.170 your own sustainable ai operating system sound 00:01:39.170 --> 00:01:41.870 good let's do it okay let's dig into this technical 00:01:41.870 --> 00:01:45.209 trap first so many people jumping into ai services 00:01:45.209 --> 00:01:48.480 now even some established firms They're still 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:50.519 leading with the tech skills, you know, building 00:01:50.519 --> 00:01:52.659 these really complex, maybe elegant workflows, 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:56.019 connecting APIs, making things talk to each other, 00:01:56.060 --> 00:01:58.359 like stacking digital Lego blocks. And look, 00:01:58.459 --> 00:02:01.299 a year or two ago, that was valuable, really 00:02:01.299 --> 00:02:04.439 valuable. But that value, it's eroding fast. 00:02:04.859 --> 00:02:06.579 We've seen this movie before, like you said, 00:02:06.579 --> 00:02:08.439 with the travel agent. Exactly. The travel agent 00:02:08.439 --> 00:02:11.379 parallel is perfect. Their expertise, their knowledge 00:02:11.379 --> 00:02:14.539 of routes and hotels, that was gold because getting 00:02:14.539 --> 00:02:17.360 that info was hard, scarce. Until the Internet 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:20.659 basically blew that wide open. Yep. Expedia, 00:02:20.759 --> 00:02:24.060 Google. Suddenly everyone had access. That core 00:02:24.060 --> 00:02:26.939 knowledge got commoditized. And now the same 00:02:26.939 --> 00:02:28.719 thing, but maybe even faster, has happened with 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:30.919 AI automation. Building these workflows is getting 00:02:30.919 --> 00:02:33.000 easier, or at least perceived as easier. Right. 00:02:33.060 --> 00:02:34.979 The tools are getting so user -friendly. Make 00:02:34.979 --> 00:02:37.860 .com, Zapier, all these things. They make it 00:02:37.860 --> 00:02:40.020 look easy to the client, even if it's not always 00:02:40.020 --> 00:02:42.000 simple behind the scenes. And that perception 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:44.439 gap, that's the real danger here, isn't it? Because 00:02:44.439 --> 00:02:46.699 we know, you and I know, the complexity is still 00:02:46.699 --> 00:02:48.960 there, especially when you need it to be robust, 00:02:49.139 --> 00:02:52.259 reliable, scalable. Oh, yeah. Getting from zero 00:02:52.259 --> 00:02:55.500 to, say, 80 % of what you need. Often pretty 00:02:55.500 --> 00:02:58.979 straightforward now. But that last 20%, go from 00:02:58.979 --> 00:03:02.280 80 % to 100 % reliable, that's hard. Building 00:03:02.280 --> 00:03:04.750 a truly solid system. That's the tough part. 00:03:04.870 --> 00:03:07.530 And often that last 20 % involves sophisticated 00:03:07.530 --> 00:03:11.270 stuff like large optimized systems. Okay. Maybe 00:03:11.270 --> 00:03:13.270 let's quickly define RG for anyone listening. 00:03:13.449 --> 00:03:15.610 Sure. RG, it just stands for retrieval augmented 00:03:15.610 --> 00:03:18.490 generation. Basically, it's a fancy way to help 00:03:18.490 --> 00:03:21.370 AI use your specific documents, your external 00:03:21.370 --> 00:03:24.409 knowledge reliably. So it pulls accurate facts 00:03:24.409 --> 00:03:27.409 instead of, you know. Making stuff up. Hallucinating. 00:03:27.409 --> 00:03:29.750 Exactly. Stops the hallucination problem. And 00:03:29.750 --> 00:03:32.780 building that well, that's complex. Clients often 00:03:32.780 --> 00:03:34.979 don't see that complexity. And adding to all 00:03:34.979 --> 00:03:37.199 this is, well, the market's gotten a bit skeptical, 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:39.139 hasn't it? After a couple of years of hype and 00:03:39.139 --> 00:03:42.439 maybe some amateur experts overpromising. Totally. 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:44.560 Lots of failed projects, unfortunately. It's 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:46.439 made businesses quite wary. They've been burned. 00:03:46.580 --> 00:03:49.800 So here's the core question then. If that technical 00:03:49.800 --> 00:03:52.139 skill, the building part, is becoming a commodity, 00:03:52.419 --> 00:03:55.680 what should AI practitioners sell instead? How 00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:58.259 do you survive this shift? You have to shift 00:03:58.259 --> 00:04:02.250 your focus completely. Away from the tech, towards 00:04:02.250 --> 00:04:05.629 commercial, quantifiable outcomes, and crucially, 00:04:05.689 --> 00:04:09.150 towards becoming a strategic partner. That shift 00:04:09.150 --> 00:04:11.889 from just being a vendor to being a real partner, 00:04:11.990 --> 00:04:15.009 that's the secret sauce for landing those bigger, 00:04:15.069 --> 00:04:17.550 long -term contracts. I know this consultant, 00:04:17.629 --> 00:04:20.430 right, just landed a deal worth about $72 ,000 00:04:20.430 --> 00:04:22.910 a year. It's a two -year contract. Wow, okay. 00:04:23.149 --> 00:04:25.089 And it wasn't because the tech solution was some 00:04:25.089 --> 00:04:27.899 kind of magic bullet. Nope. It was secured purely 00:04:27.899 --> 00:04:30.240 because he had commercial acumen. He could talk 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:33.920 the talk. The ability to translate the tech jargon, 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:37.240 RE, fine tuning, whatever, into the language 00:04:37.240 --> 00:04:40.120 the CEO understands. Dollars and cents. Risk 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:42.500 reduction. Exactly. So many agencies, they fall 00:04:42.500 --> 00:04:44.199 into this trap of selling the flights. You know, 00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:46.439 talk features. We use this ROG system. Look at 00:04:46.439 --> 00:04:48.779 our cool agents. But clients, they don't buy 00:04:48.779 --> 00:04:51.120 flights. They buy destinations, right? Yeah. 00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:52.779 If you're selling lawn care products. They sell 00:04:52.779 --> 00:04:55.490 the beautiful green lawn. Not the grass seed. 00:04:55.589 --> 00:04:57.350 They just want the transformation, the end result. 00:04:57.449 --> 00:04:59.269 That's all that matters. I have to admit, though, 00:04:59.310 --> 00:05:01.129 it's sometimes really hard to resist showing 00:05:01.129 --> 00:05:04.009 off the cool tech stuff. You build something 00:05:04.009 --> 00:05:06.069 elegant. You want to explain it. Oh, tell me 00:05:06.069 --> 00:05:07.610 about it. I still wrestle with that temptation 00:05:07.610 --> 00:05:10.069 myself, honestly. Yeah. You want to lift the 00:05:10.069 --> 00:05:12.189 hood and show the engine. Yeah. But you just 00:05:12.189 --> 00:05:14.930 you got to fight it. Sell the destination always. 00:05:15.310 --> 00:05:18.089 OK. And that's where this critical three framework 00:05:18.089 --> 00:05:20.410 really comes in handy. Think of it like your 00:05:20.410 --> 00:05:23.470 one page sales cheat sheet. It keeps you focused. 00:05:23.980 --> 00:05:25.980 All right. So break down these three levers, 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:28.060 the ones that actually close these high value 00:05:28.060 --> 00:05:31.980 deals. What are they? Okay. First, new revenue 00:05:31.980 --> 00:05:34.240 opportunities. This is straightforward. How does 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:36.779 your AI solution help the business make more 00:05:36.779 --> 00:05:40.040 money? Does it increase capacity? Open new markets. 00:05:40.459 --> 00:05:43.079 Find new leads. Direct line to revenue. Makes 00:05:43.079 --> 00:05:45.920 sense. What's number two? Second, time savings. 00:05:46.519 --> 00:05:49.399 But crucially, this has to be quantified, like 00:05:49.399 --> 00:05:51.660 really rigorously. Don't just say it saves time. 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:54.129 That's weak. You need to say, look. This saves 00:05:54.129 --> 00:05:57.269 your team 80 hours per month. At your average 00:05:57.269 --> 00:06:00.189 employee cost of X dollars per hour, that translates 00:06:00.189 --> 00:06:03.589 directly to $8 ,000 in hard labor costs avoided 00:06:03.589 --> 00:06:06.569 every single month. You turn time into dollars. 00:06:06.730 --> 00:06:09.350 Concrete numbers. Got it. And the third one, 00:06:09.449 --> 00:06:11.149 the one the source material says gets ignored 00:06:11.149 --> 00:06:13.790 all the time by newcomers. Ah, yes. The secret 00:06:13.790 --> 00:06:17.230 weapon. Risk and compliance. This is huge EE, 00:06:17.509 --> 00:06:19.810 especially when you're targeting serious established 00:06:19.810 --> 00:06:22.629 businesses. Mid -sized firms, large corporations. 00:06:23.449 --> 00:06:26.129 For them, safety, legal compliance, operational 00:06:26.129 --> 00:06:28.769 stability, these are non -negotiable. For its 00:06:28.769 --> 00:06:31.490 table stakes. Absolutely. Think about, say, a 00:06:31.490 --> 00:06:33.810 law firm or a financial services company, an 00:06:33.810 --> 00:06:36.089 AI that can review contracts and flag potential 00:06:36.089 --> 00:06:38.009 regulatory issues before they become problems. 00:06:38.209 --> 00:06:40.410 That's potentially saving them hundreds of thousands, 00:06:40.509 --> 00:06:43.110 maybe millions, in fines or litigation risk down 00:06:43.110 --> 00:06:45.870 the line. So positioning your solution as mitigating 00:06:45.870 --> 00:06:48.449 risk. It transforms the conversation. You're 00:06:48.449 --> 00:06:50.589 not just a nice -to -have efficiency tool anymore. 00:06:50.810 --> 00:06:52.910 You become essential, like an insurance person. 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:55.100 policy embedded in their operations. Okay. That 00:06:55.100 --> 00:06:58.360 completely reframes the value proposition. It's 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:00.399 not just about speed or cost. It's about safety 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:03.459 too. It does. Hugely important. So if the tech 00:07:03.459 --> 00:07:06.319 is commoditized and we need to focus on these 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:08.199 commercial outcomes using the critical three, 00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:12.500 why isn't just focusing on outcomes enough? Why 00:07:12.500 --> 00:07:15.600 the need for super sharp specialization on top 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:18.519 of that? Because being a generalist in this space, 00:07:18.660 --> 00:07:21.579 it's basically a death sentence now. You absolutely 00:07:21.579 --> 00:07:23.939 must specialize to become instantly referable. 00:07:24.180 --> 00:07:27.339 Look, having a really clear, defined niche, it 00:07:27.339 --> 00:07:30.139 acts like an automatic referral engine. The data 00:07:30.139 --> 00:07:32.439 we're seeing suggests that for these high -value 00:07:32.439 --> 00:07:35.120 AI firms, something like 80 % of their early 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:37.279 clients, they come directly from referral. 80%, 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:39.860 wow. But that only happens if people know exactly 00:07:39.860 --> 00:07:42.420 what you do. If you're just the AI guy or we 00:07:42.420 --> 00:07:45.740 help businesses use AI, you're instantly forgettable. 00:07:46.060 --> 00:07:47.600 Who are they going to refer you for? Anything. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:50.740 Nothing specific. Which brings us to this idea 00:07:50.740 --> 00:07:53.019 you mentioned, the Kevin Bacon strategy. Yeah. 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:55.019 Explain how that applies here as a fun analogy. 00:07:55.399 --> 00:07:58.019 Yeah. It works surprisingly well. You know the 00:07:58.019 --> 00:07:59.980 six degrees of Kevin Bacon game, right? Sure. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:02.139 It's all about connections. Yeah. A generalist's 00:08:02.139 --> 00:08:05.019 network kind of grows linearly. Maybe they tell 00:08:05.019 --> 00:08:07.199 a few people. But if you have a razor sharp, 00:08:07.259 --> 00:08:10.279 super specific niche, your brand gets plugged 00:08:10.279 --> 00:08:12.959 into the network effect. Exponential growth. 00:08:13.500 --> 00:08:17.060 Here's the test. Ask yourself this. If your five 00:08:17.060 --> 00:08:21.180 closest friends or maybe five key business contacts 00:08:21.180 --> 00:08:24.079 were asked exactly what you do professionally, 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:28.379 would they all give the same consistent, specific 00:08:28.379 --> 00:08:31.579 answer? Ah, okay. So if the answer isn't something 00:08:31.579 --> 00:08:33.620 really concrete like, I don't know, oh, she's 00:08:33.620 --> 00:08:36.159 the expert in AI -powered lead scoring for sauce 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:38.519 companies or he does the WhatsApp automation 00:08:38.519 --> 00:08:41.370 systems for dental practices. Ew. If it's vague, 00:08:41.570 --> 00:08:43.509 your niche isn't strong enough. Exactly. It needs 00:08:43.509 --> 00:08:45.269 to be that specific because that kind of clarity 00:08:45.269 --> 00:08:47.669 means those 100 people in your immediate network, 00:08:47.850 --> 00:08:50.470 they suddenly become access points to maybe 10 00:08:50.470 --> 00:08:52.809 ,000 people in their networks. And when someone 00:08:52.809 --> 00:08:55.090 in that wider network had that specific problem, 00:08:55.370 --> 00:08:57.309 your name is the only one that comes up. Right. 00:08:57.370 --> 00:08:59.590 You become the go -to person for that one thing. 00:08:59.669 --> 00:09:01.529 That's the multiplication effect. That's the 00:09:01.529 --> 00:09:05.710 power of clarity. So choosing that niche. It 00:09:05.710 --> 00:09:07.830 sounds like maybe the single most important strategic 00:09:07.830 --> 00:09:10.169 decision you make early on. The sources mention 00:09:10.169 --> 00:09:12.710 four pillars for picking a good one. Let's walk 00:09:12.710 --> 00:09:15.210 through those. First one, specific and easy to 00:09:15.210 --> 00:09:18.750 explain. Yep. Use a simple formula. I help X 00:09:18.750 --> 00:09:22.070 your specific client type, get Y a specific quantifiable 00:09:22.070 --> 00:09:25.509 benefit. Keep it tight. Like your example, helping 00:09:25.509 --> 00:09:28.090 real estate agents get 20 qualified leads per 00:09:28.090 --> 00:09:31.029 month using AI. Clear promise. Easy to repeat. 00:09:31.370 --> 00:09:34.169 okay pillar number two target clients with more 00:09:34.169 --> 00:09:37.629 money than time this sounds Blunt, but probably 00:09:37.629 --> 00:09:40.190 necessary. It is. It's about discipline. You've 00:09:40.190 --> 00:09:41.929 got to consciously avoid the clients who are 00:09:41.929 --> 00:09:44.669 going to arm wrestle you over 500 pounds, as 00:09:44.669 --> 00:09:47.070 the source puts it. Aim for high -income professionals 00:09:47.070 --> 00:09:50.370 or larger businesses. We're dropping $10, $20K, 00:09:50.409 --> 00:09:53.029 $50 on a solution that genuinely saves them significant 00:09:53.029 --> 00:09:55.809 time or reduces major risk. It's a no -brainer 00:09:55.809 --> 00:09:57.830 investment for them, not a painful cost. But 00:09:57.830 --> 00:09:59.389 that discipline must be tough, especially when 00:09:59.389 --> 00:10:00.990 you're just starting out, right? Saying no to 00:10:00.990 --> 00:10:03.909 smaller, easier gigs. Oh, it's incredibly tough. 00:10:04.539 --> 00:10:06.440 But the sources argue, and I think they're right, 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:08.700 that if you get bogged down in those low -value 00:10:08.700 --> 00:10:11.159 projects early on, you just get stuck in that 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:13.220 commodity mindset. You never escape. Which leads 00:10:13.220 --> 00:10:16.139 nicely to the third pillar, leverage your 1 % 00:10:16.139 --> 00:10:18.500 skill set. This is about using what you already 00:10:18.500 --> 00:10:20.740 know. Exactly. What's your unfair advantage? 00:10:21.019 --> 00:10:24.179 Did you spend 15 years in logistics or healthcare 00:10:24.179 --> 00:10:27.970 administration? Education. Whatever it is, that 00:10:27.970 --> 00:10:30.750 deep industry knowledge, that's gold. You already 00:10:30.750 --> 00:10:33.110 understand the nuances, the jargon, the real 00:10:33.110 --> 00:10:35.389 pain points of that industry way better than 00:10:35.389 --> 00:10:38.350 any generic AI consultant ever could. Lean into 00:10:38.350 --> 00:10:40.070 that. Makes sense. Don't start from scratch if 00:10:40.070 --> 00:10:42.029 you don't have to. And the final pillar. Pillar 00:10:42.029 --> 00:10:45.610 four, deep problem understanding. Once you have 00:10:45.610 --> 00:10:48.230 your niche client, X, and your unfair advantage, 00:10:48.490 --> 00:10:51.169 you need to build your entire business. Your 00:10:51.169 --> 00:10:53.350 content, your marketing, your actual service 00:10:53.350 --> 00:10:56.350 around solving the top, say, three problems that 00:10:56.350 --> 00:10:58.110 genuinely keep those clients awake at night. 00:10:58.230 --> 00:11:00.029 What are their biggest operational headaches? 00:11:00.250 --> 00:11:02.710 Focus relentlessly on those. Okay, that makes 00:11:02.710 --> 00:11:05.529 a lot of sense. Niche down, focus on high -value 00:11:05.529 --> 00:11:07.509 clients, use your background, solve their biggest 00:11:07.509 --> 00:11:11.490 problems. But what about proof? new firm they 00:11:11.490 --> 00:11:14.090 need case studies testimonials how do you get 00:11:14.090 --> 00:11:16.889 that crucial first bit of credibility ah great 00:11:16.889 --> 00:11:20.009 question for that very first client the playbook 00:11:20.009 --> 00:11:22.269 suggests using what they call the ban strategy 00:11:22.269 --> 00:11:28.100 ban by any means necessary okay Tell me more. 00:11:28.220 --> 00:11:30.519 This involves the free client strategy, doesn't 00:11:30.519 --> 00:11:32.840 it? It does. And look, this isn't about working 00:11:32.840 --> 00:11:35.360 for free forever. It's a very specific strategic 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:38.299 investment. You find that ideal first client 00:11:38.299 --> 00:11:40.840 in your perfect niche, and you offer to do the 00:11:40.840 --> 00:11:43.080 initial project either for free or maybe just 00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:45.440 at cost. Why? Because your payment isn't cash 00:11:45.440 --> 00:11:47.679 right then. Your payment is a killer case study, 00:11:47.820 --> 00:11:50.539 detailed metrics, quantifiable results, and a 00:11:50.539 --> 00:11:52.960 glowing on -camera testimonial from that happy 00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:55.779 client, that documented success story. That's 00:11:55.779 --> 00:11:57.600 worth far, far more than that. the fee you gave 00:11:57.600 --> 00:11:59.299 up initially. Because it lets you leapfrog the 00:11:59.299 --> 00:12:01.639 credibility gap. Exactly. It lets you immediately 00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:05.100 start pitching those high ticket $10K plus projects 00:12:05.100 --> 00:12:07.460 to subsequent clients because you have tangible 00:12:07.460 --> 00:12:09.860 proof that you deliver results in their specific 00:12:09.860 --> 00:12:12.259 world. It's an investment in your future pricing 00:12:12.259 --> 00:12:15.059 power. Okay. That's a clever, if maybe slightly 00:12:15.059 --> 00:12:17.279 scary way to kick things off. So once we have 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.080 the niche dialed in and we've maybe got that 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:22.519 first crucial case study. What's the actual blueprint 00:12:22.519 --> 00:12:25.519 for building this recurring revenue system, the 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:27.720 sustainable model? Right. You need a structure. 00:12:27.799 --> 00:12:30.480 The playbook lays out a really clear four component 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:32.799 model. And it starts, interestingly, not with 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:35.080 sales calls, but with media and then a structured 00:12:35.080 --> 00:12:37.139 paid diagnostic phase. All right. Let's map out 00:12:37.139 --> 00:12:39.100 this four part structure. The sources are calling 00:12:39.100 --> 00:12:42.519 this the 2026 success formula for AI businesses. 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:45.840 Component one, media. Two, diagnostic. Three, 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:48.639 transformation. And four, recurring revenue. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:51.159 Walk us through it. Okay. Component one. Media 00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:53.059 and content. This is about building a brand, 00:12:53.179 --> 00:12:55.759 not just, you know, a service business. You need 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:58.379 to be putting out free, genuinely valuable content. 00:12:58.500 --> 00:13:00.460 Think LinkedIn articles, maybe YouTube videos, 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:03.899 webinars, whatever fits your niche. And the key 00:13:03.899 --> 00:13:06.740 is that this content is laser focused on solving 00:13:06.740 --> 00:13:09.080 problems for your specific niche avatar. But 00:13:09.080 --> 00:13:11.299 precisely. You're not trying to reach everyone. 00:13:11.620 --> 00:13:14.240 You're demonstrating your expertise to your ideal 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:16.860 clients before they even talk to you. And the 00:13:16.860 --> 00:13:18.759 leads that come from this kind of content, they're 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:20.419 already warm. They kind of know you. They trust 00:13:20.419 --> 00:13:23.120 you a bit. The sales conversation is way easier. 00:13:23.299 --> 00:13:25.259 Okay, that makes sense. Build authority through 00:13:25.259 --> 00:13:27.879 content. What's component two? This is where 00:13:27.879 --> 00:13:30.360 the shift really happens, you said. The diagnostic 00:13:30.360 --> 00:13:33.860 model. This is critical. You have to stop acting 00:13:33.860 --> 00:13:36.940 like a salesperson pushing a solution and start 00:13:36.940 --> 00:13:40.039 acting like a doctor. You sell a paid diagnostic 00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:43.440 or audit. This might be a one week, maybe up 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:45.929 to a four week engagement. Paid. So they pay 00:13:45.929 --> 00:13:47.929 you before you even propose the main solution. 00:13:48.169 --> 00:13:51.129 Yes. And the goal of this diagnostic is to genuinely, 00:13:51.129 --> 00:13:53.750 deeply understand the client's internal processes, 00:13:54.149 --> 00:13:57.330 their workflows, their real bottlenecks. Here's 00:13:57.330 --> 00:14:00.009 the thing. Many businesses don't actually understand 00:14:00.009 --> 00:14:02.710 their own operations that well. Your audit maps 00:14:02.710 --> 00:14:05.629 it out for them. So the output of this paid diagnostic 00:14:05.629 --> 00:14:08.750 is valuable in itself. Immensely valuable. But 00:14:08.750 --> 00:14:11.850 here's the crucial step. The report, the output 00:14:11.850 --> 00:14:15.070 of that diagnostic. It absolutely must be organized 00:14:15.070 --> 00:14:17.909 by ROI, return on investment. Okay, what does 00:14:17.909 --> 00:14:20.129 that look like, organized by ROI? It means you 00:14:20.129 --> 00:14:22.110 don't just list problems. You list potential 00:14:22.110 --> 00:14:24.470 solutions or improvements. And for each one, 00:14:24.549 --> 00:14:27.909 you estimate the likely cost to implement, the 00:14:27.909 --> 00:14:30.610 time to deliver, how long it will take, and most 00:14:30.610 --> 00:14:32.929 importantly, the expected value or financial 00:14:32.929 --> 00:14:36.629 return. Quantified. Ah, so the diagnostic report 00:14:36.629 --> 00:14:39.429 itself becomes a clear, prioritized blueprint 00:14:39.429 --> 00:14:42.110 for action. It shows the client exactly where 00:14:42.110 --> 00:14:44.190 the biggest bangs for their buck are. You got 00:14:44.190 --> 00:14:45.909 it. It basically sells the next phase for you. 00:14:46.009 --> 00:14:48.450 Whoa, okay, I can see that. Imagine scaling a 00:14:48.450 --> 00:14:51.190 system where the diagnostic itself is this highly 00:14:51.190 --> 00:14:54.289 valuable paid product, and it inherently builds 00:14:54.289 --> 00:14:56.649 trust and naturally leads the client to the next 00:14:56.649 --> 00:14:59.629 step. That's powerful. It is, because it leads 00:14:59.629 --> 00:15:02.470 seamlessly into component three, transformation. 00:15:03.159 --> 00:15:05.299 The client has paid you for the blueprint. They've 00:15:05.299 --> 00:15:08.019 seen the ROI calculations. They trust your analysis. 00:15:08.500 --> 00:15:11.480 So the natural next step is for them to pay you 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:14.440 to actually execute that plan, to implement the 00:15:14.440 --> 00:15:16.860 solutions you identified and take them from their 00:15:16.860 --> 00:15:19.240 current state to that optimized future state. 00:15:19.340 --> 00:15:21.639 The actual building and implementation phase. 00:15:21.860 --> 00:15:23.740 Right. Based on the roadmap, they already paid 00:15:23.740 --> 00:15:26.039 for and approved. Okay. And finally, component 00:15:26.039 --> 00:15:28.340 four, the one that makes it sustainable, recurring 00:15:28.340 --> 00:15:31.399 revenue. Yep. Once the main transformation project 00:15:31.399 --> 00:15:34.080 is done, you don't just walk away. You need to 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:36.320 build in long -term revenue streams. We're talking 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:39.720 those $3 ,000, $5 ,000, $10 ,000 plus monthly 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:41.820 contracts. And what are those typically for? 00:15:42.259 --> 00:15:45.500 Maintenance, support. It can be a mix. Ongoing 00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:47.519 maintenance and optimization of the AI systems, 00:15:47.659 --> 00:15:50.289 yeah. dedicated support hours, but also potentially 00:15:50.289 --> 00:15:52.590 things like specialized training or education 00:15:52.590 --> 00:15:54.690 platforms to help their team use the new systems 00:15:54.690 --> 00:15:57.129 effectively. Maybe access to ongoing updates 00:15:57.129 --> 00:15:59.370 or new features. It locks in the relationship 00:15:59.370 --> 00:16:03.350 and ensures predictable income. Got it. So media 00:16:03.350 --> 00:16:06.070 builds awareness, diagnostic builds trust and 00:16:06.070 --> 00:16:09.370 the plan, transformation executes the plan, and 00:16:09.370 --> 00:16:12.029 recurring revenue sustains the relationship and 00:16:12.029 --> 00:16:15.080 the business. That's the flywheel. Yeah. But 00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:17.200 success hinges on avoiding those pitfalls we 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:19.679 touched on earlier. Remember, don't fall back 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:21.899 into the technical trap. Stop leading with features. 00:16:22.059 --> 00:16:24.240 Avoid the commodity mindset. Don't compete just 00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:26.879 on price. And always resist the solution -first 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:30.000 approach. Diagnose first, then prescribe every 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:32.500 time. So if we zoom out, the really big idea 00:16:32.500 --> 00:16:35.620 here, the fundamental shift, is moving away from 00:16:35.620 --> 00:16:37.740 just being a transactional vendor selling AI 00:16:37.740 --> 00:16:40.240 tools or one -off projects and moving towards 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:42.480 being a consultative strategic partner. This 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:44.179 whole four -part system we just walked through. 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:47.039 Media, diagnostic transformation, recurring revenue 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:49.519 creates this powerful flywheel. It's what builds 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:52.019 a scalable, resilient, high value business in 00:16:52.019 --> 00:16:54.139 this space. So the old way was kind of selling 00:16:54.139 --> 00:16:56.059 generic tools, doing one off projects, maybe 00:16:56.059 --> 00:16:58.659 positioning based just on we know AI tech. Yep. 00:16:58.679 --> 00:17:00.659 Competing on features, often getting squeezed 00:17:00.659 --> 00:17:04.200 on price. Very precarious. And the new way is. 00:17:04.670 --> 00:17:08.349 Selling clear commercial outcomes. Leading with 00:17:08.349 --> 00:17:10.809 that paid diagnostic to build deep understanding 00:17:10.809 --> 00:17:13.589 and trust. And having that laser sharp niche 00:17:13.589 --> 00:17:16.609 specialization that makes you the obvious, instantly 00:17:16.609 --> 00:17:19.130 referable choice for a specific problem. That's 00:17:19.130 --> 00:17:21.490 the path forward. Success in this market, especially 00:17:21.490 --> 00:17:23.369 as it matures over the next couple of years, 00:17:23.529 --> 00:17:25.509 it's absolutely going to belong to those who 00:17:25.509 --> 00:17:28.250 make this shift now. Those who focus on delivering 00:17:28.250 --> 00:17:30.269 transformation and building those real strategic 00:17:30.269 --> 00:17:32.650 partnerships. So maybe a final thought for everyone 00:17:32.650 --> 00:17:34.960 listening to Mull Over. Forget the tech for a 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:38.180 second. What is the single biggest, most painful 00:17:38.180 --> 00:17:41.460 operational bottleneck that you know keeps your 00:17:41.460 --> 00:17:44.460 ideal niche client awake at night? Start right 00:17:44.460 --> 00:17:47.349 there. Think about how you could apply that critical 00:17:47.349 --> 00:17:50.369 three framework revenue, time savings, risk mitigation, 00:17:50.549 --> 00:17:53.049 directly to solving that specific pain point. 00:17:53.150 --> 00:17:56.009 And then start sketching out what your paid diagnostic 00:17:56.009 --> 00:17:58.970 offering could look like for that problem. It's 00:17:58.970 --> 00:18:01.490 time to move beyond the commodity market. Now 00:18:01.490 --> 00:18:03.589 is the moment. Well said. Thanks for joining 00:18:03.589 --> 00:18:06.089 us on this deep dive into the AI operating system 00:18:06.089 --> 00:18:09.069 playbook. Hope it was valuable. Outiro music.