Two ways to deploy AI: One has a ceiling. The other has no limit.
my last post, I talked about why charging for "time" is a trap. You need to charge for value. But how do you calculate that value? Usually, AI projects fall into two specific buckets: 1. The "Efficiency" Play (Saving Money) This is the comfortable zone. It’s easy to scope and easy to sell. • "We automate data entry." • "We reduce support tickets by 30%." The math is linear: Hours saved x Hourly rate = Value It’s safe. But it’s finite. You can’t save more than 100% of a cost. There is a mathematical ceiling on the value you provide. 2. The "Growth" Play (Making Money) This is where the real leverage lives. • "We use AI to personalize cold outreach and double conversion." • "We build a predictive model to reduce churn." • "We create a new AI-driven revenue stream." The math here isn't linear; it’s exponential. If you increase conversion rates on a scalable product, the upside has no limit. The Trap: Most businesses (and consultants) get stuck in Bucket #1. They obsess over cutting costs. But you can’t shrink your way to greatness. If you want to sell "expensive, well-justified results," don't just look for where the client is bleeding cash. Look for where they are leaving money on the table. Efficiency pays the bills. Growth builds the empire.