AI Consulting for Local Businesses

Walk down any main street in any town and look at the businesses: the dentist's office, the real estate agency, the auto repair shop, the restaurant, the law firm, the salon. Every single one of them has heard about AI. Almost none of them are using it. And the ones who are? They're barely scratching the surface. This is the biggest untapped opportunity in the AI economy, and it's sitting right in your neighborhood.

The Opportunity

Local businesses operate in a unique position when it comes to AI. They have real problems that AI can solve — customer communication, marketing, operations, data management, scheduling — but they lack three critical things:

• Knowledge: They don't know which AI tools exist, what they can do, or how to evaluate them.
• Time: Business owners are already stretched thin running daily operations. They don't have hours to research and experiment with AI tools.
• Technical confidence: Even when they find a promising tool, they're not sure how to set it up, integrate it with their existing systems, or train their team to use it.

You solve all three of those problems. You bring the knowledge, you do the work so they don't have to, and you give them the confidence that they're making smart decisions. That's the value of an AI consultant.

Services to Offer

AI consulting is a broad term. To stand out and deliver real value, you need a clear menu of specific services you can offer. Here are the five core services that local businesses need most:

AI Readiness Assessment

This is your entry point — the foot in the door. You evaluate the business's current operations, identify where AI could make the biggest impact, and deliver a prioritized list of recommendations. Think of it as a diagnostic checkup. The assessment typically takes 2–4 hours (including an on-site visit and a written report) and gives you deep insight into the business's pain points.

Tool Selection & Recommendation

Once you've identified the opportunities, the next question is "which tool should we use?" Business owners are overwhelmed by options. You research, compare, and recommend the right AI tools for their specific needs, budget, and technical comfort level. This saves them weeks of trial-and-error and prevents costly mistakes from choosing the wrong tool.

Workflow Design

This is where you design how AI fits into their daily operations. You map out the current workflow, identify the steps that AI can handle, and create a new workflow that integrates AI seamlessly. For example: a real estate agent's workflow might go from "manually write every listing description" to "use AI to draft descriptions, agent reviews and personalizes, then publishes." The result is faster output and consistent quality.

Team Training

Tools are useless if the team doesn't know how to use them. After implementing AI tools, you train the staff on how to use them effectively. This might be a 2-hour hands-on workshop, a series of short training sessions, or creating custom training documentation. This is also a natural extension of the tutoring skills from Lesson 2.

Ongoing Support

AI tools evolve, business needs change, and questions come up. Offering ongoing support — whether it's a monthly check-in, an email/chat support plan, or a retainer for continuous optimization — creates recurring revenue and deepens your client relationship. Businesses love having a "go-to AI person" they can call when they need help.

How to Approach Local Businesses

The biggest challenge isn't delivering value — it's getting your first conversation. Here's how to get in the door:

Networking

This is the most effective approach for local consulting. Attend local business events, join your Chamber of Commerce, participate in BNI or similar networking groups, and show up at industry meetups. When someone asks what you do, don't say "I'm an AI consultant." Say something like: "I help local businesses save 10–15 hours per week by setting up AI tools for them. Last week I helped a dentist's office automate their appointment reminders and patient follow-ups." Specific, results-oriented, and immediately interesting.

Cold Outreach

Identify businesses in your area that could benefit from AI (hint: all of them) and reach out directly. A short, personalized email or LinkedIn message works well:

"Hi [Name], I noticed [specific observation about their business — e.g., their website, their social media activity, their Google reviews]. I help local businesses like yours use AI to [specific benefit]. I'd love to show you a few quick wins that could save you hours every week. Would you be open to a 15-minute call?"

Keep it short, specific, and focused on their benefit. Avoid jargon. Follow up once if you don't hear back, then move on.

Chambers of Commerce

Your local Chamber of Commerce is a goldmine. Join as a member, attend their events, and offer to give a presentation on "How Local Businesses Can Use AI" at their next meeting. Chambers are always looking for speakers, and a 20-minute presentation positions you as the local AI expert instantly. Attendees will approach you afterward asking for help — those are your leads.

Business Associations

Industry-specific associations (restaurant owners' groups, dental associations, real estate boards, contractor networks) are even more targeted. When you speak to a group of restaurant owners about AI specifically for restaurants, every person in the room sees you as directly relevant to their problems. Specializing in one industry, even temporarily, makes your marketing much more effective.

Structuring Engagements

A clear engagement process makes you look professional, sets expectations, and ensures you deliver consistent value. Here's the proven five-step process:

Step 1: Discovery Call (Free, 15–30 minutes)

A no-pressure conversation to understand the business, their challenges, and their goals. Ask questions like: "What tasks eat up the most time for you and your team?" "Have you tried any AI tools?" "What would it mean for your business if you could save 10 hours per week?" The discovery call is about listening, not selling.

Step 2: Assessment ($200–$500)

If the discovery call reveals real opportunities, propose a formal AI readiness assessment. This includes a site visit or deep-dive video call, a review of their processes and tools, and a written report with prioritized recommendations. The assessment report is your deliverable — it shows the business owner exactly where AI can help and what the expected ROI would be.

Step 3: Recommendation & Proposal

Based on the assessment, present a clear proposal for implementation. Include: which tools you recommend, what the implementation timeline looks like, the expected results, and your pricing. Keep the proposal simple, visual, and focused on outcomes rather than technical details.

Step 4: Implementation ($500–$5,000+)

Roll up your sleeves and do the work. Set up the tools, configure the workflows, integrate with their existing systems, and run initial tests. This phase typically takes 1–4 weeks depending on complexity. Document everything you build so the team can reference it later.

Step 5: Training & Support ($200–$800/month)

Train the team, confirm everything works smoothly, and transition to an ongoing support arrangement. This is where the relationship becomes recurring revenue. Check in monthly, optimize what you've built, and identify new automation opportunities as they arise.

Pricing Your Consulting Services

Consulting pricing depends on the scope, the client, and your experience. Here are the three models you should offer:

Hourly Consulting

• Starting rate: $75–$150/hour
• Experienced rate: $150–$300/hour
• Best for: Ad-hoc questions, troubleshooting, small advisory sessions

Project Packages

• Starter package (assessment + 1 tool implementation): $500–$1,500
• Growth package (assessment + 2–3 implementations + training): $2,000–$5,000
• Full transformation (comprehensive assessment + full implementation + team training + 3 months support): $5,000–$15,000

Monthly Retainers

• Basic support: $200–$500/month (monthly check-in, email support, minor adjustments)
• Growth partner: $500–$1,500/month (weekly check-ins, ongoing optimization, new implementation each month)
• Fractional AI officer: $1,500–$3,000/month (dedicated AI strategy, full team support, unlimited consulting)

Start with project packages to build your portfolio and testimonials. As you gain experience and credibility, introduce retainers and raise your rates. Your first client might pay $500 for a starter package. Your tenth client might pay $5,000+ for a full transformation. The work is similar — your confidence and credibility are what change.