AI Consulting: What It Costs and Whether You Need It

Let’s talk money.

If you’re considering hiring an AI consultant, you probably have two questions: How much does it cost? and Is it worth it?

I’ll answer both honestly — even though the second answer might cost me a sale.

What AI Consulting Actually Costs

The market ranges wildly, but here’s a realistic breakdown for small business AI consulting (not enterprise, not agency):

Strategy/Advisory Sessions

Range: $200–1,000 per session
What you get: Workflow audit, tool recommendations, action plan
My price: $350

Implementation

Range: $1,000–10,000 per project
What you get: Tool setup, configuration, integration, team training
My price: $1,500–5,000 (varies by complexity)

Ongoing Support

Range: $500–5,000/month
What you get: Optimization, new tool integration, team support
My price: $500–2,500/month (varies by scope)

DIY (for comparison)

Cost: $0–200/month in tool subscriptions
Hidden cost: Your time (likely 20-40+ hours of research and setup)
Success rate: Mixed (many tools get abandoned)

How to Calculate Your ROI

AI consulting ROI is surprisingly easy to calculate. Here’s the formula:

Hours saved per week × hourly value × 4 weeks = monthly value

Example: If AI saves you 10 hours per week and your time is worth $75/hour, that’s $3,000/month in recovered productivity.

Compare that to the one-time cost of a strategy session ($350) or implementation ($1,500-5,000), and the math usually works out within the first 1-2 months.

Real Numbers from Real Clients

Bookkeeping firm (5 employees): Saved 12 hours/week on client onboarding. ROI positive in 3 weeks.
Dental practice (8 employees): Saved 8 hours/week on patient follow-ups. ROI positive in 6 weeks.
Real estate agent (solo): Saved 10 hours/week on listings and follow-ups. ROI positive in 1 week.

Do You Actually Need a Consultant?

Here’s where I’m honest: not everyone does.

You probably DON’T need a consultant if:

You only need help with ChatGPT or basic tools
Your main need is personal productivity (not business operations)
You have an IT person or tech-savvy team member who enjoys this stuff
Your budget is under $300 and you have time to DIY

You probably DO need a consultant if:

You’ve tried AI tools and they didn’t stick — You signed up, used it for a week, then forgot about it. A consultant ensures tools are properly integrated into your workflow.
You need tools to work together — Connecting your CRM to your email to your scheduling tool requires integration knowledge.
You handle sensitive data — Healthcare, legal, and financial businesses need compliance-vetted tools and proper data handling.
You don’t have time to research — The AI landscape changes weekly. A consultant stays current so you don’t have to.
You want results in weeks, not months — DIY has a long learning curve. A consultant compresses it.
You have a team that needs training — Getting 5-50 people to adopt new tools requires a plan, not just a login.

Red Flags When Hiring an AI Consultant

Not all consultants are created equal. Watch out for:

Vague deliverables — “We’ll explore AI opportunities” is not a deliverable. Look for specific outputs like tool recommendations, implementation plans, and training sessions.
Enterprise tools for small businesses — If someone is pushing Salesforce Einstein for a 5-person company, run.
No industry knowledge — AI for healthcare is different from AI for construction. Your consultant should understand your industry’s specific needs and regulations.
Long-term lock-in — You should own your tools and data. A good consultant builds you a system you can maintain independently.
Hype over substance — If they spend more time talking about AGI and the future than your specific workflows, they’re not focused on your business.

My Approach

I’ll tell you exactly what I do so you can compare:

Pre-session research — I learn about your business before we talk
Specific recommendations — Actual tool names and pricing, not categories
Written deliverables — Everything discussed is documented
Honest assessment — If AI won’t help a particular workflow, I’ll say so
Independence — I don’t take commissions from tool companies
Ownership — You own everything. No proprietary systems that require me to maintain

The Bottom Line

AI consulting is an investment. Like any investment, it should produce measurable returns.

For most small businesses spending $350 on a strategy session, the ROI question is almost trivial — if the session identifies even one workflow that saves 2 hours per week, it pays for itself in a month.

For implementation packages ($1,500-5,000), expect ROI within 1-3 months.

For ongoing retainers ($500-2,500/month), the value compounds over time as your AI stack grows more capable.

The real cost isn’t the consultant’s fee — it’s the cost of not doing anything while your competitors automate their way ahead.

Ready to see the math for your specific business? Book a strategy session and I’ll show you exactly where AI can save you time and money.