Could you give me an insight or framework you use when mapping processes to automate or optimize for a client on a discovery call?
The first thing I do is ask the client to walk me through all of their existing processes. I then focus on the steps that actually move revenue, not the ones they think matter but don’t. I map the entire customer journey—from the very first touch point (whether it’s an ad, email, referral, DM, or social post) through every interaction until the engagement ends. I look at what I’m sending the client, how I manage the relationship, and the actions that directly drive revenue. I keep the 80/20 principle in mind, concentrating on the customer’s experience and the revenue‑generating activities. Once that core journey is clear, I add admin, logistical, and other automations as needed, and then look for automation opportunities that help with reach, acquisition, conversion, closing, or long‑term re‑activation.
We already work with any industry on anything they need—AI systems, business software, automations. The simplest way to start productizing is not to invent a new service, but to look at what you’ve already delivered that clients liked and double down on that. Make a list of every project you’ve done over the past year, pull the email threads, project files, and note the industries and types of work. Patterns will emerge: you’ll see which systems you built most often and, more importantly, which ones generated the most revenue. Use that data to decide which services to package. Then, reach out to the clients you built those high‑value systems for, remind them of the results, and ask for referrals and repeat business. Reactivating past clients is a low‑effort way to generate upsells—typically a 3‑4% uptake rate, and I’ve seen 15‑20% when I first started. Identify the most profitable, least time‑intensive product you’ve created—often an automated follow‑up agent or similar—and turn it into a repeatable checklist or product. Streamline the delivery: ask if you really need three discovery calls or if a single call or a form will suffice, reducing time investment and allowing you to raise prices, which is pure leverage. In short, catalog your past work, find the high‑margin, low‑effort services, market them to similar clients, reactivate old customers, and refine the process into a sellable product.
Sure. I walk a new client through their entire customer pipeline, starting with the very first touchpoint—whether that’s a referral, a PPC ad, a Facebook lead form, or another channel. I ask them to map out each stage their customers go through, from the initial contact to the final sale. Once someone opts in, we immediately send an email and an SMS, aiming to follow up within about 15 minutes. Quick response is critical; getting back to a prospect within a minute can boost your close rate three to four times. I then diagram the lead‑generation channels—cold email, PPC, referrals, trade shows, etc.—and outline how each feeds into the sales process. After the lead is qualified, we move into onboarding and service fulfillment, breaking down each step (creative, copy, Q&A, client approvals, retention) so the client knows exactly what to expect. I usually sketch this pipeline on a whiteboard during the call so we both have a visual reference for the entire workflow.
client onboardingpipelinelead generationresponse time
Lead‑generation and client‑onboarding systems make up roughly 70% of my revenue, so I focus on those bottlenecks first. The flow is: generate leads, close the sale, onboard the client, fulfill the work, then retain the client with follow‑up. AI agents are getting better, but the real money comes from solving concrete bottlenecks, not fancy chatbots. My process is simple: look at an average business’s pipeline, identify the biggest bottleneck, and ask how you can do that step faster or better. I often reference the Theory of Constraints (see "The Goal" by Eli Goldratt) to frame this. Most bottlenecks are at the top of the funnel—lead generation—so start there. For each bottleneck, map what’s currently being done and brainstorm ways to automate or accelerate it. Specific tools help, but the core is understanding the pipeline and continuously removing constraints.
In my opinion you should focus on four steps, which I call RACE: Reach, Acquire, Convert, and Expand. Reach means increasing the number of eyeballs on a brand, for example by building systems that speed up ad creation or organic content production. Acquire is turning those eyeballs into interest, such as implementing a speed‑to‑lead system that contacts a prospect within seconds, or using follow‑up sequences and AI‑driven chat tools. Convert involves sales‑flow systems like proposals, quotes, and daily check‑ins that push a prospect toward a yes or no, even using sales‑coaching scripts that keep you on track. Expand is about extracting more revenue from existing clients through routine audits, re‑activations, or upsells. By prioritising these high‑revenue systems first, you’ll see far greater results than focusing on low‑impact automation.