AI Prompts for Consultants

Write a consulting proposal for a prospective client based on these details:

Client / company: [name and what they do]
Business problem they want solved: [describe the problem in their words]
Desired outcome: [what success looks like for them]
My services / approach: [how you would tackle it]
Engagement length: [weeks/months]
Budget or fee range: [amount, or "to be proposed"]
My relevant experience: [1-2 real proof points]

Structure the proposal as:
1. Situation - restate their problem so they feel understood (2-3 sentences)
2. Objectives - the specific outcomes this engagement will deliver
3. Approach - the phases of work and what happens in each
4. Deliverables - the concrete artifacts they receive
5. Timeline - phases mapped to weeks
6. Investment - the fee and what it includes
7. Why me - a short credibility paragraph using only the proof points I gave

Requirements:
- Lead with their problem and outcome, not my process
- Write in plain business English, no jargon or filler
- Keep it under 700 words
- Do not invent metrics, fees, client names, or results I did not provide; if I gave no fee, write [FEE TO BE CONFIRMED] instead of guessing
- End with a single clear next step

Create a discovery-call question set for a prospective consulting client.

Prospect / company: [name and industry]
What I know so far: [the problem or goal they mentioned]
Type of work I offer: [e.g. strategy, operations, marketing, finance]
Call length: [30 / 45 / 60 minutes]

Produce:
1. An opening (2-3 sentences) to set the agenda and put them at ease
2. 8-10 discovery questions grouped into:
   - Current state (what is happening now)
   - Impact (the cost of the problem, why it matters now)
   - Past attempts (what they have already tried)
   - Decision process (who is involved, budget, timeline)
3. Three follow-up probes I can use when an answer is vague
4. A closing that summarizes and proposes a next step

Requirements:
- Questions must be open-ended, not yes/no
- Order them so easy, rapport-building questions come first
- Keep each question to one sentence
- Avoid leading questions that assume my solution

Write a standalone executive summary for a client deliverable based on my findings. It should stand on its own at the top of a deck or as the body of an email, readable without the full report.

Engagement: [what the project was about]
Audience: [e.g. CEO, board, department head]
Key findings: [paste 3-6 findings in your own words]
Recommendations: [your top recommendations]
Decision or action needed from them: [what you want them to do]

The executive summary should:
- Open with the single most important takeaway in 1-2 sentences
- Summarize the situation and why it matters (2-3 sentences)
- Present the key findings as a short bulleted list
- State the recommendations clearly, in priority order
- End with the specific decision or next step required

Requirements:
- One page maximum (250-350 words)
- Write for a busy executive who will read only this page
- Use only the findings and numbers I provided; do not invent data
- Confident, neutral tone; no hedging and no hype

Draft a Statement of Work (SOW) for a consulting engagement.

Client: [name]
Consultant: [your name / firm]
Project objective: [one-sentence goal]
In-scope work: [list the activities you will do]
Deliverables: [list the artifacts you will hand over]
Timeline / milestones: [phases and dates]
Fees and payment schedule: [amount and when it is due]
Client responsibilities: [what the client must provide - data, access, approvals]

Structure the SOW with these sections:
1. Overview and objective
2. Scope of work (numbered activities)
3. Deliverables (with acceptance criteria)
4. Out of scope (explicitly list what is NOT included)
5. Timeline and milestones
6. Fees, payment schedule, and expenses
7. Client responsibilities and dependencies
8. Assumptions and change-request process

Requirements:
- Be specific about what is and is not included to prevent scope creep
- Write an explicit "Out of scope" section even if I did not list items; infer reasonable exclusions and mark them for my review
- Use clear, contractual language but keep it readable
- This is a draft for me to review, not legal advice; flag anything ambiguous with [REVIEW: ...] so I can confirm or run it past counsel before sending

Turn my raw analysis into a structured, client-ready report.

Project: [what you were engaged to do]
Client audience: [who will read this]
Raw notes / analysis: [paste your findings, data points, observations]
Context the client cares about: [budget, timeline, politics, risk tolerance]

Produce a report with:
1. Executive summary (3-4 sentences)
2. Background and objectives
3. Findings - each as a short heading, 2-3 sentences of explanation, and the evidence behind it
4. Analysis - what the findings mean together
5. Recommendations - prioritized, each with the expected benefit and a rough level of effort
6. Suggested next steps and a proposed timeline

Requirements:
- Keep each section tight; a client should grasp each finding in under 30 seconds
- Preserve every number and fact exactly as I gave it; do not add data
- Where my notes are thin, mark [NEEDS MORE DETAIL] rather than filling gaps with assumptions
- Professional, direct tone; no filler transitions and no hype

Design a workshop agenda for a client session I am facilitating.

Workshop topic / goal: [the outcome you need by the end]
Participants: [roles and how many]
Total duration: [e.g. half day, 2 hours]
Format: [in person / virtual]
What must be true when we finish: [decisions made or artifacts produced]

Produce:
1. A one-line objective statement
2. A timed agenda in a table: time block, activity, format (discussion / exercise / breakout), and the output of each block
3. For each working session, a short facilitation note (the question to pose and how to run it)
4. Materials and prep needed beforehand
5. A closing block that captures decisions, owners, and next steps

Requirements:
- Every block must produce a concrete output, not just "discussion"
- Build in at least one break for sessions over 90 minutes
- Alternate presenting with hands-on exercises to keep energy up
- Make the time blocks add up to the total duration I gave

Create a diagnostic framework I can use to assess a client's situation.

Domain I am assessing: [e.g. sales pipeline, ops efficiency, brand, finance function]
Client type: [industry, size]
What a healthy outcome looks like in this domain: [your definition of good]
How I will use it: [self-assessment, interview guide, scorecard]

Produce:
1. 4-6 assessment dimensions (the categories that determine health in this domain)
2. For each dimension: a one-line definition and 3-4 diagnostic questions or criteria
3. A simple scoring scale (e.g. 1-5) with what each level means
4. A short guide to interpreting the overall pattern of scores
5. The 2-3 highest-leverage areas to probe first, and why

Requirements:
- Dimensions must be distinct, not overlapping
- Make it practical enough to use in a live client conversation
- Ground it in how this domain actually works, not generic business-speak
- Keep the whole framework to something I can fit on two pages

Write a follow-up email after a client or prospect meeting.

Recipient: [name and role]
Meeting purpose: [what it was about]
What we discussed / agreed: [key points]
Action items and owners: [who is doing what, by when]
My next step to move this forward: [proposal, scope, intro, etc.]
Relationship stage: [prospect / active client / long-term client]

The email should:
- Thank them briefly and reference one specific thing from the conversation
- Recap the key decisions and agreed action items as a short list with owners
- Confirm my next step and when they will receive it
- Propose a specific time or trigger for the next touchpoint
- Match the relationship stage in tone (more formal for prospects)

Requirements:
- Under 150 words
- Skimmable: use a short list for action items
- No filler openings like "I hope this email finds you well"
- End with one clear ask, not several

Write a case study from a completed consulting engagement.

Client (or anonymized descriptor): [name, or "a mid-size SaaS company"]
Their situation before: [the problem, in specifics]
What I did: [your approach and key actions]
Results: [outcomes - use ONLY real numbers you provide; leave blank if none]
Client quote (only if real): [paste it, or leave blank]
Confidentiality: [can I name them? yes / no]

Structure the case study as:
1. Headline - the outcome in one line
2. Challenge - the situation and the stakes
3. Approach - what I did and why, in 3-4 steps
4. Results - what changed (qualitative if I gave no numbers)
5. Optional pull quote

Requirements:
- If confidentiality is "no", keep the client anonymous throughout
- Do NOT invent results, percentages, or quotes; if I left results blank, write the outcome qualitatively and add [ADD METRICS IF AVAILABLE]
- 300-450 words
- Written to build trust with a similar prospect, not to brag

Help me think through pricing and scope for a potential engagement. This is an internal working note, not a client document.

Prospect and problem: [who and what]
What they have asked for: [their request]
My best guess at the real scope: [what it will actually take]
Pricing model I am considering: [hourly / fixed / retainer / value-based]
My rough time estimate: [hours or weeks]
My target rate or fee: [amount]
Risks or unknowns: [anything that could expand the work]

Produce:
1. A scope breakdown: the phases / tasks and rough effort for each
2. Where scope creep is most likely, and how to fence it in the SOW
3. 2-3 pricing options I could present (e.g. good / better / best), each with what is included and a rationale
4. Questions I should get answered before I quote
5. A recommended option with a one-paragraph rationale

Requirements:
- Be honest about where my time estimate is probably too optimistic
- Do not invent market-rate data; reason only from the numbers I gave
- Think like an experienced independent consultant protecting both the margin and the relationship

Write a short outreach email to a potential consulting client.

Recipient: [name, role, company]
Why them / trigger: [something specific - a hire, a launch, a public comment, a referral]
The problem I help with: [the pain you solve]
Relevant proof: [one real result or credential]
What I want from this email: [usually a 20-minute call]
Warm or cold: [do we have a connection?]

The email should:
- Open with the specific reason I am reaching out to THEM, not a generic hook
- Name the problem I help with in one sentence, in their language
- Offer one concrete, relevant proof point
- Make a low-friction ask (a short call, or a useful resource)
- Be genuinely easy to say no to

Requirements:
- Under 120 words
- No flattery, no "I will keep this brief," no buzzwords
- Sound like a real person who did their homework
- Use only the proof point I gave; do not invent results or credentials
- Give me a subject line under 6 words, plus one alternative

Write a decision memo that presents options and a recommendation to a client.

Decision to be made: [the choice in front of them]
Context: [background the reader needs]
Options I am evaluating: [list 2-4 options]
Criteria that matter to the client: [cost, speed, risk, fit, etc.]
My assessment of each option: [paste your notes]
My recommendation: [which one, and why]

Structure the memo as:
1. The decision and why it is on the table now (2-3 sentences)
2. Options overview - a comparison table scoring each option against the client's criteria
3. Trade-offs - the honest pros and cons of each option
4. Recommendation - the option you would choose and the reasoning
5. Risks of the recommended path and how to mitigate them
6. The next step to move forward

Requirements:
- Present the options fairly before revealing my recommendation
- Use only my assessments; do not introduce new facts or numbers
- Make the trade-offs explicit; a good memo shows the reader the thinking
- Keep it under 600 words, written for a decision-maker