The Automation Workflow Playbook: 5 Systems That Print Money

Why Automation Consulting is Still Underpriced

Despite years of hype, most SMBs still run core processes manually. The gap between what's possible and what's deployed is enormous — and that gap is your opportunity.

The 5 Workflows

1. Lead Enrichment Pipeline

Stack: Clay + GPT-4o + HubSpot + Slack

Price: $2,500 setup + $299/month

What it does: Automatically enriches CRM leads with LinkedIn data, company intelligence, and AI-generated outreach angles.

2. Invoice Processing System

Stack: Google Drive + Claude API + QuickBooks + Make

Price: $1,500 setup + $199/month

What it does: Reads invoice PDFs, extracts line items, categorizes expenses, and posts to accounting software.

3. Content Repurposing Engine

Stack: Descript + ElevenLabs + Buffer + Make

Price: $1,200 setup + $149/month

What it does: Converts long-form video to short clips, transcripts, blog posts, and social captions automatically.

4. Customer Onboarding Flow

Stack: Typeform + GPT-4o + Notion + Slack + Email

Price: $2,000 setup + $249/month

What it does: Collects client info, generates personalized onboarding docs, and triggers team notifications.

5. Competitive Intelligence Monitor

Stack: Perplexity API + Make + Notion + Slack

Price: $800 setup + $99/month

What it does: Monitors competitor websites, pricing pages, and job boards — delivers weekly intelligence reports.

The Business Model

Sell the setup once. Charge monthly for maintenance and updates. Target 10 clients at $200/month average = $2,000 MRR with very low ongoing labor.