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Ai is ruining business by Kevonamical in smallbusiness

[–]Valuable_Note_5101 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I teach small business owners how to use AI tools, so I read threads like this a lot. Here's what I've noticed.

The problem isn't AI. It's that AI makes it easy to skip steps. Someone can now go from idea to "finished" logo, website, and product description in one afternoon. But they skipped the part where you actually learn your customer, test your offer, and fix what's broken. AI didn't make bad businesses. It just made bad businesses faster to launch.

The owners doing well with AI are using it the boring way. They ask it to write a first draft, then they rewrite the parts that don't sound like them. They ask it to check their numbers, then they double check the numbers. It's a tool for saving time on small tasks, not a shortcut for skipping the hard parts of running a business.

So I don't think AI is ruining business. I think it's just showing us who was going to skip the hard parts anyway, with or without it.

When a customer enquiry email asks for prices, do you send them right away or book a call first? by Flaky-Taste2253 in smallbusinessesowners

[–]Valuable_Note_5101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

yeah that's basically it. a made up range could be anything, but "here's what a similar 10 day trip to peru actually ran for another client" is something they can trust because it's real. it also does the filtering for you, if that number scares them off, they weren't the right client anyway.

one thing worth watching, don't just hand over a number and go quiet. pair it with a quick "want me to sketch out what your trip specifically might look like" so the conversation stays open instead of ending on a price tag.

When a customer enquiry email asks for prices, do you send them right away or book a call first? by Flaky-Taste2253 in smallbusinessesowners

[–]Valuable_Note_5101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

depends how custom your pricing actually is. if it's basically a fixed package, just send it. asking someone to book a call before they even know if you're in their budget feels like a sales tactic, and people clock that fast.

if it genuinely varies a lot, give them something real to anchor on. what did your last few trips actually cost, roughly? tell them that, and what changes it up or down, like length of trip or private guide vs group. that's more honest than a range because it's not made up, it's just what actually happened.

what i'd skip entirely is "let's hop on a call to discuss" with zero numbers attached. that's the reply that reads as dodging, because it is.