Before you hire a consultant for anything, brand, marketing, technology, or AI, get five things in writing: what you get, who does it, what it costs, what you own, and how you get out.
What should I ask before hiring a consultant?
The questions, grouped by what they protect:
- Scope. What exactly will I have at the end? What is not included? What happens if we need more?
- People. Who does the work day to day? Can I meet them before I sign? Who do I call when something goes wrong?
- Money. Is it fixed price, hourly, or monthly? When do I pay? Can I pay over time? What makes the price go up?
- Ownership. Do I own the files, the code, the accounts, and the data when we are done? Is that in the agreement?
- The exit. How much notice does either side give? What do I get if we stop halfway?
Why does scope matter more than price?
Because a low price with a vague scope turns into a high price later. "Brand strategy" can mean a one-page positioning statement or a program that runs for months. Ask for the list of things you will be holding at the end. If they cannot write that list, they do not know yet what they are selling you.
What should I ask about money?
How the price is set and what changes it. My terms, so you have something to compare against: prices are on the site, hourly is $150, anything over $3,000 can be paid by the month while the work runs with no interest, and small first jobs come off a bigger job if you hire me for one within 90 days.
Watch for a price that only appears after "discovery," and for change orders that are not defined up front.
What should I ask about the exit?
Every engagement ends. Ask how. A good answer names a notice period, says what happens to work in progress, and says you keep everything paid for. For monthly seats I set a minimum so both sides have a fair test and a clean way out, and I say what it is before you sign.
Are the questions different for an AI consultant?
Add three. Where does my data go? What happens when the system gets something wrong? Who looks after it after you leave? How to choose an AI consultant covers which kind of AI help to hire, and how to tell if an AI consultant is full of it covers the warning signs on the first call.
What should I not do?
Do not sign a statement of work you could not explain to your bookkeeper. Do not accept "we will figure out the details as we go" on anything over a few thousand dollars. And do not skip the reference call because the pitch was good.
My terms are on the fractional executive page and on every service page. Ask me any of these questions on a call, or start on the start form.
Answered by Jared Lukes, Minneapolis. Twenty-five years in brand, UX, and technology, currently holding fractional AI and technology seats at three companies. About Jared.