How I Built a Consultancy Website Using Generative AI (And You Can Too)

Remember that guy who said generative AI is bullshit? Yeah, me neither!

Here’s the deal:

I just built a full-fledged consultancy website using generative AI. From scratch. In 48 hours. With a budget of $100.

No exaggeration. No Silicon Valley magic. Just a smart use of available tools.

Here’s how it went down:

Step 1: The Brief

I used Claude 3.5 Sonnet, but you can use any generative AI tool you’re comfortable with. The key is to be specific and clear in your instructions.

My initial prompt was: “Design a website for OGC Labs, a management consultancy firm. The site should have a professional appearance similar to McKinsey’s website but maintain my unique writing style. Focus on generating leads, enabling meeting bookings, and sharing insights through a blog.“

I also provided excerpts from my previous essays to help the AI understand my writing style.

Step 2: The Structure

The AI suggested a standard structure: homepage, about page, services, blog, and contact.

It also recommended tools to expedite the process:

• GoDaddy for domain purchase
• WordPress for website building and hosting
• Calendly for meeting scheduling
• Microsoft for email management. You can add this at the GoDaddy’s checkout as well.
• Unsplash for high-quality stock images
• Fiverr for logo and asset design

I decided to focus initially on the homepage, about page, and the blog.

Step 3: The Content

This is where AI really shines.

I provided my resume and asked the AI to “Create a professional bio that highlights my expertise without sounding boastful.“

The key here is to maintain consistency.

I used prompts like: “Rewrite this paragraph in the same style as the previous one” or “Adjust this section to match the tone of the homepage.“

Remember!

Always fact-check the AI’s output. It’s a tool, not an omniscient being.

Step 4: The Design

For design ideas, I asked the AI: “Suggest a modern, clean layout for a consultancy website. Include specific suggestions for colour schemes, typography, and user interface elements.“

The AI provided detailed suggestions, including recommendations for accessibility. It also guided me to resources like Unsplash for free stock images.

Pro tip: Don’t get hung up on making the AI produce exactly what’s in your head. Use its suggestions as a starting point and iterate from there.

Step 5: The Blog

To create blog content, I used prompts like: “Rewrite this article on [topic] to fit the style and tone of the OGC Labs website. Maintain the key points but adjust the language to be more concise and engaging.“

Again, fact-checking is crucial. AI can help structure and phrase your ideas, but the accuracy of the content is your responsibility.

Now, let’s be clear: AI didn’t replace human creativity here. I was the conductor, AI was my orchestra. I made the decisions about what to keep, what to discard, and what to enhance with my own insights.

Want to try it yourself?

Here are some more detailed prompts that worked well:

Create a homepage for a management consultancy firm. The tone should be professional yet approachable. Include sections for a brief company overview, key services, a call-to-action for booking consultations, and a teaser for the latest blog post.

Write an 'About Me' page for a consultant with 15 years of experience in the tech industry. Highlight key achievements and skills, but maintain a conversational tone. Include a brief personal anecdote to add personality.

Develop five service descriptions for a management consultancy firm. Each description should be 2-3 sentences long, clearly stating the service and its benefit to the client. Use active language and avoid jargon.

Create an outline for a blog post on the impact of AI in the consulting industry. Include an attention-grabbing introduction, 3-4 main points with brief explanations, and a conclusion with a call-to-action.

Pro tip: The more specific you are, the better the output.

Prompts such as “Make it good” always yield the worst results. This is also true in our daily lives because good is subjective.

However, if you say, “Make it sound like Gordon Ramsey reviewing a corporate retreat,” you’ll get gold.

Remember, specificity is key. The more details you provide, the better the output you’ll receive.

The best part of using AI in this process?

It freed up my time to focus on high-level strategy, innovation, and, yes, playing with my cat, Frankie.

To the AI skeptics out there: The ball’s in your court.

While you’re debating the merits of AI, I’ll be leveraging it to grow my business exponentially.

Interested in seeing the result or need guidance on integrating AI into your business processes?

Let’s talk.

Just don’t ask me to explain why GoDaddy is called GoDaddy. Some mysteries are best left unsolved.

Disclaimer

The third-party companies and products mentioned in this post (such as GoDaddy, WordPress, Calendly, Microsoft, Unsplash, and Fiverr) are referenced solely based on their utility and relevance to the topic. I am not affiliated with, endorsed by, or receiving any compensation from these companies. These mentions are personal recommendations based on my experience and are not paid promotions. Readers should conduct their own research before using any products or services.

The blog image is by Georgie Cobbs on Unsplash.