F6.2 · AI Operator Lane · AI Workflow Build
The audit named the gaps. This is where the work gets built.
We design and install AI-driven marketing workflows matched to your audit findings. Content production pipelines, reporting automation, audience signal processing, ad creative generation. Fixed-scope project. $5,000–$15,000. Handed to your team in 3–5 weeks.
What the AI Workflow Build is
The AI Marketing Audit identifies which workflows are worth building and in what order. This engagement builds them. We take the ranked findings document, scope the work to your current stack, and install tested automation across whichever workflow categories the audit identified as highest-priority. The result is a running system your team operates from day one, not a deck of recommendations.
"Automation that your team cannot run without us has no value. The deliverable is a system they own."
Content Production Pipeline
Structured workflows that move research signals through drafting, review, and publish stages without manual coordination at each step.
Example: Brand-voice brief in, reviewed draft out, scheduled to CMS — operator approves, does not assemble.
Reporting Automation
Dashboards and scheduled digests that pull from ad platforms, CRM, and analytics into a single interpreted view. No manual data pulls.
Example: Weekly performance digest assembled and emailed to stakeholders before the Monday call, with variance flags.
Audience Signal Processing
Automated ingestion of behavioral signals, search trends, and CRM data that feeds segment updates and campaign triggers without analyst intervention.
Example: High-intent signal triggers a segment update in your ad platform the same day it appears, not next sprint.
Ad Creative Generation
Structured generation of copy variants, headline sets, and creative briefs from campaign parameters. Output goes into your existing review and approval flow.
Example: New campaign brief generates 12 headline variants and 4 body copy options in brand voice, ready for team review.
Workflow Architecture Document
A written map of every workflow built: inputs, logic, outputs, dependencies, and the rationale for each design decision. Not a diagram. A document your team can act on.
Tested Integrations
Workflows connected to your live stack and validated against real inputs before handoff. We run each integration through its failure modes before we call it done.
Operator Handoff Documentation
Step-by-step instructions for every workflow your team will run. Written for the person who will operate it, not for the person who built it. Includes common failure modes and fixes.
30-Day Post-Build Monitoring
We watch the installed workflows for the first 30 days, flag anomalies, and close gaps that surface in live operation. Included in all tiers. No additional fee.
The final fee is set during scoping, after we review the audit findings and your current stack. Three variables determine where in the $5,000–$15,000 range the project lands. No tier exists as a package — scope is set per engagement.
| Variable | What it means | Effect on scope |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow Categories | How many of the four categories (content, reporting, audience signals, ad creative) are included in the build. One category is the minimum. All four is the maximum. | Each additional category adds 1–2 build weeks and proportional fee. |
| Integration Depth | How many tools the workflow touches and how complex the connection is. A workflow connecting two tools via standard API is shallow. A workflow connecting five tools across two data environments is deep. | Deep integrations extend testing time and raise the floor on the fee. |
| Compliance Constraints | Whether the workflows touch data subject to HIPAA, FINRA, SEC, or similar regulated-industry rules. Compliance-constrained builds require additional architecture review. | Regulated-industry builds start at the upper half of the range. |
Typical engagement: Two workflow categories, moderate integration depth, no compliance constraints — $8,000–$10,000, 4 weeks.
Operating Principle
Operating Principle
"We build for operator independence. If the system requires us to run it, it is not finished."
No tool lock-in. Every workflow is built against tools you already control. We do not require proprietary platforms to run what we install.
Documentation is not optional. Handoff docs are written before the engagement closes. The test: your team runs the workflow without a call to us.
Ongoing engagement is a choice. The AI Stack Retainer exists for teams who want continued support. It is not required and is not assumed at the close of the build.
Five Build Phases
Every build follows the same five phases regardless of scope. The phases are sequential. We do not begin architecture before discovery is closed, and we do not hand off before testing is complete.
Client time requirements are light by design. Discovery requires a single structured session. Architecture review is asynchronous. Testing requires your team to validate outputs against known inputs — typically two to three hours over the build period. Handoff is a documented session, not an open-ended conversation.
The 30-day monitoring period begins on the day your team takes primary operation. We are on call for that window without additional billing.
Structured session to review audit findings, confirm stack access, and set scope. Output: signed scope document and kickoff brief.
Client time: 1 session · 60–90 min
We design each workflow in detail: inputs, decision points, outputs, failure handling. Delivered for your review before any build work begins.
Client time: Async review · 1–2 hours
Workflows are constructed and connected to your live stack. Access credentials are provisioned. We handle all integration work.
Client time: Credential provisioning · 30–60 min
Each workflow is tested against real inputs. Your team validates outputs. Handoff documentation is delivered and walked through in a recorded session.
Client time: 2–3 hours across testing window + 1 handoff session
We monitor installed workflows, respond to anomalies, and close gaps that emerge in live operation. Your team is primary operator. We are available throughout.
Client time: Flag issues as they arise · no standing meetings
We Build Into What You Already Use
The build does not require you to replace your current setup. We connect AI capability to the tools, teams, and channels you already have. Our default is to audit what is installed before recommending anything new.
In most engagements, nothing new is purchased. When a new tool is needed, we name it explicitly and justify the addition against the alternative of building within existing constraints.
Workflows that touch regulated data require architecture decisions that non-regulated builds do not. We scope these separately and price them in the upper portion of the $5,000–$15,000 range. If your industry is listed below, note it in the intake form.
Healthcare
HIPAA
Workflows touching patient data, health system communications, or provider marketing require HIPAA-compliant data handling at every integration point.
Financial Services
FINRA · SEC
Advisor marketing, fund communications, and retail investor content workflows are subject to FINRA and SEC communication standards. Disclosures and review gates are built into the workflow architecture.
Legal
Bar Rules · State Regulations
Attorney marketing workflows must comply with bar association advertising rules. Content generation workflows include approval gates that prevent publication of non-compliant materials.
Other Regulated
Sector-Specific
Real estate, insurance, pharma, and other regulated sectors are in scope. Specific constraints are identified during discovery and incorporated into the architecture document.
Recovered from manual content assembly, reporting compilation, and ad copy production after installing three workflow categories. The team reallocated the time to campaign strategy.
Series B SaaS · $9,500 build · 4 weeks
Increase in weekly ad creative variants tested after installing the ad creative generation workflow. No additional headcount.
D2C brand · $7,200 build
Reduction in reporting cycle from 28 days to 6 days after installing the reporting automation workflow. Weekly digest replaced the monthly PDF.
Regional services firm · $6,500 build
Focused single-category content pipeline build for a professional services firm. In operation within 3 weeks. Team of two runs it without external support.
Professional services · $5,500 build
This engagement is
- A fixed-scope project with a defined start, end, and deliverable set
- Scoped from your audit findings, not a generic template
- Built into your existing stack — agencies, tools, and channels stay
- Handed off with documentation your team runs without us
- Monitored for 30 days post-launch at no additional fee
- Available for regulated industries with appropriate architecture
This engagement is not
- A retainer or ongoing managed service (the AI Stack Retainer is that)
- A strategy or advisory engagement (the AI Marketing Audit is that)
- A tool replacement project — we connect to what you have
- A guarantee of specific output volume or revenue outcomes
- Appropriate for organizations without a prior diagnostic
- Available without a scoping conversation
Do I need to complete the AI Marketing Audit before the Workflow Build?
The audit is the standard entry point. It produces a ranked findings document that drives scope. Clients who arrive with a comparable prior diagnostic can discuss whether the audit is still needed during the scoping conversation.
What does the $5,000–$15,000 price range depend on?
Three variables: the number of workflow categories covered (content, reporting, audience signals, ad creative), the depth of integration into existing tools, and whether the project requires a regulated-industry compliance layer. All three are assessed during the scoping conversation after audit review.
What do we receive at the end of the build?
Four deliverables: a workflow architecture document, tested integrations connected to your live stack, operator handoff documentation your team can run without us, and 30 days of post-build monitoring included in the fee.
How long does the build take?
Three to five weeks from kickoff to handoff. Timeline depends on integration complexity and how quickly client-side stack access can be provisioned. The 30-day monitoring period follows handoff and does not count toward the build window.
Do you replace our existing tools?
No. The build connects AI capability to the tools you already use. We audit what is installed before recommending anything new. In most engagements, no new tools are purchased. When a new tool is needed, we name it explicitly and document why the existing stack cannot support the workflow.
What happens after the 30-day monitoring period?
Clients who want ongoing support can move to the AI Stack Retainer. Others operate independently using the handoff documentation. There is no automatic renewal, no assumed continuation, and no pressure to extend the engagement.
Can you build workflows for regulated industries?
Yes. Healthcare (HIPAA), financial services (FINRA, SEC), legal, and other regulated categories are in scope. Compliance constraints are one of the three variables that affect final price. These builds are scoped separately and typically land in the upper half of the fee range.
Is this a retainer or a project fee?
A fixed-scope project. The fee covers everything from kickoff through 30-day post-launch monitoring. Ongoing work, if needed, is a separate engagement at a separately agreed fee. Nothing in this engagement creates an obligation to continue.
Scope the Build
The scoping conversation is 45 minutes. We review your audit findings, confirm stack access, and set the scope document. The fee and timeline are fixed before any work begins.
This form routes directly to the team. Expect a response within one business day.
Request Received
The team will review your submission and respond within one business day to schedule the scoping conversation.
The audit identified the gaps. The build closes them.
Fixed scope. $5,000–$15,000. Handed to your team in 3–5 weeks with documentation they can run without us.
Have not completed the audit yet? Start with the AI Marketing Audit at $1,500. The audit findings drive the scope. Or write with a specific question before committing.