Make (formerly Integromat) is the most powerful automation tool available for non-developers. Where Zapier handles simple 'if this, then that' automations, Make allows building complex workflows with conditions, loops, filters, and data transformations. For an independent consultant wanting to seriously automate acquisition, delivery, and operational management without writing a line of code, Make is the tool to master.
Make's learning curve is slightly steeper than Zapier, but the power gain is considerable. In 3 to 5 hours of initial investment, you can set up automations saving 5 to 8 hours of repetitive work every week. That is an exceptional investment/return ratio.
The 5 essential Make automations for a consultant
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Automation 1 — Automatic CRM pipeline:
Make scenario: a prospect fills your Calendly form to book a call → Make retrieves the information → automatically creates a record in your Notion or Airtable CRM → sends a personalized confirmation email with preparation information → adds the prospect to your email list on Mailchimp/ConvertKit → creates a calendar reminder 24 hours before the call. All without you touching anything. This scenario alone saves 15 to 20 minutes per new prospect.
Automation 2 — Automatic session summary:
Make scenario: Otter.ai transcribes your client session → Make retrieves the transcript → sends it to Claude via API → Claude generates a structured summary (key points, committed actions, next session) → Make injects the summary into the Notion client record and sends a follow-up email to the client with the summary. Time saved: 20 to 30 minutes per client session. Over 10 sessions per week, that is 200 to 300 minutes recovered weekly.
Automation 3 — Automated content monitoring:
Make scenario: RSS from your favorite information sources → Make filters articles by keywords relevant to your niche → sends selected titles and summaries to ChatGPT for condensing → delivers each morning a personalized digest in Notion or by email. You go from 45 minutes of scattered reading to 10 minutes of targeted, focused reading.
Automation 4 — Effortless post-call follow-up:
Make scenario: your call ends → Calendly updates the status → Make triggers a sequence: D+1 follow-up email with personalized recap (generated by Claude from your notes), D+7 email with relevant resource, reminder in your CRM at D+14 for follow-up. You never have to remember to follow up a prospect — Make does it for you.
Automation 5 — Multi-channel content publication:
Make scenario: you approve a LinkedIn post in Notion → Make automatically publishes it on LinkedIn at the optimal time → sends an adapted version to your newsletter → archives in your content library with appropriate tags. One creation, three channels, zero additional effort.
Getting started with Make: first steps
- ✦ Create a free account at Make.com (up to 1000 operations/month free — sufficient to start)
- ✦ Start with the simplest scenario: automatic appointment confirmation. It is the best exercise for understanding Make module logic
- ✦ Install necessary modules: Calendly, Notion, Gmail, and Claude or ChatGPT API
- ✦ Use Make templates available in the library — many common scenarios are already built, just adapt them
- ✦ Move to the Starter plan (10$/month) when you want to automate more than a dozen scenarios — it gives access to unlimited automations and AI modules
Make vs Zapier — when to use each
Zapier is simpler and faster to configure for linear automations (if A then B). Make is more powerful for everything complex: multiple conditions, data transformation, API calls, iterative loops. My recommendation: start with Zapier for the first 3 simple automations. Move to Make when you want to build more sophisticated workflows integrating AI.
The real impact of Make automations on a consulting practice
A consultant who has set up the 5 automations described above recovers on average 6 to 8 hours per week of repetitive tasks. Over 48 work weeks, that is 288 to 384 hours recovered per year — or 36 to 48 work days. This time can be reallocated to content creation, prospecting, offer improvement, or simply better quality of life. Automation is not a luxury for consultants who have free time — it is a necessity for those who want to grow without burning out.
Make: toward total automation
Make represents the most advanced level of AI automation for an independent consultant. Once the 5 described scenarios are in place, your practice operates largely on autopilot for everything repetitive. Leads come in, are qualified, and receive personalized sequences. Sessions are transcribed, summarized, and archived. Content is transformed and distributed.
This automation infrastructure fundamentally repositions you as a consultant: instead of being the operator of your own business, you become its strategist and value creator. You shift from 'doing things' to 'doing the most important things' — and it is precisely this positioning shift that allows raising rates, improving delivery, and reaching new revenue levels.
Start with the simplest scenario (appointment confirmation) and add one new scenario each month. In 6 months, you will have solid automation infrastructure progressively built and perfectly adapted to your specific practice.
Make represents the most profitable long-term investment in an independent consultant's AI ecosystem. The 5 to 10 hours invested in building the 5 scenarios described in this article generate a weekly return of 6 to 10 hours for years. It is intelligent automation in its purest form — and it is within reach of any consultant willing to invest a few hours in learning. Templates available in the Make library make the entry barrier very accessible.