The ELPUT Framework for AI Monetization

Most founders waste time on AI tools that feel impressive but generate zero profit.

The fix is simple: measure everything by ELPUT.

What is ELPUT?

Expected Long-Term Profit Per Unit Time.

If an automation does not increase profit, leverage, or strategic advantage, deprioritize it.

The ELPUT Calculator

For every AI project, score these five factors:

1) Revenue Impact (1-10)

• Does this directly generate revenue?
• Can you link it to closed deals?
• Does it create new monetizable assets?

2) Time to Implement (1-10, lower is better)

• How many hours to build?
• Are dependencies ready?
• Can you ship in days not weeks?

3) Risk (1-10, lower is better)

• What breaks if this fails?
• Customer-facing risk?
• Platform lock-in?

4) Scalability (1-10)

• Can this serve 10x more clients?
• Does it require manual touch?
• Can you package and resell?

5) Reusability (1-10)

• Can other clients use this?
• Is it a template or one-off?
• Can you sell the system itself?

Score each factor. Multiply by weight. Total score = ELPUT score.

Example: AI Email Outreach System

Revenue Impact: 9/10

Directly generates leads and deals. Measurable ROI through conversion tracking.

Time to Implement: 4/10

Requires setup, email templates, lead lists, and integration with CRM. 1-2 weeks.

Risk: 5/10

Reputation risk if spammy. Platform rules change. Deliverability issues.

Scalability: 9/10

Works for 10 or 1000 leads. Same system, more volume.

Reusability: 8/10

Same system works for multiple clients and niches with minor tweaks.

Weighted Score (equal weights):

(9 + 4 + 5 + 9 + 8) / 5 = 7.0

Verdict: Build it.

Example: AI Chatbot for Complex Sales

Revenue Impact: 6/10

Supports sales but rarely closes complex deals alone.

Time to Implement: 8/10

Heavy training, integration, testing. Months of work.

Risk: 8/10

Hallucinations damage trust. Customer frustration when it fails.

Scalability: 5/10

Each use case needs custom training. Not plug and play.

Reusability: 4/10

Hard to reuse across clients without significant rework.

Weighted Score:

(6 + 8 + 8 + 5 + 4) / 5 = 6.2

Verdict: Skip for now. Build simpler systems first.

The ELPUT Decision Rules

Build immediately:

• Score >= 7.5
• Revenue Impact >= 8
• Time to Implement <= 5

Consider for later:

• Score 6.0 to 7.4
• Risk is manageable
• Aligns with long-term strategy

Skip:

• Score < 6.0
• High time, low revenue
• Better alternatives exist

Practical Automation Ideas That Score High

1) AI Content Repurposing System

Take one piece of content, generate 5 variations for different platforms.

• Revenue Impact: 7
• Time to Implement: 3
• Risk: 2
• Scalability: 9
• Reusability: 9
• Score: 6.0

2) AI Lead Qualification Bot

Filter inbound leads, score and route to sales.

• Revenue Impact: 9
• Time to Implement: 4
• Risk: 4
• Scalability: 8
• Reusability: 8
• Score: 6.6

3) AI Customer Support Triage

Classify tickets, draft responses, escalate complex issues.

• Revenue Impact: 6
• Time to Implement: 4
• Risk: 3
• Scalability: 9
• Reusability: 8
• Score: 6.0

4) AI Competitive Intelligence Scraper

Monitor competitors, summarize changes, alert on strategy shifts.

• Revenue Impact: 5
• Time to Implement: 3
• Risk: 2
• Scalability: 8
• Reusability: 9
• Score: 5.4

The 80/20 ELPUT Rule

Spend 80% of your time on systems with ELPUT scores above 7.

The remaining 20% for experiments and learning.

Execution at 70%

Do not wait for perfect scores.

If a system scores 7 and you can ship it this week, build it.

Ship, measure, iterate.

Track Your ELPUT

Create a spreadsheet with:

• System name
• ELPUT score
• Build time
• Actual profit generated
• Lessons learned

Review monthly. Double down on winners. Cut losers.

ELPUT vs Shiny Object Syndrome

The industry will bombard you with new AI tools daily.

Before you click "get started" on anything, ask:

Does this increase ELPUT?

If the answer is unclear, skip it.

If the answer is no, skip it faster.

Your time is too valuable to spend on tools that look cool but do not pay.

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