When was the last time you were scrolling LinkedIn and actually stopped — not because of a clever infographic or a “5 tips” post, but because someone finally said the thing everyone else was dancing around? That moment of recognition — “YES, finally someone said it” — is the power of a hot take. And as a consultant, it might be the most underused tool in your entire marketing strategy.
Here’s the thing: your potential clients are drowning in bland, beige commentary. They’ve seen the same recycled advice hundreds of times. When you have the courage to say what you actually think, you break through that noise — and the right clients notice.
Why Being Agreeable Is Killing Your Consulting Business
Most of us spent years in corporate environments being quietly trained to blend in. Say the professional thing. Soften your edges. Don’t be too outspoken — but also, speak up more. (Sound familiar? It’s not just you.)
That conditioning made sense inside an institution. But you’re not inside an institution anymore. You’re a consultant. Your clients are literally paying you for your opinion. And yet many consultants still market themselves like employees — hedged, measured, and careful to offend no one.
The result? You sound exactly like everyone else. And when you sound like everyone else, there’s no reason for anyone to choose you specifically.
What Is a Hot Take (And What It Isn’t)
A hot take is not clickbait. It’s not being controversial for the sake of attention. It’s simply sharing how you see the world differently — and being willing to say it out loud.
Here’s an example: one of the things I regularly say on podcasts and stages is that too many people are wasting money on marketing when their real problem is a product problem or a business model problem. If you’re not solving a “poison ivy level” problem for your clients — or you’re not charging enough to be profitable — no amount of marketing will fix that.
A hot take can be a position that challenges conventional wisdom, an honest opinion about what’s being oversimplified, an “agree, but…” that adds a dimension most people miss, or a prediction about where your industry is heading. What it can’t be is random — the best hot takes come from the same core convictions that drive your work.
Why Hot Takes Work: The Science and Strategy
1. Pattern interruption. Our brains are wired to notice what’s different. When everyone else zigs and you zag, people stop and pay attention.
2. Trust building. Sharing a real opinion signals you’re a real person with real convictions. It gives you a “been there, done that” credibility that polished but generic content never will — and in a trust recession, that authenticity matters more than ever.
3. Client filtering. When you share a strong POV, the right people self-select in. They come to you already believing what you believe, which means you spend less time selling and more time solving. The wrong clients quietly move on — which is exactly what you want.
4. Building advocates, not just followers. When you stand for something consistently, people become advocates with you. They recommend you to others who share the same worldview — and that’s how your credibility and influence actually grow.
Where Hot Takes Fit in Your Content Strategy
Hot takes don’t work in isolation. The Point of View framework — which I use to help consultants create content that attracts clients — has three components: your frameworks and methodology (your approach to solving problems), your experience and stories (proof you know what you’re talking about), and your opinions and hot takes (the positions that make you distinctly you).
All three are essential. Hot takes without methodology look like noise. Methodology without opinions looks like every other consultant’s website. Together, they create content that makes you remarkably different.
How to Create Your Own Hot Takes
Step 1: Look at what everyone in your niche is saying — the mainstream positions, the recycled advice.
Step 2: Find where you think the BS is. Where do you have a different experience or see a different truth?
Step 3: Find your angle. You don’t have to disagree outright — you can agree and add a dimension, or point to what’s missing.
Step 4: Back it up. The hot take gets attention; your methodology and stories make people believe it.
A Real-World Example
One of my current clients is publishing a book on how the role of senior software engineers is fundamentally changing with AI. His position: senior engineers won’t primarily write code in the future — they’ll be orchestrators and navigators working in partnership with AI. Not everyone agrees. And that’s exactly the point. By planting that stake in the ground now, he’s positioning himself as someone who can see around corners and attracting exactly the clients grappling with that question.
Your Hot Takes Mission This Week
Pick one thing in your industry that you think is overstated, incomplete, or just plain wrong. Write a post about why — and what you believe instead. Share it. If you want a head start, the Hot Take Brand Booster tool will help you find trending topics in your niche and create posts that showcase your real opinions.
The Bottom Line
Your expertise gets you in the room. Your opinions get you hired. The biggest risk for most consultants isn’t being wrong — it’s being so measured and careful that nobody remembers you. When you’re brave enough to say what you actually think, backed by real experience and a real framework, you attract clients who are already pre-sold on your approach. You spend less time convincing and more time doing work that matters.
