Prospect AI valuation questions

Have seen this question maybe a few ways, but just had a sobering instance.

Prospects using claude, chatgpt, or google AI summaries to ask for a valuation of their company.

As a niche firm, I’d say we have been the go to source for people knowing their market value. We even have solid SEO ranking and recently focused on AEO, which is working. BUT I’d almost say too good.

A prospect shared with me their AI google chat, the questions, and how it cited our articles to give them a range of expectations based on buyer type. It also summarized the common traps which could make those estimations more or less accurate.

Basically it hijacked our first sales call. Of course I had a few more discussion points about common deal structures, planning net proceeds, but like 80% of the usual first call we have with someone to discuss “Do those numbers make sense for you?” Was answered from google with relative closeness.

Thinking ahead but we already say our biggest competition is clients moving forward without us, and our experience says if they know what numbers to push for and a direct buyer is close they will try to DIY selling direct. We harp that people often get a better outcome working with us through the competitive process, but they don’t know what they don’t know.

Anyone else have similar experiences already?