How does a typical engagement start?
A Five Blocks engagement opens with a discovery call to understand the situation and objectives, then a diagnostic assessment of the client's current search and AI presence using IMPACT and AIQ, then a written proposal with scope, pricing, and a Letter of Engagement. Work begins once the Letter is signed, and the full opening process usually takes two to four weeks.
Every Five Blocks engagement opens the same way: a discovery call, a diagnostic assessment, and a written proposal with a Letter of Engagement. The opening process usually takes two to four weeks, depending on how deep the diagnostic goes, and work begins once the Letter is signed.
The three opening steps
- Discovery call – We listen to what the client wants to achieve, what has happened so far, and what success looks like. We do not pitch on this call.
- Diagnostic assessment – We use IMPACT™ and AIQ to map where the client stands today: the branded SERP, Wikipedia status, Knowledge Panel state, what the eight engines AIQ tracks say about the brand, the sources those engines read, and competitive position against named peers. The diagnostic shows the work that actually needs doing, which is rarely what the client expected going in.
- Proposal and Letter of Engagement – A written proposal with a defined scope, timeline, and pricing, plus a Letter of Engagement. Work begins after the Letter is signed.
The eight AI engines AIQ tracks in the diagnostic are ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Perplexity, Claude, Grok, Google AI Overviews, and Google AI Mode.
Last reviewed: 19/05/2026
