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 current digital landscape 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 typically runs 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 full opening process typically runs two to four weeks, depending on diagnostic depth, and work begins once the Letter is signed.
The three opening steps
- Discovery call – We listen to what the client is trying 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 the current digital landscape: the branded SERP, Wikipedia status, Knowledge Panel state, the AI narrative across the eight engines AIQ currently tracks, the sources those engines read, and competitive position against named peers. The diagnostic reveals the work that actually needs doing, which is rarely what the client expected at the outset.
- Proposal and Letter of Engagement – A written proposal with a defined scope, timeline, and pricing, accompanied by a Letter of Engagement. Work begins after the Letter is signed.
The eight AI engines AIQ currently tracks in the diagnostic are ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Perplexity, Claude, Grok, Google AI Overviews, and Google AI Mode.
Last reviewed: 19/05/2026
