The letter-a-month advisory is a standing monthly session in which we close one or two letters of your A to Z checklist, agree what "done" looks like for the next ones, and keep the yearly letters on schedule. It is built for owners who know they have gaps but cannot carve out a week to fix them.
It is business and marketing consulting, delivered by Ali Sedighi, MBA, by video or phone, with written notes after every session.
How a session runs
Each session has the same three parts, so it never drifts into a general chat.
- Check: did last month's letters get closed? We look at evidence, not memory: the key list, the screenshot of the new admin, the dated review request routine.
- Choose: which one or two letters next? We weigh risk, money and the calendar (some letters, such as Y, have natural dates).
- Define: what does green look like for each? We write it as tick boxes you can check yourself before the next session.
Written notes follow each session, with the boxes for next month at the top.
Who it is for
Owners who want steady progress and a second opinion they can call on.
- ☐ You did a first pass of the A to Z checklist and found more than six empty letters.
- ☐ You are busy enough that a big project would stall.
- ☐ You want someone to ask, once a month, "did you actually do it?"
- ☐ You are growing and new letters keep turning amber (a first hire turns H red, a second location turns L red).
A typical first year
Most alphabets go green in nine to twelve months at this pace. One realistic sequence:
| Months | Letters | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | A, D, E, X | Ownership first; it protects everything else |
| 3–4 | G, R, Q | Google profile, reviews and response habits bring early wins |
| 5–6 | M, K, W | Measurement and key numbers before any website spend |
| 7–8 | P, U, V | Privacy, consent and contracts, with official sources linked |
| 9–10 | S, O, T | Search pages, a sharper offer, tools that fit |
| 11–12 | Y, Z | Year-end review and a zero-based look at spending |
Your order will differ. Letters that touch registration, tax and insurance (B, F, H, I, L) slot in wherever your own deadlines fall, and we always point you to the official source or your accountant for those.
What it costs and what is included
The advisory is a monthly retainer within our published range of $2,500 to $12,000 a month. Owners on a single small location usually start at the low end of that range. The written proposal sets out the number of sessions, the hands-on work included, and the notice period. GST/HST is added by province (GST and QST in Quebec). Full ranges are on the pricing page.
Included each month: the session, written notes, email and text questions between sessions, and hands-on help on the marketing letters where agreed.
How results are measured
By the colour of the alphabet. We count green, amber and red letters at the start and update the count after each session. You will see the red count fall month by month, or know exactly why it hasn't.
For the growth letters we also track inquiries by channel. Among results from our HVAC work, BCWide.ca reached 3× leads in 90 days once its marketing foundations were in place.
Mistakes to avoid
The main risk is treating the session as the work. The session decides; the work happens between sessions. Owners who block one hour a week for "letters" close them twice as fast as those who don't.
Also avoid:
- Picking only the fun letters. Mix one risk letter with one growth letter.
- Letting "amber" linger. If a letter has been amber for two months, break it into smaller boxes.
- Skipping Y and Z. The annual calendar shows when they fall.
Ready for a steady pace? Read the services overview or contact us with your current count of empty letters.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a long contract?
No lock-in. The length and notice period are set out in writing in your proposal, and the aim is to stop once the alphabet is green.
What if I miss a month?
We pick up where we left off. The checklist is the record, so nothing is lost; the only cost is that the letter waits another month.
How is this different from the A to Z review?
The review is a one-off score of all 26 letters. The advisory is ongoing work on a few letters at a time. Many owners do the review first and then use the advisory to close what it found.
Can my bookkeeper or office manager join?
Yes, and it often helps. Letters such as C, F, J and T are easier when the person who does the work day to day is in the session.