Consulting Proposal

Strategic Advisory &
Accountability Partnership

Manitoulin Expositor / Manitoulin Publishing Co.

Prepared for Alicia McCutcheon, Zoe, Sean & Kevin Spikes

Prepared by Paul Meyers, PM Consulting Inc.

Date March 17, 2026
The Opportunity

You Have the Roadmap. You Need Someone Keeping You on It.

You have a $44,000+ digital revenue roadmap sitting in front of you. Your team has the skills to execute it. The challenge isn't ability — it's bandwidth and focus.

Between server crashes, paper deadlines, and breaking news, the digital work keeps getting pushed. That's not a criticism — it's the reality of running a busy newsroom with a small team. As Sean put it: it's like herding cats. Every week that passes without moving the roadmap forward is revenue left on the table and subscribers you're not capturing.

You asked for someone to keep you accountable and on track. Here's what that looks like.

The Problem

You Know What to Do. You Just Can't Stay on It.

Your team told me exactly what's happening:

You don't need someone to do the work for you. You need someone making sure the work actually happens — week after week, with clear priorities and no balls getting dropped.

Why Me

What I Bring to the Table

Straight talk: I've never worked with a newspaper before. But I gave you a roadmap that none of your other meetings produced, and I didn't charge you for it. That should tell you two things: I know what I'm doing, and I care about seeing you succeed.
The Offer

Weekly Strategic Advisory & Accountability

I become the outside voice that keeps your digital strategy moving. Your team does the work. I make sure the right work gets prioritized, assigned, tracked, and completed — every week.

Strategic Advisor

$1,000 /month

Weekly check-ins, priority-setting, task accountability, and expert guidance — so your roadmap doesn't collect dust.

  • Weekly 30-minute video call — same time each week, structured agenda, no fluff
  • Priority-setting each week: what to focus on, what can wait, what's off track
  • Task assignments with clear owners and deadlines — Sean, Zoe, Kevin, Mike each know their piece
  • Progress tracking against the 90-day action plan — nothing slips through the cracks
  • Strategic guidance when decisions come up — Ghost migration questions, Facebook page approach, ad package pricing, newsletter strategy
  • Email support between calls for quick questions or time-sensitive decisions
  • Monthly progress report — what got done, what's next, how you're tracking against revenue targets

What This Looks Like in Practice

Before Each Call

I review where things stand, flag what's behind, and prep the agenda so we don't waste a minute of your time.

On the Call

We review last week's progress, troubleshoot blockers, and set clear priorities and assignments for the coming week.

After Each Call

Everyone gets a written recap — who's doing what, by when. No ambiguity, no "I thought you were handling that."

Between Calls

I'm available by email for quick questions, strategic input, or gut-checks on decisions that can't wait until next week.

Scope

Clear Boundaries

So there's no confusion about the role:

I Will Your Team Handles
Set weekly priorities from the roadmap Execute the tasks each week
Assign tasks to the right team member Publish articles and produce the paper
Track progress and flag delays Create TikToks, newsletters, and content
Advise on Facebook page strategy Post and manage social accounts day-to-day
Guide ad package pricing and positioning Sell and close the deals (Kevin)
Review analytics and recommend adjustments Pull monthly metrics (20-minute process)
Provide strategic input on Ghost migration Manage the migration with Ghost's team
The bottom line: I steer. You drive. Your team already has the skills — they just need someone keeping the GPS on and calling out the turns.
The Math

$1,000/Month Pays for Itself Fast

The roadmap I built for you projects $44,000 in new digital revenue over the next 12 months — from digital ad packages, print+digital bundles, newsletter sponsorships, business directory listings, and digital subscriptions.

Numbers
Annual advisory cost $12,000
Projected new digital revenue (conservative) $44,000
Even at 50% of projections $22,000
Net return (at 50%) +$10,000
Put another way: You need to land just 2 digital ad clients at $300/month — or 3 at $200 — to cover the entire advisory fee. That's month one or two of the roadmap. Everything after that is profit.
Terms

How It Works

Initial Term

3 months — aligns with the 90-day action plan

After 3 Months

Month-to-month renewal. If it's working, we keep going. If not, you walk away.

30-Day Out Clause

Either party can end with 30 days' notice — anytime, including during the initial term.

Payment

Monthly, invoiced on the 1st. Net 15.

Suggested start date: As soon as we shake hands. I'd recommend kicking off the week after your Ghost decision is finalized so we can align roadmap timing with the website migration.
First 30 Days

What the First Month Looks Like

Here's what your team will accomplish with me keeping things on track:

Week 1

Kickoff & Foundation

Kickoff call to align on priorities. Assign: fix/remove broken social links (Sean), audit newsletter signup placement (Zoe), verify GA4 and Search Console (Sean). Set the weekly rhythm.

Week 2

Revenue Structure

Review and finalize digital ad package pricing together. Assign: Kevin builds 1-page sales sheet with my guidance on positioning and pricing. Confirm print+digital bundle tiers.

Week 3

Facebook & Newsletter

Guide Manitoulin Publishing Co. Facebook page setup — what to post, what not to post. Assign: Zoe sets up the page, Sean reviews newsletter template for sponsor placement options.

Week 4

Sales Readiness & Review

Review Kevin's sales sheet, refine pitch approach together. Identify first 5 prospect targets. Deliver first monthly progress report — what got done, what's next.

By Day 30: Broken links are fixed, newsletter signup is prominent, Facebook page is live, Kevin has a sales sheet in hand and prospects to call, and you'll have your first progress report showing real momentum.

Let's Get Moving

You've got the plan. You've got the team. Let's make sure it actually happens.

Reply to this email or give me a call and we'll get a kickoff date on the calendar.

Paul Meyers
(705) 491-2627  |  paul@pmconsulting.ca