9 Ways to Turn Boring QBRs into Growth Rockets 🚀

Are your Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) falling flat?

It's time to transform these key touchpoints from mundane meetings into powerful catalysts for growth.

Here are the top 9 strategies that will level up your QBRs from boring to growth rockets!

1. The Art of Storytelling: Your Secret Weapon

Imagine your QBR as a gripping narrative.

Here's how to craft it:

1. Set the scene: Highlight how your product delivered on its promises.

2. Plot twist: Reveal unexpected benefits that wowed your client.

3. Cliffhanger: Paint an exciting picture of future possibilities.

💡A study by the Harvard Business Review found that stories are 22 times more memorable than facts alone.

This underscores the power of narrative in QBRs.

"After implementing a storytelling approach in our QBRs, we saw a 40% increase in client engagement and a 15% boost in upsells," says Jane R., Customer Success Manager at a large corporation.

💡Pro tip: Aim for a QBR so compelling that your champion can't wait to present it to their management.

That's when you know you've struck gold!

For more insights on crafting compelling narratives, check out my guide on 5 steps to tell great stories to customers.

2. Align with the Big Picture: It's Not About You, It's About Them

Don’t focus on the product features.

Instead:

• Identify your customer’s top three biggest business goals

• Show how your solutions help them succeed

• Speak their language: business impact, not features

💡Research from Gartner shows that 80% of B2B buyers expect a clear connection between solutions and business value.

This highlights the importance of aligning your QBR with customer objectives.

When you solve their problems, you become indispensable.

Learn more about aligning with customer goals in my ultimate guide for customer success managers.

3. The Guest List: Quality Over Quantity

Who's at your QBR table?

Ensure the true decision-makers are present.

Their buy-in isn't just important—it's everything.

For tips on engaging the right stakeholders, explore my article on how to run presentations that will wow your audience.

4. Setting the Stage: The Power of Preparation

Your QBR is not just another random meeting.

Make it a fundamental event:

• Craft an agenda that builds anticipation.

• Invite participants to shape the discussion.

• Keep it fresh—routine is the enemy of engagement.

For more on effective meeting strategies, read my piece on how to 10x your productivity and get things done.

5. The Pre-Game Strategy: Share and Conquer

Share your QBR materials in advance.

Why? Because:

• Participants arrive primed and ready.

• You can dive straight into discussions.

• No time wasted on information dumps.

Learn more about effective communication strategies in my article on customer success communication skills.

6. Your Secret Ally: The Internal Champion

Leverage your internal advocate:

• Get their eyes on the QBR before anyone else

• Add their unique insights

• Plant the seeds for collaboration during onboarding

For more on building strong internal relationships, check out my guide on CSM and Account Executive collaboration tips.

7. The Continuous Insight Gathering: Always Be Collecting

Turn your QBR preparation into an ongoing process:

• Keep a "success journal" throughout the quarter.

• Tap into the collective wisdom of your CSM team.

• Collect brilliant success stories to share.

Discover more about ongoing customer engagement in my article on post-onboarding customer engagement tips.

8. The Reality Check: Perception vs. Reality

Include a revealing comparison:

This simple table can help you discover golden opportunities for improvement.

Learn more about measuring customer perceptions in my guide on the top 7 metrics every customer success professional should know.

9. The Pitfall Checklist: What NOT to Do

Don’t make these mistakes:

• ❌ Report overload

• ❌ Reinventing the wheel (Use templates!)

• ❌ Manual drudgery (Automate!)

• ❌ Information overload

• ❌ Aimless presentations

For more on avoiding common pitfalls, read my article on 5 common mistakes great customer success managers never make.

Follow these strategies, and your QBRs will turn into powerful business tools:

• Focus on making a compelling narrative.

• Align with your customers’ aspirations closely.

• Build a true collaboration.

QBRs don't just show value.

They boost growth, strengthen partnerships, and drive customer success.

If you need templates for your next QBR/EBR, see my resources here.

For more insights on customer success best practices, explore my ultimate guide for customer success managers and stay updated with the latest customer success trends.

I hope that helps,

Hakan.

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