Welcome to CAB season – It’s time to start planning for your next Customer...
Sunshine is breaking through the recessionary clouds of the past few years. Signs of cautious optimism are sprouting everywhere, giving hope that 2012 will be a pivotal year that will show continued...
View ArticleKickstarting your advisory board
Have you started planning your fall Customer Advisory Board meeting? If not, now’s the perfect time to be planning your next CAB. In today’s highly competitive market, it is more important than ever to...
View ArticleThe operations manual for running customer advisory boards
Mike Gospe, professional facilitator and KickStart Alliance co-founder, has just published a two-volume set of books that demystifies customer advisory boards (CAB). Complete with customer stories,...
View ArticleWhat to expect from a facilitator
Some people believe that facilitating a customer advisory board or business meeting is easy. It is not. In truth, it is easy to be a poor facilitator. If you are facilitating a business meeting...
View Article3 ground rules for employees who attend advisory board meetings
There are many ground rules that employees should follow to ensure a smooth, well-run advisory board meeting. Here are 3 of them. 1) Don’t sell A most awkward moment occurred in London in a global...
View ArticleHow to get CAB members to give relevant feedback on something they haven’t...
This is a great question. Sometimes companies want to test new product concepts with their customer advisory board. But if customers haven’t seen or used the product yet, how should this subject be...
View ArticleCustomer advisory boards vs executive briefings: what’s the difference?
Customer advisory boards (CAB) are not meant to be executive briefings, yet they are often treated as such to the dismay of the attending customers. Like the hammer and screwdriver in your toolbox,...
View ArticleCustomer Advisory Board meetings: “host” vs “facilitator” roles
When it comes to customer advisory board meetings, the terms “host” and “facilitator” are often interchanged. However, they are very different. Here’s how to think about these roles and who should hold...
View ArticleThe NDA and the Customer Advisory Board
Congratulations on founding your Customer Advisory Board (CAB). But how do you ensure a safe and secure format for discussing delicate, strategic topics? Read on to learn about three unspoken truths...
View ArticleIt’s time to start planning for your Fall CAB
If you are thinking about hosting a Customer Advisory Board meeting sometime in September – November, now’s the time to start planning. Here’s your first set of action items. CABs are not just another...
View ArticleCreating a Sales Playbook
Four Reasons to Create a Sales Playbook: Establish a consistent sales approach for repeatable success. Define sales best practices to ensure efficient selling. Align sales process with other...
View Article3 signs your CAB may be ready for a refresh
The most successful customer advisory boards (CAB) are dynamic, filled with topical content and energized conversation. Even so, if your company has been running a CAB for a few years you may be...
View ArticleThinking about forming an advisory board? Here’s how to get your CAB...
With the end of the summer, many companies will turn their attention to building their 2015 marketing and sales plans. And that includes thinking about forming a Customer Advisory Board. If CABs are...
View Article100 Customer Advisory Boards (CABs) and counting! 3 important lessons I’ve...
For the past 12 years, I’ve been working with hi-tech B2B companies to help them plan and facilitate their customer advisory boards. I recently crossed the threshold of 100 CABs. As I look back, here...
View ArticleCustomer Advisory Board FAQs
Customer Advisory Boards (CABs) are becoming more and more popular. And we know you have questions. That’s why we’ve started producing a series of short video FAQs. Here are a few: For more video...
View ArticleHow do you know if yours is a world-class Customer Advisory Board?
What separates world-class customer advisory board (CAB) meetings from the rest? Since 2002 we’ve helped companies design and facilitate more than 100 CABs and executive roundtable (ERT) meetings. And...
View ArticleSurge your Sales through your Customer Advisory Board (CAB)
A Customer Advisory Board (CAB) is not a sales meeting. Yet, it will have a profound effect on your sales plans -- if you do it right! The post Surge your Sales through your Customer Advisory Board...
View Article9 Characteristics of a good Facilitator
What makes a good facilitator for your high stakes business meetings? Check out these 9 characteristics. The post 9 Characteristics of a good Facilitator appeared first on KickStart Alliance.
View Article10 Customer Advisory Board best practices
For more than 15 years I've been helping B2B leaders design their Customer Advisory Board programs. Here are 10 traits shared by all of them. The post 10 Customer Advisory Board best practices appeared...
View ArticleThe Customer Advisory Board & the Buyer’s Journey
Is your Customer Advisory Board (CAB) giving you powerful information about your customers and their Buyer’s Journey? If not, you are leaving a lot of your marketing strategy to chance. How well do you...
View ArticleReflections: 15 years of Customer Advisory Boards
KickStart Alliance celebrates 15 years of client success. Over the past 15 years I have had the great honor to have facilitated Customer Advisory Boards for some of today's most innovative B2B...
View ArticleSix Trends Driving B2B Marketing & Sales in 2018
Is your business ready for 2018? New technologies and rising customer expectations will dramatically impact your business success. Here are 6 trends you and your teams should be embracing. Use this...
View ArticleHow to use your Customer Advisory Board to drive innovation
A Customer Advisory Board (CAB) is not an event. It's an initiative designed to drive innovation and outpace your competitors. Here are 3 guiding principles for harnessing the power of your CAB to...
View ArticleKickStart Alliance announces new “virtual advisory board” model
KickStart Alliance, a pioneer and leader in Customer Advisory Boards (CAB) and Partner Advisory Boards (PAB), today announced a new model for engaging Advisory Board members virtually. This is the...
View ArticleThe Reinvention of the Customer Advisory Board – Part 1
COVID-19 and our response to it has put face-to-face Customer Advisory Boards (CAB) meetings on hold at a time when executive leaders need perspective and guidance from their most important customers....
View ArticleNew! Join KickStart Alliance’s bi-monthly Coffee Chats in June
KickStart Alliance is hosting a bi-weekly series of topical 30-minute coffee chats. At each session, we pose a specific topic with a few questions and invite you to weigh in with your peers. This is a...
View ArticleWhy frequent touchpoints with top customers (and partners) is more vital than...
Staying close to your best customers and partners is critical to your business' future success, especially now! This is the only way to know how and when to alter course as business conditions change....
View Article3 tips for planning your 2022 CAB Program
The past 2 years have seen Customer Advisory Board (CAB) programs evolve dramatically. And they are continuing to evolve. As we head into 2022, this post dives into 3 things you need to know. The post...
View Article3 new Advisory Board Services supercharge your Customer & Partner Advisory...
KickStart Alliance launches 3 new services to supercharge Customer Advisory Board (CAB) and Partner Advisory Board (PAB) programs. Our new 360-degree assessment services will help you tune up your...
View ArticleJoin our Customer Advisory Board (CAB) Masterclass in May, 2022
If you are gearing up to host your next Customer Advisory Board (CAB) meeting, or perhaps you're tasked with building your first CAB program, we invite you to check out our CAB Masterclass....
View ArticleHow to keep your Customer Advisory Board program afloat when your budget gets...
It is easy to enjoy strategy-level discussions with your Customer Advisory Board (CAB) members when times are good. The investment in your CAB program is not questioned. However, your CAB program is...
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