5 Steps to Running the Perfect QBR (Without Putting Everyone to Sleep)

So, you’ve made some great connections, scheduled your first Quarterly Business Review (QBR), and built what you believe is an absolute masterpiece of a deck. You’ve got the following slides:

✔️ Title page with logo

✔️ Introduction Slide with your pictures and titles

✔️ Founders Intro (because they’re kind of a big deal…)

✔️ Company History

✔️ Locations and # of Consultants

✔️ Our Services Offerings

✔️ Our Accelerators or Proprietary Technology

✔️ Our Partners (Make sure that this partner is front and center)

✔️ Our Customers Slide with Logos

✔️ How we help you sell more licenses / clouds / consumption

✔️ How we work better together

✔️ Thank You (because you really really appreciate them!)

You’re feeling great. You’re ready to rock. You’ve got this! Right?!

…Wrong.

Because while a pretty deck is a nice-to-have, a properly-executed QBR Strategy is what actually moves the needle. And if you’re just showing up delivering a glorified company brochure, then you might as well stay at home and play Fortnite!.

So let’s fix this!   Here’s our 5-step guide to running a QBR that actually matters (and won’t have people checking their phones 4 minutes in…).

Step 1: Do Your Homework – Talk to the DM/RVP/AE

Before you even touch your slides, have a conversation with the District Manager, Regional Vice President, or Account Executive or whoever helped get you in the door in the first place.  Leverage your relationships!

• What challenges are your team currently struggling with?

• Where could they use support?

• What accounts (or verticals) do they cover that you can tie into your presentation?

This is critical intel that will make your QBR actually relevant. Otherwise, you’re just throwing information at the wall and hoping something sticks.  Guaranteed there’s probably been 40 other SI’s this past year who didn’t ask ahead of time and just showed up to talk about themselves!

Step 2: Gather Data & Build a Story (Not Just a Deck)

Now that you know what the team actually cares about, it’s time to build a meaningful presentation.

🛑 Avoid the “Death by PowerPoint” trap! Instead of endless slides about your company, focus on what’s most useful to them:

• 1 slide on your services (feel free to give a brief history while on this slide before jumping into services, but we’re talking 30 seconds or less…)

• 2-3 slides that directly address the challenge area you’re there to support

• 3-4 customer success stories that match their accounts or pain points

💡 Pro tip: The best customer stories don’t just highlight what you did—they show the real impact (more licenses sold, increased consumption, expanded platform adoption, etc.).

Step 3: Preview the Deck (Yes, Before the QBR)

If possible, run your deck by the DM/RVP/AE before the big meeting.  It might sound TOTALLY crazy…    but you CAN ask the people who brought you in the door to preview your materials…   They have as much of a vested interest in not putting their team to sleep as you do!!

• Set up a 30-minute preview call to walk through your slides.

• Get their feedback and make tweaks.

• Ensure you’re hitting the right points before presenting to the full team.

This step is gold because it ensures you’re walking into the QBR with a tailored, high-impact presentation instead of a generic sales pitch.

Step 4: Present a Support Model, NOT WIIFM

Alright, it’s game time. You’re in the meeting, slides are up, and it’s your moment to shine. Here’s how to crush it:

• Be a Human. No one likes a talking Slide Deck…   Don’t read from your slides…   build out your Story!

• Educate, don’t sell. Seriously— DO NOT ask for business. If you run this right, the opportunities will come naturally.  Offer to support POC’s, provide content, or referrals, literally ANYTHING but “Give me a list of your accounts…” 

• Customer Stories are the Key to unlocking doors.  Try and find comprehensive stories that show the expandability of the partner’s platform or how you have driven more sales/consumption.  Always tie it back to how it applies to their particular territory or vertical of accounts

• Encourage interaction. Bring swag to give away, or try and play a fun game (but make sure everyone wins)...  If you’ve worked with someone on that team, bring them into the discussion…   the rest will naturally follow!

If they’re not on Slack or on their phones, then you’ve done it right!

Step 5: Follow Up Like a Pro

Your QBR is done. Now what?

• Reconnect individually with each team member

• Start mapping out joint account strategies

• Keep the conversation going—this shouldn’t be a “one-and-done” deal…   someone else is going to move in if you’re out of sight and mind!

It might seem obvious, but it’s amazing how many people don’t build a plan to Follow-Up post QBR.  Following up turns a good QBR into real opportunities. Schedule Reminders on your calendar and do NOT skip this step!

Final Thoughts

A QBR isn’t just a deck—it’s a chance to position yourself as a trusted advisor. If you focus on understanding their needs (pain points), delivering relevant content, and showing how you’ve delivered real value, you’ll build relationships that lead to long-term success.

And hey—if all else fails, bring breakfast, lunch, coffee (or Gummy Bears). No one ever complains about the person who brought Gummy Bears!