The QBR structure, slide by slide
Borrowed from Lewis and Clark's QBR structure. Each beat is one slide, three at most.
- 01CoverWhose account, what period, and the outcome in one line.
- 02Their goalsThe goals the customer set, in the customer's own words, before anything you did.
- 03ScorecardEach goal red, amber or green, with a click-through to what happened.
- 04Results over timeThe period on one timeline, with goals ticking off where they were hit.
- 05Value in their termsOne hero number in the unit the sponsor cares about, with the proof beside it.
- 06Cost against planBudget and actual to scale, the variance named, no hiding.
- 07The big missWhat didn't work, why, and what you did about it, shown not told.
- 08Issues registerEvery other problem with a date, a response and an honest status.
- 09What we learnedWhat you now know about their world that they don't, and who taught you.
- 10RoadmapPast, now and next on one line, tied to their goals.
- 11The renewal askThe specific renewal or expansion, in units, with a decision date.
What good sales do
- Open on a big shift in the buyer's world, not on your company (Raskin's strategic narrative).
- On discovery calls, slides cost follow-ups: Gong found reps who used them were 17% less likely to book the next meeting. Ask, then show.
- Winners spend less time on the deck (9.1 vs 11.4 minutes in intro calls) and 39% less on features (Gong).
- Use proof from customers like the buyer; generic logos and ROI claims hurt (Gong).
- End on a mutual action plan with dates and owners on both sides, never "Thank you".
Where they usually fail
- Starting with the company history
- A feature tour
- Logos from the wrong industry
- No next step with a date
More QBR examples
Quarterly business review (QBR) template: questions
What should a QBR include?
The goals you agreed last quarter, results against each, what is working and what is not, the plan for next quarter, and the decisions or help you need from the customer.
Who should attend a QBR?
The people who own the outcome on the customer side, ideally including the executive sponsor, and the account team on yours. If only day-to-day users come, it becomes a status call.
How do you make a QBR useful for the customer?
Report their results in their terms, admit what is behind before they raise it, and bring one or two recommendations they can act on.
Make yours with this structure
Type your site and we'll write the prompt for your deck, in your brand, built on Lewis and Clark's QBR structure.