In this issue:

In the News: “Should You Join a Customer Advisory Board?”
Upcoming Event: Customer Advisory Board Manager Training
Ask Eyal
Free On-Demand Webinars
CAB Best Practices Blog
CAB Guidance eBooks
Ignite Announcements

Did you know?  

Customer Advisory Boards (CABs) generate incremental revenue. Data shows that companies that have active and successful CAB programs enjoy a 9% increase in new business among CAB members starting in year two of CAB programs above non-CAB customers. Learn more >>

CAB Best Practices Blog

Balance Use of Industry Analysts for Your Customer Advisory Board

How to Leverage Customer Advisory Board Member Feedback

Read more >>

Ask Eyal

Eyal Danon is the President and Founder of Ignite Advisory Group, and a world-renowned expert on customer and partner advisory boards. 

Question: Eyal, should I invite an outside speaker to my next CAB meeting? 

Answer: There are some pros and cons to consider when inviting a third-party presenter to your CAB program.

Pros: An outside speaker, such as a topical expert, author or industry analyst, can add some prestige to your next meeting, and even serve as a draw to encourage members to attend. Such third parties might provide a good, impartial perspective on a particular subject, and offer a learning opportunity for meeting participants.

Cons: Such experts tend to merely present to the room and not engage the participants nor gather feedback. Although knowledgeable on their subjects, they may be boring if they are not good speakers, or divert the meeting in unintended directions.

Bottom Line: CAB meetings should be lively, interactive exchanges between all participants; not long, one-way PowerPoint presentations. The topics to be addressed and questions to be answered should be verified and prioritized in advance by the meeting participants. All speakers need to serve such objectives, or their participation could be an unnecessary distraction.

Got a CAB management question for Eyal? eMail him at eyal.danon@igniteag.com. Your question could be included in the next CAB Connection.

“Why Customer Advisory Boards are a Business Imperative Today”

CABs can significantly help organizations gather insights into its corporate strategies and product direction. Listen to this insightful and educational webinar to learn how such an advisory program can bring tremendous value to your company.

Watch now >>

“HOW to Best Run a Customer Advisory Board: 10 Tips for Creating a World-Class CAB Program”

A well-run customer advisory board is the ideal method for validating corporate strategies, gathering input on product development, and deepening relationships with key customers. Listen to this webinar to gain insight into HOW to run a world-class customer advisory program.

Watch now >>

Recent Ignite Announcements

Ignite Advisory Group Summarizes Top 10 Reasons Customer Advisory Board Programs Fail  Video Series Highlights Information Gathered Through Training Customer Advisory Board Managers, Talking to Practitioners and Consulting with Clients

Ignite Advisory Group Brings Customer Advisory Board Manager Training Event to the Bay Area Iron Mountain to Speak During Comprehensive Program Taking Place at the Silicon Valley Capital Club in San Jose June 16-17

Ignite Advisory Group Conveys Best Practice Benchmarks to Common Customer Advisory Board Manager Questions  Customer or Partner Advisory Councils Most Effective When Meeting In-Person Once Per Year, Having 15-18 Active Members and Establishing 2-Year Membership Tenure 

Read more >>