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You\u2019ve asked your clients meaningful questions, you\u2019ve uncovered their deepest challenges and turned their data into a valuable resource with dashboards.<\/p>\n
You scheduled a meeting with them. It\u2019s showtime. <\/p>\n
Getting ready for your first advisory meeting with a new tool can be a bit daunting, so we\u2019ve put together this helpful checklist of how the pros do it with Malartu:<\/p>\n
Once you know the purpose of the meeting and the attendees, you can narrow down the focus of the data that you will need and the amount of time you will be discussing. Consider how each department head or executive might have a different view of the data you present. As a financial expert, it helps to speak to how things breakdown financially, but remember that some departments may be optimizing for growth over profitability, for example. <\/p>\n
Ensure that all invoices and expenses have been properly entered and coded in your accounting software for the time period that you\u2019ll be looking at. Remember, if something is absent in your accounting software, it won\u2019t appear in Malartu.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In order to reflect the most recent data from your accounting software, you\u2019ll need to make sure the data within Malartu has been repulled. This can be done manually or as a regularly scheduled event (recommended). <\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Here\u2019s a help doc on data schedules: Why am I seeing different values in Malartu than my data source?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Prior to your client meeting, it\u2019s good practice to take a few minutes and review the elements on the dashboard. Are there any metrics or charts that are missing or need tweaking to reinforce your narrative or advice?<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> One quick way to check custom metrics (metrics that are calculated using a formula or function within Malartu) is to click the \u201ci\u201d at the top right of each element and then select \u201cView Formula\u201d. You will be able to quickly see the calculation that is currently being used to create the output. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n Edit any elements that need updating, double-check things like:<\/p>\n New lines of income that might have been introduced since the last meeting<\/p>\n<\/li>\n New chart of accounts that might have been introduced since the last meeting<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Revised calculations or other iterations for custom metrics<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Check out this help doc on editing blocks: How to customize a block<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Begin to take notes on what you\u2019d like to discuss with your client. Remember that you\u2019ll be using the Malartu dashboard to tell a story. Work from left to right, top to bottom, and break up your notes by blocks on the dashboard. Explain what you\u2019re seeing in plain language like \u201cthis is what you owe, this is what you made, this is why\u201d. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n Length is not the goal, be as concise as you can. Remember, you\u2019re likely advising your client because they were overwhelmed by financial data. The purpose of this board is to distill that data set to only what they need to focus on. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n Make sure your operational data tells the story of the financial data, and make sure you tell that story concisely. The goal of operational data is to expand upon the story being told by financial information. To identify what is causing certain changes or trends. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n You\u2019re not going to hit every chart of account in an hour meeting. Make it more meaningful by focusing on what is most important near-term (based on their project initiatives, red flags in the data, etc.) Begin by referencing their unique business challenge. If you\u2019ve focused in on one aspect of the business, then it makes sense to set aside time to talk about what this dashboard says about that part of the business. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n Next, you\u2019ll want to simply look at the dashboard to identify any significant trends. This is where Malartu can really shine. Visualize the last twelve months as a bar or line, compare to \u201cvs prior\u201d figures, or check your year-to-date totals vs last year. Make note of these trends and be prepared to include them in your agenda for the meeting. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n At this point, you should have a good understanding of the highlights to cover during your meeting. You should cover any metrics that align with initiatives you\u2019ve been tracking and anything that shows a real improvement toward solving their key issues. If you don\u2019t already have a set format for your meeting, we recommend using the EOS L10 model which you can find here: EOS L10 meeting download<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n List future items for deeper analysis to keep the meeting productive and maintain coverage of all issues. Items like:<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Changes to dashboard configuration<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Additional data needed to enrich analysis<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Additional detail on existing elements in the dashboard<\/p>\n<\/li>\n List to-do\u2019s for you and your client to complete post-meeting.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Schedule your next meeting, if not already done.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n4. Double-check the dashboard elements<\/h2>\n
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5. Add the narrative<\/h2>\n
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6. Focus on the most important KPIs<\/h2>\n
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7. Review your agenda<\/h2>\n
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8. During the meeting, develop action steps to solve issues, but don\u2019t necessarily solve them all.<\/h2>\n
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Download Our Guide to Advising with Analytics<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n