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New SA Guide - Impact & Vision Session: Pre-Call Checklist

When to use: 7 days before every Impact + Vision Session (closeout call)

 

WHY THIS CHECKLIST EXISTS

The Impact + Vision Session is the most important call of an engagement. It is your one structured opportunity to reflect on what was built, demonstrate the value Zipcio delivered, and plant seeds for what comes next. Walking in unprepared is the single biggest reason clients do not convert to retainers. This checklist ensures you walk in ready - with data, a clear narrative, and a specific pitch for the next chapter.

REVIEW MILESTONES DELIVERED VS SCOPED

Pull the original SOW and compare it line by line against what was actually delivered. You are looking for two things: evidence of value (what you delivered and why it matters) and honest gaps (anything that fell short of scope or was descoped during the engagement).

  • Open the original SOW and your ClickUp project space side by side
  • List every deliverable that was scoped - mark each one as delivered, partially delivered, or not delivered
  • For anything partially delivered or not delivered, note the reason (client decision, scope change, timeline, etc.)
  • Identify the 2-3 deliverables that had the most visible impact on the client's day-to-day - these are your headline wins for the call
  • Note anything delivered beyond scope that the client may not have fully recognized as added value

What to bring to the call: A 2-3 sentence summary of what was delivered and one specific outcome or metric if available (e.g. pipeline configured for 5 reps, 500 contacts migrated, 3 sequences live).

PULL SATISFACTION SIGNALS

Satisfaction signals are moments from the engagement where the client showed you - through words or behavior - how they felt about the work. You are looking for both positive signals (enthusiasm, praise, responsiveness) and negative signals (silence, repeated questions, slow approvals, missed calls). Both matter.

Where to look for signals:

  • Email and Slack threads - scan for moments where the client expressed excitement, confusion, frustration, or went quiet for longer than usual
  • Call recordings via AskElephant - look for positive language ("this is exactly what we needed," "I love this") and friction language ("I'm not sure about this," "can we revisit," "this isn't quite right")
  • HubSpot deal notes - review any notes you or the team logged during the engagement for themes
  • Meeting attendance patterns - did the decision-maker stay engaged throughout or start sending a delegate? Disengagement late in an engagement is a retention risk signal
  • Training session behavior - were team members engaged and asking questions, or passive and checking out?
  • Response time trends - did approvals and feedback come quickly or drag out? Slow response is often a sign of low prioritization

What to do with what you find:

  • If signals are mostly positive - lean into this on the call, reference specific moments ("I remember when you said X - that told me we were on the right track")
  • If signals are mixed - acknowledge the friction points transparently on the call before the client does, it builds trust
  • If signals are mostly negative - flag this to your Pod Leader before the call, do not walk in alone without a plan

What to bring to the call: Two or three specific moments from the engagement you can reference by name - not a general "I think it went well." Specificity signals that you were paying attention.

NOTE FRICTION POINTS

Friction points are moments where the engagement slowed down, got complicated, or did not go as planned. Do not skip this step or minimize what you find. Being transparent about friction on the Impact + Vision Session call is one of the most powerful trust-building moves you can make. Clients know when something was hard - acknowledging it before they do shows maturity and honesty.

Common friction point categories:

  • Scope creep or scope confusion - moments where expectations were not aligned on what was or was not included
  • Timeline slippage - deliverables that took longer than planned and why
  • Communication gaps - periods where responsiveness dropped on either side
  • Technical blockers - HubSpot limitations, data quality issues, or integration problems that slowed progress
  • Stakeholder misalignment on the client side - moments where the project contact and the decision-maker had different expectations
  • Change requests mid-engagement - any pivots that required rework and how they were handled

How to frame friction on the call:

  • Name it directly and briefly - do not over-explain or over-apologize
  • Own what was on Zipcio's side without deflecting
  • Immediately pivot to what you learned and what would be different next time
  • Use language like "one thing I'd do differently" rather than "one thing that went wrong" - forward-facing framing keeps the energy constructive

What to bring to the call: One or two friction points you are prepared to name and reframe. Do not surface every issue - choose the ones the client likely noticed and address those directly.

IDENTIFY 2-3 RETAINER HOOKS

A retainer hook is a specific, client-relevant reason why the work is not finished and continued support would create real value. This is not a generic pitch for retainer services - it is a targeted observation about this client's business, their current HubSpot setup, and what is still incomplete or untapped. Hooks land when they are specific. "You could benefit from ongoing support" is not a hook. "Your lead scoring is built but has never been tested against a real pipeline cycle - a retainer gives us 90 days to tune it against live data" is a hook.

Where to find retainer hooks:

  • Things that were built but not yet adopted - sequences, workflows, or dashboards the team has not started using yet are an active retainer opportunity
  • Things that were descoped - any item that was in the original vision but did not make it into the engagement is a natural next chapter
  • Things that are working but need optimization - a pipeline that is live but not tracked, a sequence with low open rates, a property structure that needs cleanup as usage grows
  • Things the client mentioned wanting but were out of scope - review AskElephant call notes for any "it would be great if one day we could..." moments
  • Business growth signals - hiring plans, new markets, new products, or revenue targets the client mentioned that have HubSpot implications
  • Reporting and analytics gaps - clients almost always leave an engagement without the reporting they actually need - this is a reliable hook

How to present a hook on the call:

  • Frame it as an observation, not a pitch - "One thing I noticed as we wrapped up is..." lands better than "We also offer..."
  • Connect it to a business outcome they care about - not a HubSpot feature
  • Present 1-2 hooks maximum on the call, not a menu - a menu feels like a sales pitch, a specific observation feels like expertise

What to bring to the call: Two to three written hooks ranked by how likely each one is to resonate with this specific client. Walk in with your top pick ready and the others as backup if the conversation opens up.

 CONFIRM DECISION-MAKER IS ON THE CALL

This step is non-negotiable. If the decision-maker is not on the Impact + Vision Session, the retainer or next engagement cannot be decided on that call - and the momentum you build will dissipate before the right person hears it.

  • Check who accepted the calendar invite - is the person who signs off on budget or continued engagements on the attendee list?
  • If the decision-maker is not on the invite, reach out to your primary contact 7 days before and make a specific ask - "I'd love to have [name] join for the last 20 minutes - we'll be talking about what's next and I want to make sure they have full context"
  • If the decision-maker cannot attend, ask whether it makes sense to reschedule rather than proceed without them
  • If you are unsure who the decision-maker is, check your AskElephant notes from the original sales call - the buyer is usually identified there

What to bring to the call: Confirmation that the right person is attending. If they are not, flag this to your Pod Leader before the call so they can weigh in on whether to proceed.

 DRAFT WHAT'S-NEXT TALKING POINTS

What's-next talking points are the bridge between the impact review and the retainer or next engagement conversation. They connect what was built to what is still possible. The goal is not to close a deal on this call - it is to make the next chapter feel obvious and exciting so the client is leaning in when you get to the decision ask.

Structure of strong what's-next talking points:

  • The foundation statement - one sentence that summarizes what was built and why it matters as a starting point, not an endpoint ("What we built together over the last [X weeks] gives you a strong foundation - here is what that unlocks for you going forward")
  • The gap observation - one specific thing that exists in their HubSpot environment right now that is incomplete, underused, or untested (this comes directly from your retainer hooks list)
  • The business connection - link the gap to something the client actually cares about - revenue, time savings, visibility, team adoption - not a feature
  • The specific next chapter - a one or two sentence description of what a retainer or next project would actually look like, specific enough that the client can picture it ("Over the next 90 days we would focus on X, which means your team would be able to Y by [timeframe]")
  • The soft ask - a low-pressure question that invites a response without cornering them ("Does that feel like the right next step, or is there something else that feels more pressing right now?")

What to avoid:

  • Do not present a services menu - one specific pitch lands better than a list of options
  • Do not use pricing language on this call unless the client asks - the goal is vision first, logistics second
  • Do not rush to the ask - the vision cast section of the call should feel unhurried and client-led
  • Do not make the what's-next pitch feel disconnected from what was just reviewed - it should feel like a natural continuation, not a gear shift

What to bring to the call: Your talking points written out in full - not bullet notes, full sentences. You do not need to read them verbatim but having them written forces you to pressure-test whether they are specific and compelling enough before you are live on the call.

💡 Pro Tip

  • If any item on this checklist surfaces a concern - a mostly negative satisfaction signal, a decision-maker who will not attend, a hard friction point you are not sure how to handle - bring it to your Pod Leader before the call. The post-race process exists for when things fall through the cracks. The pre-call checklist is your opportunity to catch it before it does.
  • Run through this checklist in one focused sitting rather than spreading it across the week. Reviewing all six items together gives you a clearer picture of the full engagement arc and makes your talking points sharper.

⚠️ Heads Up

  • This checklist is due 7 days before the call - not the night before. You need time to act on what you find, including looping in your Pod Leader or reaching out to confirm the decision-maker's attendance.
  • If you complete this checklist and realize the engagement had significant friction or the client relationship feels at risk, do not wait for the Impact + Vision Session to address it. Flag the deal as Retention Risk - Yellow or Red in HubSpot and schedule time with your Pod Leader immediately.