Set the Pace: Your Summer Customer Advisory Board Checklist

The most successful customer advisory boards don't pause for summer—they use the quieter weeks to lay groundwork that pays off in the fall. Use this checklist to keep your board moving through the summer months.

PART OF A SEASONAL CHECKLIST SERIES: FIRST QUARTER | SUMMER | YEAR END

✓ Reflect on the First Half of the Year

• Review your Q1-Q2 sessions for open action items and close the loop where needed 

• Identify the top lessons learned and the sessions that resonated most with members 

• Note topics that warrant further exploration in upcoming meetings 

• Flag areas that could be strengthened — if you have the room this summer, our 25-statement assessment give you a frame for what to look for

✓ Conduct Member Input Calls

• Schedule pre- and post-meeting interviews with board members—this is where the feedback and advice for future sessions comes from 

• Ask which topics resonated most, and whether new ones have surfaced 

• Identify members’ priority areas of interest for upcoming sessions 

• Look for members who have made progress on a topic and might help kick off a future peer discussion  

✓ Keep Your Program on Track

• Build out or revisit your program timeline — meeting dates, prep milestones, input calls, follow-up commitments — so the full fall arc is visible in one place

• Guard against items getting forgotten or overlooked in the busy season: Name an owner for each deliverable, anticipate where board work might collide with their Q3 and Q4 priorities, and decide now how you'll handle them

✓ Lock In Meeting Dates

• Begin identifying potential meeting dates for the year ahead 

• Send calendar invites as early as possible—earlier communication to members drives stronger attendance 

✓ Refresh Your Recruiting Pipeline

• Work with your account teams to identify new target candidates for your recruiting list 

• Review your current roster to confirm candidates are still in their roles and remain a good fit for the board  

Summer may feel like a slower season, but the groundwork you lay now is what puts your board in the strongest position for a successful fall. 

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From the Archives: Resources and reading for your summer

Reflecting on What’s Working (or Not)

• Expert Guide Assessment Tools ("Is Our Advisory Board as Powerful as it Could Be?")

• How to Measure the Value of an Advisory Board

• The Art of Strategic Patience: Why the Best Advisory Programs Can't Be Rushed

• Mastering Executive Engagement: What’s Holding You Back?

• What if Our Customer Advisory Board Isn’t Working?

Member Input & Listening

• Why Co-Creating a Meeting Agenda Matters

• Delivering a Great Customer Experience: It's About Listening

• Customer Advisory Boards: Uncover "What You Know That Ain't So"

Recruiting & Membership Pipeline

• A Strong Pipeline is the Key to Revitalizing Customer Advisory Board Membership

• Determining the Ideal Membership Equation for Your Customer Advisory Board

Planning the Fall Agenda

• Stop Selling, Start Seeking Advice: The Executive's Guide to Advisory Board Discussions

• How to Ask Better Questions in Customer Advisory Board Meetings

• Less is Definitely More: The Customer Advisory Board Content Trap

• Agenda Development: It's a Balancing Act

Team & Follow-Through

• Creating a Customer Advisory Board? Your Internal Team Matters

• Advice into Action: How to Close Advisory Board Sessions