Being the Second Set of Eyes in a Client Call

Being the Second Set of Eyes in a Client Call

You're not just taking notes - you're reading the room. The CMO is focused on the conversation. You're watching everything they can't watch while they're talking.

Why Two Sets of Eyes Matter

When a CMO is presenting a strategy, answering a tough question, or navigating a sensitive budget conversation, their full attention is on the person in front of them. That's exactly how it should be. But it means they miss things - the stakeholder who went quiet, the body language shift when pricing came up, the question someone typed in chat and then deleted.

You catch those things. And the things you catch often matter more than the things that were said out loud.

Before the Call: Set Yourself Up

Five minutes before any client call, get your workspace ready:

1. Pull up the client's context so you're not starting cold:

"Switch to Acme Corp"

"Prep meeting for Acme Corp"

1. Have Slack or your private chat channel with the CMO open in a side window
2. Open a notes document - not to transcribe, but to capture observations
3. Review the agenda so you know what's expected and can spot when things go off track

If the meeting is on Zoom, join a few minutes early to handle logistics - screen sharing, recording, breakout rooms, waiting room. The CMO should never have to troubleshoot tech during a client call.

During the Call: What to Watch For

Your notes should capture what the transcript won't. The recording gets the words. You get the meaning.

Body language and tone signals:

Things worth noting in real time:

• Who's engaged and who's just present
• Topics that generated energy (positive or negative)
• Questions that didn't get fully answered
• Commitments made by either side
• Anything that surprised you

The Private Channel: Your Secret Weapon

Keep a Slack DM or chat thread open with your CMO during every call. This is how you send real-time signals without interrupting the conversation.

Use it for:

• Warnings: "Sarah looks uncomfortable with this timeline - might want to check in with her directly"
• Context: "They mentioned the board meeting is next week - that might be driving the urgency"
• Reminders: "You promised to send the competitor analysis after this call"
• Corrections: "The Q2 number was $45K, not $55K - you might want to correct that before they write it down"
• Opportunities: "Mike just mentioned they're launching a new product line - could be a scope expansion"

Keep messages short. The CMO is glancing at these between speaking turns, not reading paragraphs.

Managing the Zoom Room

These logistics seem small, but they shape how professional the CMO looks:

• Recording: Start it, confirm it's running, and note the start time
• Screen sharing: Have the deck or document ready to share so the CMO doesn't fumble with tabs
• Chat monitoring: Watch the Zoom chat for questions or comments the CMO might miss while presenting
• Time management: Send a private message at the 5-minute warning so the CMO can wrap up gracefully
• Breakout rooms: If the meeting uses them, have them pre-configured
• Attendee management: Note who joined late, who left early, and who never showed

Note-Taking That Adds Value

The transcript captures what was said. Your notes capture what it means. Focus on:

Observations over quotes:

• "Client seemed hesitant about the budget increase" is more valuable than the exact words they used
• "Marketing director was visibly excited about the influencer strategy" tells the CMO where to double down
• "CEO checked his phone three times during the brand discussion" signals misalignment

Decisions and commitments:

• "Agreed to move forward with Option B for the Q3 campaign"
• "Client will send brand guidelines by Friday"
• "CMO promised to deliver the competitor analysis by end of week"

Unresolved items:

• "Budget for paid social was discussed but not decided - Sarah wants to check with finance"
• "Timeline for website launch is still TBD - depends on developer availability"

The 3-Minute Post-Call Huddle

This is the most valuable three minutes of your day. Immediately after the call ends, before the CMO moves on to their next meeting:

1. What you noticed: "Sarah seemed hesitant when you pitched the retainer increase. She was nodding but not asking follow-up questions like she usually does."

1. What needs to happen: "You committed to the competitor analysis by Friday and they're sending brand guidelines. I'll follow up on both."

1. What felt different: "Mike was way more engaged than last month. I think the new reporting format is landing well."

Keep it to three minutes. The CMO is between meetings. Hit the highlights, capture the rest in Armbrain:

"Quick note: Acme Q3 planning call. Client seemed hesitant about budget increase. Sarah wants to check with finance before committing. CMO owes competitor analysis by Friday. Mike was noticeably more engaged - new reporting format is working."

Tips

• Don't try to note everything. The transcript exists. Your job is to capture what the transcript misses.
• Learn each client's tells. Over time, you'll know that Sarah's "let me think about it" means no, and Mike's "interesting" means he loves it.
• Don't speak up in the call unless asked. Your power is in observation, not participation. If the CMO wants you to contribute, they'll invite you in.
• Review your notes against the transcript later. This is how you calibrate. Did your read of the room match what was actually said?
• Trust your gut. If something felt off, note it. You can always discard the observation later, but you can't recreate it.

Related Guides

• Prepping Your CMO for Meetings - the before to this guide's during
• After the Meeting - capturing decisions and action items post-call
• Following Up - turning meeting commitments into completed deliverables