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Kickoff Calls 101

  • Writer: Staff
    Staff
  • Jul 19, 2025
  • 3 min read


Table Of Contents

What Is A Kickoff Call

A kickoff call is an meeting between parties that takes place at the beginning of a project or engagement to officially commence the working relationships. The purpose of the call is to bring together the project team, client, and oftten key stakeholders and align on the project goals, objectives, and expectations and sync on the exeuction plan and path forward.


Using Kickoff Calls

Kickoff calls are a critical step in any project. They help build a strong working relationship with clients, service providers, and stakeholder for ensuring that everyone is on the same page from the outset of the project.


During this meeting, it is common to discuss the planning, execution, timeline, and any potential risks or issues that may arise during the project. It is also common to review any relevant documentation or materials to support the project.


Things To Consider

During a client kickoff call, it is good practice to consider a niche range of topics to ensure that the needed parties have a shared understanding of the project and what it will entail. Recommendations and elements to consider as they pertain to kickoff calls are as follows:



  1. Introductions: Team members and stakeholders should introduce themselves and communicate their roles as it pertains to the project.

  2. Overview: Comprehensive review and alignment on the project purpose, goals, objectives, what success looks like, and pertinent details.

  3. Scope and Deliverables: Review the agreed upon scope and deliverables and everyone is on the same page.

  4. Roles and Responsibilities: Clarifiy and sync on responsibilities, scope, and ownership of tasks. These lines need not be blurred and where accountability falls should be clear. Depending on the project, other agencies and partners might be invovled. This is an opportunity to gain clarity on the other groups responsibilities and what collaboration needs to look like.

  5. Approval Process: It's good thinking to review the approval process during this meeting. This will help inform workflow and timeline revisions.

  6. Timeline: Review the project schedule, milestones, and key deadlines.

  7. Risks: Discuss risks or challenges that may arise during the project and mitigation strategies.

  8. Communication plan: Establish a communication protocol including a meeting schedule and plans for reporting.

  9. Next steps: Outline what the next steps will be and any actions that need to be taken by any parties to move the project forward.


Lessons Learned

See below for some lessons learned as it relates to Kickoff Calls. Please note the following are based on unique experiences. Do what works best for you and your situation:


  • Go into kickoff calls with recommendations for areas relate to your scope and responsibilities.

  • List specific questions you have for the parities included in the kickoff call. This will help maximize time and chart a path for success.

  • Keep the conversation focused on items that are revelant to the group. Niche topics and questions can be saved from small group/separate meetings.

  • Following a kickoff call, requesting any relevant historical content or documentation that the client or other parties can provide is a great immediate action item. This is also a time to secure any external branding from other parties.


Closing

It's important to note that every NDA is unique and the specific terms and provisions included may vary depending on the nature of the confidential information being protected and the circumstances of the parties involved. It's always a good idea to have an attorney review any NDA before it's signed to ensure that it meets your needs and complies with applicable laws.



Level Up Development

Level Up Development is the professional development division of Level Up Solutions, equipping young professionals with the information, relationships, and experience they need to navigate their journey. LUD is on a mission to bring innovation and accessibility to professional development.


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