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How To Prepare and Deliver a Business Case Presentation

No matter how junior or senior an individual is in an organization, there will always be times when they need to convince others why they should fund them, choose them, or do anything else they want them to do. Sometimes an informal, but convincing, argument is enough. Often, it isn’t. Those are the times you’ll need to prepare a business case in order to change their mind.

What is a Business Case?

A business case is a document that presents the costs, risks, and benefits of a particular initiative, justifies the investment , and pitches why decision-makers should approve of the recommendation. Students pursuing an  MBA with a specialization in marketing  are often asked to prepare different business case studies to improve their business forecasting and analytics skills.

Depending on your organization and endeavor, this will be anything from an informal document to a formal presentation before stakeholders. Regardless of the format, a business case aims to convince people if a project or initiative is worth investing in and why one particular approach is better than others.

A Business Case Is Not a Project Proposal or a Project Plan

Don’t get a business case mixed up with a project proposal . While they have similar goals and will cover some of the same topics, they’re not quite the same thing. A project proposal focuses on what a project is, delving into many of the details like deliverables and timelines. They are also different from project plans , which explain how a project will be executed and have much more detail. A business case, on the other hand, is about why people should invest in your initiative.

When You Should Create a Business Case Presentation?

You should create a business case presentation any time you need to convince a manager or stakeholder to make a decision, where an informal conversation is not appropriate or enough.

Common reasons to create a business case presentation:

• Asking for new funding, more funding, or a continuation of funding
• Changing the scope of a project
• Starting a new project
• Requesting a policy change
• Asking for an exception to a rule
• Adding resources to a project or team

How to Create a Business Case Presentation?

While you might be eager to jump in and share the initiative you believe in, it’s a good idea to step back and make sure you prepare a solid case. The more concrete details, facts, and figures you have, the stronger your business case will be. The main sections of a business case will be the context of the situation, problem statement, opportunities, financial analysis, and solution description.

If you’ve never made a business case presentation before, consider using a business case template or try our AI presentation maker to help guide you through each step. Here’s a short summary of each of the parts of a convincing business case presentation.

Step 1. Establish Context about the Current Situation

Not all audience members will immediately know what the current situation is leading up to your initiative. Briefly lay out the background of the idea. Note that this isn’t the problem statement, which will follow.

Step 2. State the Problems

This slide is where you can impress upon your audience the importance of the problem, and therefore, why the solution you’ll soon present is necessary.

When describing the problems, think about the direct and indirect effects of the situation, as well as the internal and external implications. Include statistical analysis if you’re already seeing negative effects because of the situation.

Step 3. Evaluate Opportunities

Your solution needs to be directly related to the stated problem. Here you can list, side-by-side, the opportunities you foresee to address problems. This section is a segway from your problem to your solution.

Another way to present this section is to analyze potential causes of the previously stated problem. This would then be the step to introduce the possible approaches, before settling on the one you’ve chosen to pitch.

Step 4. Analyze Finances

The numbers are probably the most important thing on stakeholder’s minds. They can make or break your business case. Present the current financial situation and compare it to the numbers you could be achieving if they choose to fund your initiative. Additionally, emphasize the potential for increased revenue through the implementation of a recurring payment system , which can provide a steady stream of income for your business.

Step 5. Describe Solution

Now that you’ve impressed the need for a change on your audience, it’s time to propose your solution. The format of your solution description will depend on what kind of decision you’re promoting. Generally speaking, you’ll want to briefly outline what needs to be done, how it will be done, who will do it, and when it will be done. Let’s look at sample solution formats for each of the examples from the introduction:

• Convincing the project manager to add you to a team: List the skills you have, how they relate to the needs of the project, and what you’ll be able to achieve once part of that team.
• Convincing your boss to commit time to fixing a product issue: List how you can fix the issue, how much time it will take, how many resources it will take, and how much it will cost, especially when compared to the alternative.
• Convincing HR to give an employee a raise: List how much of a raise your employee will need, any other non-monetary benefits that could work, and the advantages of retaining that talent.
• Convincing the board to open a new office: This initiative is clearly much more complex than the previous examples, which means it will require a much more in-depth business case document. However, in the business case presentation, you can list the costs, forecasted ROI, resources needed, and potential benefits of opening up the satellite office.

10 Tips for Presenting Effective Business Cases

• Use unique and attention-grabbing visuals. Chances are a board of directors or management team has seen a lot of business cases. Make sure yours doesn’t look just like everyone else’s.
• Clearly state your recommendation and required investment.
• Don’t shy away from costs and risks.
• Evaluate various scenarios when presenting your solution.
• Don’t forget to practice presenting your business case when preparing the documentation.
• Use an appropriate story alongside facts and figures to hook your audience, as recommended by the Harvard Business Review . 
• Don’t add too much data to your PPT slides. Remember that the rest of your details will be in the business case document.
• Involve your audience by making eye contact, mentioning specific examples they may have heard about or been involved in, and even making appropriate jokes.
• Brainstorm potential questions your audience may ask and incorporate them into your presentation. 
• Prepare both a long version and a short version of your business case presentation. You might be expecting an hour to pitch your idea to stakeholders, but you might just get a few minutes while walking down the hall to an emergency meeting.

Conclusion: Do Your Initiative Justice

You have a good idea. Maybe it’s a project you really believe in, a decision that just has to be made, or a strategy that will change the game for your organization. Whatever the case, your initiative won’t get approval if you communicate it ineffectively. Create a convincing business case and present it effectively and you’ll see decisions going your way in no time.

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Business case presentation: A comprehensive guide

Master business case presentations with this guide: audience, argument, and delivery.

Raja Bothra

Building presentations

Hey there, fellow business enthusiasts!

If you're reading this, you're probably no stranger to the term "business case." In fact, you might be here because you're keen to unravel the art of crafting an impressive business case presentation. Well, you're in the right place!

In this comprehensive guide, we're diving deep into the world of business cases, exploring why they're crucial, when to create one, and how to structure an effective business case presentation. Plus, we'll sprinkle in some do's and don'ts to ensure your presentation shines.

So, buckle up, because by the end of this journey, you'll be equipped with the skills to create a business case presentation that wows your stakeholders, just like a pro. Ready? Let's dive in!

What is a business case?

First things first, let's clarify what exactly we mean by a business case. It's more than just a buzzword; it's a powerful tool that helps organizations make informed decisions.

At its core, a business case is a document that outlines the rationale for initiating a project or making a significant business-related decision. It's like the blueprint for your business move, offering a structured way to assess the potential risks, benefits, and costs involved.

But here's the kicker: A well-crafted business case isn't just about numbers and graphs; it's a persuasive narrative that tells a compelling story about why your idea is worth pursuing. It's your secret weapon to gain buy-in from key decision-makers.

Why do you need a business case?

Now that you know what a business case is, you might be wondering why you need one. Well, here's the deal:

Clarity and focus : A business case forces you to articulate your idea clearly and concisely. It's like putting your thoughts through a refining process, leaving you with a crystal-clear vision.

Risk mitigation : Projects or decisions without a solid business case are like ships without navigation. It helps you identify potential pitfalls and navigate around them.

Resource allocation : Limited resources demand wise allocation. A business case helps you justify why your project deserves those resources.

Stakeholder buy-in : Ever tried convincing your team or investors without data? A business case equips you with the data-driven argument you need to win them over.

When should you create a business case presentation?

Alright, you're convinced of the importance of a business case. But when should you whip out your presentation skills? Here are some scenarios:

• Launching a new product or service : When introducing something new, a solid business case can prove it's worth the investment.
• Changing business processes : If you're considering a major shift in operations, a business case will help assess the pros and cons.
• Resource allocation : Whenever you're requesting significant resources, whether it's money, time, or manpower, a business case is a must.
• Problem solving : When your business encounters a challenge, a business case can outline the best course of action.

How to structure an effective business case presentation

Creating a business case presentation can be a daunting task, but fear not, we're breaking it down into manageable chunks. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Executive summary : Begin with an attention-grabbing summary. In just a few slides, give an overview of what your business case entails.

Problem statement : Clearly define the problem your business case addresses. Use real-world data to illustrate its significance.

Business objectives : Lay out your objectives and what you aim to achieve with this project.

Project plan : Detail the plan of action, including timelines, milestones, and resources required.

Key stakeholders : Identify the key players involved and their roles in the project.

Facts and figures : Support your case with concrete data. This is where those business case studies come in handy.

Solutions to the problem : Present your proposed solutions and explain why they're the best way forward.

Align with company goals : Show how your business case aligns with the broader goals of your organization.

Cost-benefit analysis : Break down the costs and potential benefits. Be transparent and realistic.

Conclusion : Summarize your business case and reiterate why it's a solid proposition.

Remember, clarity and structure are key. Use a business case presentation template to keep things organized and professional.

Do’s and don'ts on a business case presentation

Before we dive deeper, let's lay down some ground rules to ensure your business case presentation shines:

Do's :

• Do back your arguments with data and evidence.
• Do tailor your presentation to your audience.
• Do rehearse your presentation for a smooth delivery.
• Do use visuals and graphs to make your case more compelling.
• Do stay focused and avoid unnecessary jargon.

Don'ts :

• Don't overwhelm with too much information.
• Don't ignore potential objections; address them head-on.
• Don't rush through your presentation; take your time.
• Don't rely solely on your slides; engage with your audience.
• Don't forget to proofread and edit for clarity and coherence.

Summarizing key takeaways

By now, you've learned the essentials of crafting a persuasive business case presentation that combines data and storytelling to justify significant projects or decisions. They're crucial for clarity, risk mitigation, resource allocation, and gaining support for endeavors like product launches or process changes.

To create an effective business case presentation, follow a structured approach, including problem definition, objectives, plans, stakeholder involvement, data support, proposed solutions, alignment with company goals, and cost-benefit analysis. Remember to tailor your presentation to the audience, use visuals, and address objections while avoiding information overload and rushing through it. Proofreading ensures clarity and coherence. These steps will help you create a compelling business case presentation.

1. What are the benefits of employing a business case framework?

Utilizing a business case framework offers numerous advantages. It provides you with a solid foundation for your presentation, guaranteeing that you seamlessly address all critical elements. Moreover, it frees up valuable time, enabling you to concentrate on content rather than becoming entangled in formatting intricacies. Consider it your reliable companion for effortlessly crafting a compelling PowerPoint business case.

2. How can I write a business case that appeals to stakeholders?

To write a business case that truly resonates with stakeholders, it's vital to understand their needs and concerns. Start by identifying the key decision-makers and their expectations. Then, craft your business case in a way that addresses their concerns. Remember, it's not just about presenting facts; it's about presenting a compelling narrative that speaks to the business problem at hand.

3. Are there any tips for making an effective business case presentation?

Absolutely! When you're preparing to present your business case, consider these tips for success:

• Keep it concise and to the point. Don't overwhelm your audience with too much information.
• Use visuals and graphs from your powerpoint template to make complex data more accessible.
• Practice your delivery to ensure a smooth presentation.
• Address potential objections head-on and provide solutions.
• Make sure your business case is in line with the broader business requirements and goals.

4. How do I create an engaging business case powerpoint presentation?

Creating an engaging business case powerpoint is an art. Start with a captivating opening that hooks your audience. Use the slides to complement your narrative, not replace it. Remember, your ppt slides are there to support your story, not overwhelm it. Keep the design clean and consistent with your business case powerpoint template.

5. Is there a recommended length for a business case presentation?

While there's no hard-and-fast rule, a complete business case presentation should be concise but thorough. Aim for clarity rather than length. However, avoid the temptation to have too many slides – nobody wants to sit through 100 slides . Focus on presenting a strong case with the most important information. Your business case should be as long as it needs to be to make a convincing argument, but no longer.

Remember, the goal of your business case presentation is to convince others of your proposal, and using a well-structured business case template and adhering to the principles of an effective presentation will significantly increase your chances of success.

Create your business case presentation with Prezent

Imagine having a tool that not only helps you save time but also ensures your business case presentation is 100% on brand and compliant. With Prezent's real-time sharing and collaboration features, you can work seamlessly with your team to crush communication costs and deliver top-notch presentations.

So, why wait? The world of effective business presentations is at your fingertips. Get started with Prezent and elevate your presentation game today!

Are you ready to ignite your business case presentations? Try our free trial or book a demo today with Prezent!

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10 Free Business Case Templates in PowerPoint & ClickUp

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

February 13, 2024

Every great project kicks off with a solid plan. But before diving into that plan, you need a clear and concise business case to back it up.

Here’s some good news—we’ve got you covered with top-tier business case templates you can use in ClickUp and Word.

What is a Business Case Template?

What makes a good business case template, 1. clickup business case analysis template, 2. clickup business plan template, 3. clickup business plan document template, 4. clickup lean business plan template, 5. clickup case study template, 6. clickup case study design template, 7. clickup business analysis project plan template, 8. clickup business development plan template, 9. powerpoint business case template by slidemodel, 10. business case presentation template by 24slides.

Think of a business case template as your project’s passport. A business case template details the “why’s” and “how’s” of a project or proposed business change—its benefits, cost, risks, objectives, and more.

Whether pitching an idea or seeking approval, a business case template provides the structure you need.

A compelling business case template isn’t just about numbers; it paints a clear picture. It showcases benefits, draws attention to potential risks, and defines clear objectives.

Moreover, a solid business case template is versatile, user-friendly, and adaptable to various business needs. In fact, several business case templates use a similar structure to answer or address these areas:

• Executive Summary : It gives a brief overview of the project, the overall objectives, and expected outcomes
• Problem Statement : Clearly defines the problem you’re facing and what needs to be solved
• Proposed Solution : This outlines your proposed solution in detail and includes how it will solve the problem
• Cost Benefit Analysis : This provides a detailed breakdown of the associated costs with the solution and the potential financial benefits
• Project Timeline : Outline the timeline for implementing the solution, including key milestones—basically anything that will help the project manager keep things on track
• Risk Analysis : Identify potential risks and how they will be mitigated
• Conclusion : Summarize why the proposed solution is the best choice for the business

10 Business Case Templates to Use in 2024:

Below are our favorite business case templates on the market today.

Diving into a new project demands a solid foundation. And what better way to lay it than with a well-structured business case? But crafting such a document can be challenging. Enter ClickUp’s Business Case Analysis Template : your ultimate solution!

This business case template is your assistant to visualizing and comparing different approaches to a business problem swiftly, determining the viability of your project with a cost-benefit analysis, and pinpointing key factors to the success of your business case.

Use our business case template’s custom statuses to monitor the progress of your business case analysis, and create custom fields so you can approach that business case analysis systematically. You can view different facets of the business case analysis as a Doc View, a Gantt chart, a Calendar View, or simply a list of tasks.

Bring ClickUp’s full suite of project management tools to bear as you map task dependencies to feasible due dates, then track business case progress automatically using AI-powered automations. These features are part of what makes ClickUp some of the best operations management software available.

This business case template allows you to identify your business problem and outline your business objective in ClickUp Tasks. Then, brainstorm together in ClickUp Docs to identify potential solutions for your business case.

Finally, design your roadmap and assign tasks to the team. You can automatically monitor the progress on your business case with your custom statuses and set up regular check-ins on the project calendar.

Are you embarking on a new business case? Navigate seamlessly with ClickUp’s Business Case Analysis Template.

Every flourishing venture begins with a robust business plan. It’s not just about having an idea but charting a clear course to bring it to fruition. ClickUp’s Business Plan Template simplifies this journey, providing you an efficient route to outline:

• Crystal clear goals and mission
• Comprehensive strategy, along with an execution timeline
• Performance checkpoints, risk alerts, and success metrics

Envision it, and ClickUp’s template will guide you to actualize it!

Why is a Business Plan Template essential? With ClickUp’s Business Plan Template, you can:

• Zero in on your precise objectives and aspirations
• Profile your target audience and their sectors
• Highlight your edge over competitors
• Craft a strategy aimed at exponential growth
• Write an executive summary to give investors a high-level overview of all your research

This meticulously designed business case document uses custom statuses so you can navigate from in progress through the revisions stage and finally mark each task as “complete!”

Organize your tasks with custom fields, and switch between views to emphasize different information based on your priorities.

ClickUp’s robust project management package lets you tag multiple teammates, nest subtasks in larger tasks, and set priority indicators.

This business plan template is set up so you can brainstorm your objectives with your team in ClickUp Docs and then itemize your product’s unique selling point in ClickUp Tasks. Execute your objectives on time and budget with the help of ClickUp’s Gantt charts. At the end of your proposed project, revisit your accomplishments with ClickUp Goals to see where you hit the target and where you may need to revise your approach.

If business success is your destination, ClickUp’s Business Plan Template is your map.

Crafting an impeccable business plan can be an intricate journey, given its importance in rallying investors and stakeholders. But what if there was a tool to simplify and enrich this journey?

Meet ClickUp’s Business Plan Document Template , your ally in:

• Unifying your team towards a shared vision
• Amassing all critical data for an in-depth blueprint
• Centralizing materials for seamless accessibility

Embark on fresh undertakings or rejuvenate current ones; this free business case template molds your aspirations into executable steps. Begin your ascent towards achievement today!

This ClickUp template equips you with:

• Your project scope and a charted path laden with quantifiable goals
• Resource management tools to accomplish tasks for task accomplishment
• Proactive risk anticipation and mitigation strategies
• Instant, precise data retrieval and modification

Naturally, this template includes a Doc View, but as a project manager, you have options like Gantt charts, Workload Views, and Calendar Views to help you see at a glance the information that matters most to you.

Keep a tight grip on your project with advanced comment tracking and AI automations that make your workflow run smoothly in the background while you get more work done.

To get the most out of this template, start by gathering your business objectives, audience research, product offerings, and financial picture. You can use research management software to help with this stage. Then, you can use ClickUp’s Table View to lay out a clean, easy-to-read executive summary and your market assessment and financial appraisal for investors.

Aspiring to propel your business idea into reality but are hindered by the extensive demands of traditional planning? ClickUp’s Lean Business Plan Template is your savior.

Forge an efficient, succinct business strategy, offering:

• A bird’s-eye view of your enterprise
• Intuitive blueprints for devising a cogent business plan
• Incremental assistance for fleshing out each plan segment

Elevate your business cases quickly and affordably with ClickUp’s streamlined approach.

The template allows you to define your business, describe your target market, set budgets, and create goals.

Once that’s done, use custom statuses to monitor your progress toward achieving your goals. You can set reminders to check in on different areas of your business and use different views to check on your priorities, brainstorm additions to your business plan, or see a timeline of the tasks to be completed.

With ClickUp, turning your vision into a viable venture has never been more accessible. Simplify, strategize, and succeed.

Crafting an influential case study is an art of strategic organization and detailed execution. Enter ClickUp’s Case Study Template , your ultimate companion to orchestrate, frame, and present your research seamlessly.

Use this simple business case template to gather and consolidate data to support your case study and extract meaningful conclusions and takeaways from that information.

This approach to case studies gives you space to weave a real-world, impactful narrative that resonates with your audience. These stories are an important way to validate your sales propositions with concrete results. Telling others about your clients’ successes also builds trust with prospects.

You can brainstorm potential stories with ClickUp Whiteboards, then put your plan to paper with ClickUp Docs. After that, organize your writing process with an actionable task list.

The ClickUp AI writing assistant can help you turn your ideas into a cohesive story. Then, use ClickUp’s integrated email and collaborative editing tools to get final approval from the client.

A great case study stands tall in the realm of effective enterprise marketing tools . Let ClickUp be the wind beneath its wings.

Harness the power of compelling narratives with ClickUp’s Case Study Design Template , tailored for businesses keen on weaving success tales—a well-crafted case study not only shares successes but bolsters your brand credibility.

With this template, you can:

• Demonstrate problems your customer encountered and how your offerings emerged as the proposed solution
• Showcase tangible results, affirming the prowess of your product/service to potential clients
• Ensure an organized, standardized business process , ensuring brand-consistent design and presentation across all case studies
• Save precious time with streamlined research, design, and publication processes

Use this template to track the progress of your case study, seamlessly manage and visualize the data that will inform the case study, and incorporate ClickUp’s project management features like nested subtasks, multiple assignees, and priority labeling to make case study creation a breeze.

This template has space for you to define the goal for the case study, choose and describe your subject, collect all your data in a Table View, draft the narrative in ClickUp Docs, and then create a task list for marketing and promoting your case study. A communication plan template can also be a helpful tool for this stage.

With ClickUp’s innovative design template, crafting impactful case studies becomes an organized, efficient endeavor, enhancing your brand’s narrative prowess.

Embarking on a business analysis project requires meticulous planning, resource utilization , and clear objectives. ClickUp’s Business Analysis Project Plan Template is a tailored solution to navigate these complexities seamlessly.

This template is for you if you need to:

• Craft a bespoke business analysis plan aligning with your organizational goals
• Perform a risk assessment and create mitigation strategies
• Effortlessly adapt to changing scenarios and ensure timely project delivery
• Equip your project team to dive deep into business nuances, ensuring a holistic understanding of products, clientele, and operational facets

The ClickUp Business Analysis Project Plan Template lets you lay out the scope and objectives of your plan, identify key personnel and their roles, build an action plan, and then assign the necessary resources to achieve your goals on time and on budget.

Use ClickUp to assemble your team and assign them roles. You can document deliverables in ClickUp Docs along the way and tag significant milestones with ClickUp Tasks.

With ClickUp’s template, business analysis project planning is simplified and supercharged for optimal outcomes.

Crafting a robust business plan is the cornerstone of entrepreneurial achievement. With myriad tasks to manage and objectives to meet, a streamlined tool becomes imperative. That tool is ClickUp’s Business Development Plan Template —your ultimate companion in carving out a successful business trajectory.

With this template, you can set precise, achievable targets and track your progress toward achieving them. Document clear blueprints to meet your business aspirations, but use ClickUp’s collaborative tools to edit and iterate on those plans along the way.

The beauty of this template is it ensures all stakeholders are synchronized and aligned because you have defined actionable steps to use your resources effectively.

With ClickUp’s Business Development Plan Template, chart a course toward unparalleled entrepreneurial success!

Elevate your business presentations with SlideModel’s Free Business Case PowerPoint Template . Tailored for modern professionals, this dynamic template facilitates a comprehensive discourse on new business initiatives, elucidating their relevance, objectives, and potential returns.

This template is ideal for consultants, budding entrepreneurs, and SMEs aiming to pitch their project description or corporate strategy to stakeholders or investors.

It includes an engaging title slide, slides for introduction, problem statement, solution proposal, benefits, implementation, and key takeaways. You’ll enjoy the eye-catching human character vector graphics for sharp visuals, versatile infographic icons, and a wavy timeline chart to illustrate milestones.

The template has full editability across color palettes, backgrounds, and fonts. The template’s adaptability ensures its seamless integration into diverse presentations.

Although optimized for PowerPoint, you can also download versions that cater to Google Slides and Keynote.

In search of an impressive medium to present your business case? SlideModel’s template is a click away. For alternative designs, explore their featured Business Case PowerPoint Template collection. Secure your copy today!

Introducing the Business Case Presentation Template by 24Slides —a comprehensive toolkit for innovators and visionaries ready to revolutionize their organization. Every groundbreaking idea warrants a robust presentation that encapsulates its essence, both financially and technically.

Crafted with precision, this template offers an array of instrumental slides tailored to articulate your idea seamlessly:

• Clearly define your vision and the strategic goals you aim to achieve
• Delve deep into potential challenges, ensuring stakeholders are well informed and prepared
• Offer a lucid timeline, pinpointing milestones and mapping out your project’s trajectory

Every slide has been meticulously designed to foster clarity, conviction, and comprehensibility. With the 24Slides template, you are empowered to present a holistic overview of your idea, bolstering its feasibility and implementation potential.

For those committed to driving value and championing transformative ideas, this Business Case Presentation Template serves as the ultimate companion. Express, elucidate, and execute your vision with unparalleled finesse.

Why ClickUp Stands Out in the Business Tool Realm

Templates are great, but when combined with an intuitive platform offering robust project management features? It’s a game-changer.

ClickUp isn’t just a library of versatile business templates. It’s a comprehensive tool designed to streamline your projects, optimize communication, and enhance productivity.

From setting up workflows to collaborating with your team in real-time, ClickUp seamlessly integrates every aspect of project management.

So whether you’re drafting a business case, planning a project, or managing day-to-day tasks, ClickUp is your one-stop hub, combining utility with unparalleled efficiency. Dive into ClickUp today and experience the future of business management.

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Blog – Creative Presentations Ideas

infoDiagram visual slide examples, PowerPoint diagrams & icons , PPT tricks & guides

A Complete Guide to Presenting Sales Business Case Study with PowerPoint Graphics

Last Updated on September 8, 2022 by

Are you about to present a sales business case study to a potential client? Make it with an impact. Get inspired on how you can present such a presentation in a visual way, that will clearly explain the challenges and solutions your case study addressed.

Below we present several graphical ways how a sales business case study can be presented. We hope our slide examples and illustrations will give you a dose of inspiration for your next sales presentation.

Get all the graphics presented here, by clicking on the slide pictures to download the source illustration. See the full Sales Case Template for PowerPoint here .

What is a Sales Business Case Study?

A presentation story about how a business problem was solved, based on real-life examples. A good sales case study contains an overview of the whole process:

• client and situation description
• needs analysis
• problem identification
• gap analysis 
• solutions alternatives analysis and proposal of best one
• implementation plan of the final solution.

Focus on presenting one proposed solution and its benefits, compared with several alternative solutions. Include an analysis of financial impact, comparing financial KPIs before and after solution implementation.

Let me show you examples of how those topics can be visualized on a slide using PowerPoint graphics. 

Give a big picture of the sales case, show a roadmap to success

It’s good to start by showing the big overview picture. You can use the visual metaphor of a roadmap and show the path from the problem to the desired outcome. Add road milestones of your solution – see how we illustrated it using a curvy road shape and teardrop-like points.

Present the business context of your sales case

In the beginning, explain the case background:

• who was the client
• what is the market or industry where the case study was done
• describe the current operations and processes of the client
• list the main problems and needs 

You can present all this information on one concise slide, like this:

Visualize KPI improvements by real numbers

The next thing you can present is showing an improvement that your solution delivered, or would deliver after full implementation. Present data from the client’s current situation analysis, for example, the status of current operations. How much they cost, or how long a certain activity takes. Then you can compare it with the cost and length of that activity when your solution will work. 

See how we used a slide layout with a vertical split, where on the right half we added a thematic picture as a background. The bar chart showing KPI improvement is placed on a picture with additional grey background, to ensure the data are clear to read. We highlighted the main KPI change with a separate ribbon shape over the graph.

Draw a difference with Gap Analysis Bridge Infographics

Motivate a potential customer about why it is worth trying the presented solution. For that purpose, you can present a visual Gap Analysis slide. Such analysis shows the gap between current status and desired status. 

You can illustrate it by using bridge infographics, where you show on one side of your PowerPoint slide the current situation description, and on another side the desired situation. The gap between is the place for your solution – that will help a client to bridge that gap. 

A good idea is to use colors and icons to express the elements – red for a status – before, green for the desired status, and amber for the solution. If you don’t have those basic colors in your company template, you can also use red, green, and yellow colors from one of the standard PowerPoint palettes. I would just avoid using plain red and yellow colors. They tend to look too strong. It’s better to choose a darker shadow of that color. 

Present Key Benefits of a Solution without bullet-points

When you have a slide with a list of benefits, instead of using boring bullet points, consider using a more graphical form for each item. See below how a number of items are embedded inside a circle. The distinctive colors of the circles and their size will make them the most attractive part of the slide to look at. 

You can add an illustration of the checklist to make the slide more graphical.

Comparing Multiple Solution Alternatives

If you want to compare several possible solutions to a business case problem, you can use a table structure. A quick way to do it is to insert a standard PowerPoint table. 

However, such a table has its design limits – you can only have rectangle cells, for example. Therefore, we propose to create a table from shapes, like on the slide below. This offers you more possibilities to use the untypical design of cells, e.g. rounded corners, or easier adding of the icons. 

Icons are a great way to show the presence or absence of a specific feature. 

This way your comparison will look much more appealing. 

How can these Business Sales Case Study slides benefit your business?

A well-structured business case presentation is a useful marketing tool for promoting a product or service you offer.

• If you are a small business, then having a predesigned template will help you create quickly professional sales and marketing materials.
• If you are part of a bigger corporation with a separate sales organization unit, then you can easily adapt this case study PowerPoint to your branding. It’s enough to copy these case study slides into your template and the colors will adapt to your palette.  Your whole sales team can reuse the template, copy from each other and adapt the product story to their clients. 

In both cases, having a predefined initial case presentation structure and accompanying graphics is a handy sales enablement tool. It allows your sales reps to quickly create presentations even on the run, with only adapting text content to a specific client. The recipients of the case presentation will also appreciate the clarity of the message thanks to the use of visual elements.

Concluding the effective way of presenting a case study

The well-presented case study is a powerful sales tool. Therefore, it should not be a boring monotonous presentation, but an engaging story, supported by visual slides highlighting the real case facts, process description, and measurable financial impact, if possible.

To present that information in an attractive and easy-to-digest way, I recommend using graphical forms – data visualization charts to present financial numbers, a diagram for presenting key benefits or processes, and infographic layouts to illustrate the main case KPI.

With basic design rules such as consistent style of icons and colors, not overloading the slide with content, and the use of graphical symbols, you can make a stunning presentation and overall impression.

Resource: Sales Case PowerPoint Template

The examples above used the graphics from a PowerPoint template on the topic of a Sales Case Study. All slides are available in the infoDiagram collection of presentation graphics.

Sales Case Study Presentation (PowerPoint Template)

Moreover, you can extend the deck with a universal set of elegant outline style diagrams right here with different graphics, styles, and a lot more.

Published by

Chief Diagram Designer, infoDiagram co-founder View all posts by Peter Z

15 Sales Presentation Techniques That Will Help You Close More Deals Today

Updated: June 01, 2022

Published: May 31, 2022

Hate the thought of doing sales presentations ? You’re not alone. But the best reps have sales presentations down pat, even if it’s not their favorite activity.

The best sales reps know that, when done right , sales presentations are a high-earning skill.

So, let’s hone that skill with simple sales presentation techniques that communicate an irresistible narrative and get buyers to close.

Sales Presentation

An effective sales presentation tells a compelling story, highlights your value proposition, and aligns with your audience's needs and desires. It ends with a strong call-to-action and leads prospects to your differentiators instead of leading with them.

As it can sometimes mean the difference between closing a deal or losing a customer, you definitely want to get your sales presentation right. There are strategies and tips you can follow to ensure your sales presentations are effective, memorable, and engaging. Let’s go over them below.

Sales Presentation Methods

1. structure your presentation. .

Guiding your prospects down a clear path is key to a successful sales presentation. You’ll follow a logical structure, and listeners will understand how each element of your presentation relates to one another, rather than them having to piece together disjointed information on their own. 

There are times when flipping the structure can add unique elements to your presentation, though, and we’ll discuss this further below. 

2. Use data visualizations. 

Using visuals, like charts and graphics, to supplement your message is a valuable way to showcase your content in an easy-to-understand format as they make your words more impactful. 

For example, if you’re selling SaaS that helps users organize their sales process for a shorter cycle, you can create a visual that displays the average length of your clients’ sales cycle vs. those using other tools. 

By doing this, you’re adding extra emphasis to your words with a visual picture, and a bonus is that visuals are more likely to stick with your audience and get them thinking versus just hearing you talk. 

3. Rely on spoken words — not text.

If your presentation slides are text-heavy, prospects may get caught up reading the words you’ve written instead of listening, causing them to miss out on the value you’re sharing. Aim to include less text by calling attention to the most significant elements with short bursts of text that you supplement with your words. 

In addition, when you have less text on your slides, you may be less inclined to just read from them, which can be a bad part of presentations. You’ll have to speak instead of relying on written content. 

Let’s go over some sales presentation techniques that, when paired with the three methods above, will help you nail it every time.

Sales Presentation Techniques

1. send your buyer the presentation deck before your call..

You might assume that sending a buyer a deck before a call is like revealing whodunnit on the cover of a murder mystery. No one will pay attention to the rest of the book, right? 

When the Gong.io team started sharing our deck before opening sales calls, we learned it was a winning move. 

If your deck is compelling, prospects will want to get into it with you, even if they know the main point. Together, you can dive in, dissect the good bits, and talk through questions. It’s going to be a juicy conversation, and they know it.

Then, you can begin the conversation during your presentation with a statement like, “Based on the information in the deck I sent, where should we start?”

2. Invoke self-discovery.

It’s tempting to stick to a positive linear story during your sales presentation. That usually invokes talking about benefits, outcomes, and desired results. But, that approach isn’t always the best. 

Before discussing solutions and results, you must understand your prospect's problem. More importantly, you have to be sure your prospects understand the problem. 

Self-discovery is the ticket that gets you there. Instead of telling the buyer what the problem is and how you’ll address it, get your buyer to connect with the problem on their own. 

3. Talk about Point A. Don’t skip to point B.

This is 100% linked to the tip above. There’s a problem (point A) and desired outcome (point B). Point A is the status quo. It’s a problem your buyer will continue to face if they don’t make a change. 

You can stand out by focusing on point A, as talking about a pain point is shockingly more effective than talking about positive outcomes. 

Make your buyer feel the pain that results from the status quo. Convince them the pain will only worsen without your solution — because you know that to be true.

You should only talk about benefits once they’re on board with that line of thinking. Urgency is what allows benefits to land. Without urgency, benefits are just happy points that hold no real meaning.

4. Insight is your #1 lead story.

Buyers are experts on their circumstances, but they want insights into their situation from you. 

You’re most likely to impress a buyer by telling them something new about themselves, as your offering is a unique insight into their problems and opportunities.

Check out this TaylorMade video. It’s a bang-on example of how to lead a presentation with insight, and then move on to your product’s strengths:

You learned how to get more distance from your golf swing (an insight into what you’re doing). Then you learned how that’s supported by the product’s particular strength.

Insight comes first. It changes how your buyers think about the problem your product solves. Only then benefits can land effectively.

5. Don’t lead with differentiators, lead to them.

At Gong.io, we’ve taught our sales reps to speak with buyers about a critical problem only we can solve. It’s the delta between top producers and the rest of the team.

• "The numbers from your top reps are fantastic."
• "The downside is they’re annulled by everyone else who’s missing their quota."
• "Your team goes from outstanding numbers to breaking even or missing quota. Both of those options are unsustainable."

We only introduce our key differentiator once the backstory is clear and the buyer gets it. Then, our reps say something like this:

"Gong is the only platform that can tell you what your top reps do differently from the rest of your team. We can tell you which questions they ask, which topics they discuss, when they talk about each one, and more."

See why we lead to our differentiator, and not with it? It just wouldn’t land the same way if we started with the differentiator. In fact, it might not land at all.

6. Focus on value, not features.

Gong.io research found that focusing on features over value is not impactful. Prospects, especially decision-makers, want value propositions about how you’ll help them solve their problems rather than an overview of the features they’ll get. 

7. Flip your presentation.

he next, eventually achieving a shiny, final outcome. This isn’t always the best strategy. 

Instead of building up to the most significant and impactful part of your demo for your prospect, begin with the most valuable part, which is how you’ll help them, and let the conversation flow from there. 

There’s one other tactic underlying it all: The best product demos start with topics the buyers highlighted on the discovery call . For example, if the buyer spends 4 minutes talking about X and 10 minutes talking about Y, you want to begin with Y, as the buyer has demonstrated that they’re heavily interested in Y. In the opening section of your presentation, address the biggest issue from discovery. Address the second biggest issue second, etc.

It’s called solution mapping, and it’s going to change your sales presentation process forever. Stop saving the big reveal for last. Stop building anticipation. Start with the good stuff. Let it rip right out of the gate.

8. Turn your presentation into a conversation.

If you sensed we were looking for a two-way dialogue during your pitch, you’re right. That’s a relief to most salespeople, especially the ones who hate delivering traditional presentations.

A two-way dialogue is going to make your pitch feel more natural. To do this, Gong.io says to get buyers to ask questions by giving them just enough info to inspire them to ask more questions and keep the conversation going. In fact, top performers ask fewer questions because they don’t bombard prospects with too much information but instead give buyers just enough information to have them ask questions. 

Long monologues won’t help you have real conversations with your buyers. Instead, aim for a great two-way conversation. 

9. Mind the 9-minute period.

This tip is crisp and clear: Don’t present for more than nine minutes. Gong.io data supports this. 

Presentations for lost deals last an average of 11.4 minutes. Why do they go so poorly? Because it’s hard to retain attention. If you do go longer than nine minutes, switch it up. 

Vary something that re-captures attention and keeps people engaged. Change channels by doing something like switching up who’s speaking in real life or on video. This can rest your clock to zero, and you’ve got nine more minutes for the next portion of the show. 

10. Be strategic with social proof. 

Social proof. Best friend or worst nightmare? It can be either one, so use it carefully. For example, generic social proof (i.e., naming impressive clients for brand power alone) is a disaster. Buyers might not identify with them. Sure, they’re dazzled, but they may not see how they relate to your current client.

An effective strategy is to reference clients similar to your buyer, with the same pain points, challenges and needs that they can relate to. You can tell an accompanying story about the client and their pain points, helping the buyer see themselves in the story you’re telling.

11. Talk price after you establish value.

Would it surprise you to know it matters when you talk about certain topics? It can actually affect whether you win or lose a deal. Pricing is a great example of this principle.

The top salespeople wait to talk about pricing. They know it’s important to demonstrate their product’s value first.

Set an agenda at the start of your call so your buyer knows when to expect a pricing discussion. They’ll be less likely to raise it early, and if they do, you can refer back to the agenda.

Open with something like, " I’d like to talk about A, B, and C on our call today. Then we can go over pricing at the end and -- if it makes sense for you -- talk about next steps. Does that work for you?"

You’re all set.

12. Reference your competitors.

Our data shows that you’re more likely to win a deal if you talk about the competition early in the sales process instead of ignoring them completely.

For best results, practice this during your first sales presentation. Waiting until the end of your sales process puts you into a dangerous red zone. Your buyers will already have formed opinions, and they’ll be harder to change.

In other words, at the end of the day, buyers will justify a decision they made early in the process, which is why it’s critical to set yourself up as the winner early on. Talk about the competition in your presentation. Put the conversation out there. Get your buyer to see you through that lens, and you’re golden.

Over To You

You now have 15 new tips and techniques to throw down this quarter. Many of these data-backed moves come from Gong.io’s own findings and have proven to be effective for us. Implement them, and I know you’ll boost your numbers.

Don't forget to share this post!

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Blog Business How to Present a Case Study like a Pro (With Examples)

How to Present a Case Study like a Pro (With Examples)

Written by: Danesh Ramuthi Sep 07, 2023

Okay, let’s get real: case studies can be kinda snooze-worthy. But guess what? They don’t have to be!

In this article, I will cover every element that transforms a mere report into a compelling case study, from selecting the right metrics to using persuasive narrative techniques.

And if you’re feeling a little lost, don’t worry! There are cool tools like Venngage’s Case Study Creator to help you whip up something awesome, even if you’re short on time. Plus, the pre-designed case study templates are like instant polish because let’s be honest, everyone loves a shortcut.

Click to jump ahead: 

What is a case study presentation?

What is the purpose of presenting a case study, how to structure a case study presentation, how long should a case study presentation be, 5 case study presentation examples with templates, 6 tips for delivering an effective case study presentation, 5 common mistakes to avoid in a case study presentation, how to present a case study faqs.

A case study presentation involves a comprehensive examination of a specific subject, which could range from an individual, group, location, event, organization or phenomenon.

They’re like puzzles you get to solve with the audience, all while making you think outside the box.

Unlike a basic report or whitepaper, the purpose of a case study presentation is to stimulate critical thinking among the viewers. 

The primary objective of a case study is to provide an extensive and profound comprehension of the chosen topic. You don’t just throw numbers at your audience. You use examples and real-life cases to make you think and see things from different angles.

The primary purpose of presenting a case study is to offer a comprehensive, evidence-based argument that informs, persuades and engages your audience.

Here’s the juicy part: presenting that case study can be your secret weapon. Whether you’re pitching a groundbreaking idea to a room full of suits or trying to impress your professor with your A-game, a well-crafted case study can be the magic dust that sprinkles brilliance over your words.

Think of it like digging into a puzzle you can’t quite crack . A case study lets you explore every piece, turn it over and see how it fits together. This close-up look helps you understand the whole picture, not just a blurry snapshot.

It’s also your chance to showcase how you analyze things, step by step, until you reach a conclusion. It’s all about being open and honest about how you got there.

Besides, presenting a case study gives you an opportunity to connect data and real-world scenarios in a compelling narrative. It helps to make your argument more relatable and accessible, increasing its impact on your audience.

One of the contexts where case studies can be very helpful is during the job interview. In some job interviews, you as candidates may be asked to present a case study as part of the selection process.

Having a case study presentation prepared allows the candidate to demonstrate their ability to understand complex issues, formulate strategies and communicate their ideas effectively.

The way you present a case study can make all the difference in how it’s received. A well-structured presentation not only holds the attention of your audience but also ensures that your key points are communicated clearly and effectively.

In this section, let’s go through the key steps that’ll help you structure your case study presentation for maximum impact.

Let’s get into it. 

Open with an introductory overview 

Start by introducing the subject of your case study and its relevance. Explain why this case study is important and who would benefit from the insights gained. This is your opportunity to grab your audience’s attention.

Explain the problem in question

Dive into the problem or challenge that the case study focuses on. Provide enough background information for the audience to understand the issue. If possible, quantify the problem using data or metrics to show the magnitude or severity.

Detail the solutions to solve the problem

After outlining the problem, describe the steps taken to find a solution. This could include the methodology, any experiments or tests performed and the options that were considered. Make sure to elaborate on why the final solution was chosen over the others.

Key stakeholders Involved

Talk about the individuals, groups or organizations that were directly impacted by or involved in the problem and its solution. 

Stakeholders may experience a range of outcomes—some may benefit, while others could face setbacks.

For example, in a business transformation case study, employees could face job relocations or changes in work culture, while shareholders might be looking at potential gains or losses.

Discuss the key results & outcomes

Discuss the results of implementing the solution. Use data and metrics to back up your statements. Did the solution meet its objectives? What impact did it have on the stakeholders? Be honest about any setbacks or areas for improvement as well.

Include visuals to support your analysis

Visual aids can be incredibly effective in helping your audience grasp complex issues. Utilize charts, graphs, images or video clips to supplement your points. Make sure to explain each visual and how it contributes to your overall argument.

Pie charts illustrate the proportion of different components within a whole, useful for visualizing market share, budget allocation or user demographics.

This is particularly useful especially if you’re displaying survey results in your case study presentation.

Stacked charts on the other hand are perfect for visualizing composition and trends. This is great for analyzing things like customer demographics, product breakdowns or budget allocation in your case study.

Consider this example of a stacked bar chart template. It provides a straightforward summary of the top-selling cake flavors across various locations, offering a quick and comprehensive view of the data.

Not the chart you’re looking for? Browse Venngage’s gallery of chart templates to find the perfect one that’ll captivate your audience and level up your data storytelling.

Recommendations and next steps

Wrap up by providing recommendations based on the case study findings. Outline the next steps that stakeholders should take to either expand on the success of the project or address any remaining challenges.

Acknowledgments and references

Thank the people who contributed to the case study and helped in the problem-solving process. Cite any external resources, reports or data sets that contributed to your analysis.

Feedback & Q&A session

Open the floor for questions and feedback from your audience. This allows for further discussion and can provide additional insights that may not have been considered previously.

Closing remarks

Conclude the presentation by summarizing the key points and emphasizing the takeaways. Thank your audience for their time and participation and express your willingness to engage in further discussions or collaborations on the subject.

Well, the length of a case study presentation can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the needs of your audience. However, a typical business or academic presentation often lasts between 15 to 30 minutes. 

This time frame usually allows for a thorough explanation of the case while maintaining audience engagement. However, always consider leaving a few minutes at the end for a Q&A session to address any questions or clarify points made during the presentation.

When it comes to presenting a compelling case study, having a well-structured template can be a game-changer. 

It helps you organize your thoughts, data and findings in a coherent and visually pleasing manner. 

Not all case studies are created equal and different scenarios require distinct approaches for maximum impact. 

To save you time and effort, I have curated a list of 5 versatile case study presentation templates, each designed for specific needs and audiences. 

Here are some best case study presentation examples that showcase effective strategies for engaging your audience and conveying complex information clearly.

1 . Lab report case study template

Ever feel like your research gets lost in a world of endless numbers and jargon? Lab case studies are your way out!

Think of it as building a bridge between your cool experiment and everyone else. It’s more than just reporting results – it’s explaining the “why” and “how” in a way that grabs attention and makes sense.

This lap report template acts as a blueprint for your report, guiding you through each essential section (introduction, methods, results, etc.) in a logical order.

Want to present your research like a pro? Browse our research presentation template gallery for creative inspiration!

2. Product case study template

It’s time you ditch those boring slideshows and bullet points because I’ve got a better way to win over clients: product case study templates.

Instead of just listing features and benefits, you get to create a clear and concise story that shows potential clients exactly what your product can do for them. It’s like painting a picture they can easily visualize, helping them understand the value your product brings to the table.

Grab the template below, fill in the details, and watch as your product’s impact comes to life!

3. Content marketing case study template

In digital marketing, showcasing your accomplishments is as vital as achieving them. 

A well-crafted case study not only acts as a testament to your successes but can also serve as an instructional tool for others. 

With this coral content marketing case study template—a perfect blend of vibrant design and structured documentation, you can narrate your marketing triumphs effectively.

4. Case study psychology template

Understanding how people tick is one of psychology’s biggest quests and case studies are like magnifying glasses for the mind. They offer in-depth looks at real-life behaviors, emotions and thought processes, revealing fascinating insights into what makes us human.

Writing a top-notch case study, though, can be a challenge. It requires careful organization, clear presentation and meticulous attention to detail. That’s where a good case study psychology template comes in handy.

Think of it as a helpful guide, taking care of formatting and structure while you focus on the juicy content. No more wrestling with layouts or margins – just pour your research magic into crafting a compelling narrative.

5. Lead generation case study template

Lead generation can be a real head-scratcher. But here’s a little help: a lead generation case study.

Think of it like a friendly handshake and a confident resume all rolled into one. It’s your chance to showcase your expertise, share real-world successes and offer valuable insights. Potential clients get to see your track record, understand your approach and decide if you’re the right fit.

No need to start from scratch, though. This lead generation case study template guides you step-by-step through crafting a clear, compelling narrative that highlights your wins and offers actionable tips for others. Fill in the gaps with your specific data and strategies, and voilà! You’ve got a powerful tool to attract new customers.

Related: 15+ Professional Case Study Examples [Design Tips + Templates]

So, you’ve spent hours crafting the perfect case study and are now tasked with presenting it. Crafting the case study is only half the battle; delivering it effectively is equally important. 

Whether you’re facing a room of executives, academics or potential clients, how you present your findings can make a significant difference in how your work is received. 

Forget boring reports and snooze-inducing presentations! Let’s make your case study sing. Here are some key pointers to turn information into an engaging and persuasive performance:

• Know your audience : Tailor your presentation to the knowledge level and interests of your audience. Remember to use language and examples that resonate with them.
• Rehearse : Rehearsing your case study presentation is the key to a smooth delivery and for ensuring that you stay within the allotted time. Practice helps you fine-tune your pacing, hone your speaking skills with good word pronunciations and become comfortable with the material, leading to a more confident, conversational and effective presentation.
• Start strong : Open with a compelling introduction that grabs your audience’s attention. You might want to use an interesting statistic, a provocative question or a brief story that sets the stage for your case study.
• Be clear and concise : Avoid jargon and overly complex sentences. Get to the point quickly and stay focused on your objectives.
• Use visual aids : Incorporate slides with graphics, charts or videos to supplement your verbal presentation. Make sure they are easy to read and understand.
• Tell a story : Use storytelling techniques to make the case study more engaging. A well-told narrative can help you make complex data more relatable and easier to digest.

Ditching the dry reports and slide decks? Venngage’s case study templates let you wow customers with your solutions and gain insights to improve your business plan. Pre-built templates, visual magic and customer captivation – all just a click away. Go tell your story and watch them say “wow!”

Nailed your case study, but want to make your presentation even stronger? Avoid these common mistakes to ensure your audience gets the most out of it:

Overloading with information

A case study is not an encyclopedia. Overloading your presentation with excessive data, text or jargon can make it cumbersome and difficult for the audience to digest the key points. Stick to what’s essential and impactful. Need help making your data clear and impactful? Our data presentation templates can help! Find clear and engaging visuals to showcase your findings.

Lack of structure

Jumping haphazardly between points or topics can confuse your audience. A well-structured presentation, with a logical flow from introduction to conclusion, is crucial for effective communication.

Ignoring the audience

Different audiences have different needs and levels of understanding. Failing to adapt your presentation to your audience can result in a disconnect and a less impactful presentation.

Poor visual elements

While content is king, poor design or lack of visual elements can make your case study dull or hard to follow. Make sure you use high-quality images, graphs and other visual aids to support your narrative.

Not focusing on results

A case study aims to showcase a problem and its solution, but what most people care about are the results. Failing to highlight or adequately explain the outcomes can make your presentation fall flat.

How to start a case study presentation?

Starting a case study presentation effectively involves a few key steps:

• Grab attention : Open with a hook—an intriguing statistic, a provocative question or a compelling visual—to engage your audience from the get-go.
• Set the stage : Briefly introduce the subject, context and relevance of the case study to give your audience an idea of what to expect.
• Outline objectives : Clearly state what the case study aims to achieve. Are you solving a problem, proving a point or showcasing a success?
• Agenda : Give a quick outline of the key sections or topics you’ll cover to help the audience follow along.
• Set expectations : Let your audience know what you want them to take away from the presentation, whether it’s knowledge, inspiration or a call to action.

How to present a case study on PowerPoint and on Google Slides?

Presenting a case study on PowerPoint and Google Slides involves a structured approach for clarity and impact using presentation slides :

• Title slide : Start with a title slide that includes the name of the case study, your name and any relevant institutional affiliations.
• Introduction : Follow with a slide that outlines the problem or situation your case study addresses. Include a hook to engage the audience.
• Objectives : Clearly state the goals of the case study in a dedicated slide.
• Findings : Use charts, graphs and bullet points to present your findings succinctly.
• Analysis : Discuss what the findings mean, drawing on supporting data or secondary research as necessary.
• Conclusion : Summarize key takeaways and results.
• Q&A : End with a slide inviting questions from the audience.

What’s the role of analysis in a case study presentation?

The role of analysis in a case study presentation is to interpret the data and findings, providing context and meaning to them. 

It helps your audience understand the implications of the case study, connects the dots between the problem and the solution and may offer recommendations for future action.

Is it important to include real data and results in the presentation?

Yes, including real data and results in a case study presentation is crucial to show experience,  credibility and impact. Authentic data lends weight to your findings and conclusions, enabling the audience to trust your analysis and take your recommendations more seriously

How do I conclude a case study presentation effectively?

To conclude a case study presentation effectively, summarize the key findings, insights and recommendations in a clear and concise manner. 

End with a strong call-to-action or a thought-provoking question to leave a lasting impression on your audience.

What’s the best way to showcase data in a case study presentation ?

The best way to showcase data in a case study presentation is through visual aids like charts, graphs and infographics which make complex information easily digestible, engaging and creative. 

Don’t just report results, visualize them! This template for example lets you transform your social media case study into a captivating infographic that sparks conversation.

Choose the type of visual that best represents the data you’re showing; for example, use bar charts for comparisons or pie charts for parts of a whole. 

Ensure that the visuals are high-quality and clearly labeled, so the audience can quickly grasp the key points. 

Keep the design consistent and simple, avoiding clutter or overly complex visuals that could distract from the message.

Choose a template that perfectly suits your case study where you can utilize different visual aids for maximum impact. 

Need more inspiration on how to turn numbers into impact with the help of infographics? Our ready-to-use infographic templates take the guesswork out of creating visual impact for your case studies with just a few clicks.

Related: 10+ Case Study Infographic Templates That Convert

Congrats on mastering the art of compelling case study presentations! This guide has equipped you with all the essentials, from structure and nuances to avoiding common pitfalls. You’re ready to impress any audience, whether in the boardroom, the classroom or beyond.

And remember, you’re not alone in this journey. Venngage’s Case Study Creator is your trusty companion, ready to elevate your presentations from ordinary to extraordinary. So, let your confidence shine, leverage your newly acquired skills and prepare to deliver presentations that truly resonate.

Go forth and make a lasting impact!

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7 Amazing Sales Presentation Examples (And How to Make Them Your Own)

7 Types of Slides to Include In Your Sales Presentation

Inside the mind of your prospect: change is hard, before-after-bridge: the only formula you need to create a persuasive sales presentation, facebook — how smiles and simplicity make you more memorable, contently — how to build a strong bridge, brick by brick, yesware — how to go above and beyond with your benefits, uber — how to cater your content for readers quick to scan, dealtap — how to use leading questions to your advantage, zuora — how to win over your prospects by feeding them dots, linkedin sales navigator — how to create excitement with color, how to make a sales pitch in 4 straightforward steps, 7 embarrassing pitfalls to avoid in your presentation, over to you.

A brilliant sales presentation has a number of things going for it.

Being product-centered isn’t one of them. Or simply focusing on your sales pitch won’t do the trick.

So what can you do to make your offer compelling?

From different types of slides to persuasive techniques and visuals, we’ve got you covered.

Below, we look at data-backed strategies, examples, and easy steps to build your own sales presentations in minutes.

• Title slide: Company name, topic, tagline
• The “Before” picture: No more than three slides with relevant statistics and graphics.
• The “After” picture: How life looks with your product. Use happy faces.
• Company introduction: Who you are and what you do (as it applies to them).
• The “Bridge” slide: Short outcome statements with icons in circles.
• Social proof slides: Customer logos with the mission statement on one slide. Pull quote on another.
• “We’re here for you” slide: Include a call-to-action and contact information.

Many sales presentations fall flat because they ignore this universal psychological bias: People overvalue the benefits of what they have over what they’re missing.

Harvard Business School professor John T. Gourville calls this the “ 9x Effect .” Left unchecked, it can be disastrous for your business.

According to Gourville, “It’s not enough for a new product simply to be better. Unless the gains far outweigh the losses, customers will not adopt it.”

The good news: You can influence how prospects perceive these gains and losses. One of the best ways to prove value is to contrast life before and after your product.

Luckily, there’s a three-step formula for that.

• Before → Here’s your world…
• After → Imagine what it would be like if…
• Bridge → Here’s how to get there.

Start with a vivid description of the pain, present an enviable world where that problem doesn’t exist, then explain how to get there using your tool.

It’s super simple, and it works for cold emails , drip campaigns , and sales discovery decks. Basically anywhere you need to get people excited about what you have to say.

In fact, a lot of companies are already using this formula to great success. The methods used in the sales presentation examples below will help you do the same.

We’re all drawn to happiness. A study at Harvard tells us that emotion is contagious .

You’ll notice that the “Before” (pre-Digital Age) pictures in Facebook’s slides all display neutral faces. But the cover slide that introduces Facebook and the “After” slides have smiling faces on them.

This is important. The placement of those graphics is an intentional persuasion technique.

Studies by psychologists show that we register smiles faster than any other expression. All it takes is 500 milliseconds (1/20th of a second). And when participants in a study were asked to recall expressions, they consistently remembered happy faces over neutral ones.

What to do about it : Add a happy stock photo to your intro and “After” slides, and keep people in “Before” slides to neutral expressions.

Here are some further techniques used during the sales presentation:

Tactic #1: Use Simple Graphics

Use simple graphics to convey meaning without text.

Example: Slide 2 is a picture of a consumer’s hand holding an iPhone — something we can all relate to.

Why It Works: Pictures are more effective than words — it’s called  Picture Superiority . In presentations, pictures help you create connections with your audience. Instead of spoon-feeding them everything word for word, you let them interpret. This builds trust.

Tactic #2: Use Icons

Use icons to show statistics you’re comparing instead of listing them out.

Example: Slide 18 uses people icons to emphasize how small 38 out of 100 people is compared to 89 out of 100.

Why It Works:  We process visuals 60,000 times faster than text.

Tactic #3: Include Statistics

Include statistics that tie real success to the benefits you mention.

Example: “71% lift driving visits to retailer title pages” (Slide 26).

Why It Works:  Precise details prove that you are telling the truth.

Just like how you can’t drive from Marin County to San Francisco without the Golden Gate, you can’t connect a “Before” to an “After” without a bridge.

Add the mission statement of your company — something Contently does from Slide 1 of their deck. Having a logo-filled Customers slide isn’t unusual for sales presentations, but Contently goes one step further by showing you exactly what they do for these companies.

They then drive home the Before-After-Bridge Formula further with case studies:

Before : Customer’s needs when they came on

After: What your company accomplished for them

Bridge : How they got there (specific actions and outcomes)

Here are some other tactics we pulled from the sales presentation:

Tactic #1: Use Graphics/Diagrams

Use graphics, Venn diagrams, and/or equations to drive home your “Before” picture.

Why It Works:  According to a Cornell study , graphs and equations have persuasive power. They “signal a scientific basis for claims, which grants them greater credibility.”

Tactic #2: Keep Slides That Have Bullets to a Minimum

Keep slides that have bullets to a minimum. No more than one in every five slides.

Why It Works:  According to an experiment by the International Journal of Business Communication , “Subjects exposed to a graphic representation paid significantly more attention to , agreed more with, and better recalled the strategy than did subjects who saw a (textually identical) bulleted list.”

Tactic #3: Use Visual Examples

Follow up your descriptions with visual examples.

Example: After stating “15000+ vetted, ready to work journalists searchable by location, topical experience, and social media influence” on Slide 8, Contently shows what this looks like firsthand on slides 9 and 10.

Why It Works:  The same reason why prospects clamor for demos and car buyers ask for test drives. You’re never truly convinced until you see something for yourself.

Which is more effective for you?

This statement — “On average, Yesware customers save ten hours per week” — or this image:

The graphic shows you what that 10 hours looks like for prospects vs. customers. It also calls out a pain that the product removes: data entry.

Visuals are more effective every time. They fuel retention of a presentation from 10% to 65% .

But it’s not as easy as just including a graphic. You need to keep the design clean.

Can you feel it?

Clutter provokes anxiety and stress because it bombards our minds with excessive visual stimuli, causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren’t important.

Here’s a tip from Yesware’s Graphic Designer, Ginelle DeAntonis:

“Customer logos won’t all necessarily have the same dimensions, but keep them the same size visually so that they all have the same importance. You should also disperse colors throughout, so that you don’t for example end up with a bunch of blue logos next to each other. Organize them in a way that’s easy for the eye, because in the end it’s a lot of information at once.”

Here are more tactics to inspire sales presentation ideas:

Tactic #1: Personalize Your Final Slide

Personalize your final slide with your contact information and a headline that drives emotion.

Example: Our Mid-Market Team Lead Kyle includes his phone number and email address with “We’re Here For You”

Why It Works: These small details show your audience that:

• This is about giving them the end picture, not making a sale
• The end of the presentation doesn’t mean the end of the conversation
• Questions are welcomed

Tactic #2: Pair Outcome Statements With Icons in Circles

Example: Slide 4 does this with seven different “After” outcomes.

Why It Works:  We already know why pictures work, but circles have power , too. They imply completeness, infiniteness, and harmony.

Tactic #3: Include Specific Success Metrics

Don’t just list who you work with; include specific success metrics that hit home what you’ve done for them.

Example: 35% New Business Growth for Boomtrain; 30% Higher Reply Rates for Dyn.

Why It Works:  Social proof drives action. It’s why we wait in lines at restaurants and put ourselves on waitlists for sold-out items.

People can only focus for eight seconds at a time. (Sadly, goldfish have one second on us.)

This means you need to cut to the chase fast.

Uber’s headlines in Slides 2-9 tailor the “After” picture to specific pain points. As a result, there’s no need to explicitly state a “Before.”

Slides 11-13 then continue touching on “Before” problems tangentially with customer quotes:

So instead of self-touting benefits, the brand steps aside to let consumers hear from their peers — something that sways 92% of consumers .

Leading questions may be banned from the courtroom, but they aren’t in the boardroom.

DealTap’s slides ask viewers to choose between two scenarios over and over. Each has an obvious winner:

Ever heard of the Focusing Effect?

It’s part of what makes us tick as humans and what makes this design move effective. We focus on one thing and then ignore the rest. Here, DealTap puts the magnifying glass on paperwork vs. automated transactions.

Easy choice.

Sure, DealTap’s platform might have complexities that rival paperwork, but we don’t think about that. We’re looking at the pile of work one the left and the simpler, single interface on the right.

Here are some other tactics to use in your own sales presentation:

Tactic #1: Tell a Story

Tell a story that flows from one slide to the next.

Example: Here’s the story DealTap tells from slides 4 to 8: “Transactions are complicated” → “Expectations on all sides” → “Too many disconnected tools” → “Slow and error prone process” → “However, there’s an opportunity.

Why It Works:   Storytelling in sales with a clear beginning and end (or in this case, a “Before” and “After”) trigger a trust hormone called Oxytocin.

Tactic #2: This vs. That

If it’s hard to separate out one “Before” and “After” vision with your product or service because you offer many dissimilar benefits, consider a “This vs. That” theme for each.

Why It Works:  It breaks up your points into simple decisions and sets you up to win emotional reactions from your audience with stock photos.

Remember how satisfying it was to play connect the dots? Forming a bigger picture out of disconnected circles.

That’s what you need to make your audience do.

Zuora tells a story by:

• Laying out the reality (the “Before” part of the Before-After-Bridge formula).
• Asking you a question that you want to answer (the “After”)
• Giving you hints to help you connect the dots
• Showing you the common thread (the “Bridge”)

You can achieve this by founding your sales presentation on your audience’s intuitions. Set them up with the closely-set “dots,” then let them make the connection.

Here are more tactical sales presentation ideas to steal for your own use:

Tactic #1: Use Logos and Testimonials

Use logos and  testimonial pull-quotes for your highest-profile customers to strengthen your sales presentation.

Example: Slides 21 to 23 include customer quotes from Schneider Electric, Financial Times, and Box.

Why It Works: It’s called  social proof . Prospects value other people’s opinions and trust reputable sources more than you.

Tactic #2: Include White Space

Pad your images with white space.

Example: Slide 17 includes two simple graphics on a white background to drive home an important concept.

Why It Works:  White space creates separation, balance, and attracts the audience’s eyes to the main focus: your image.

Tactic #3: Incorporate Hard Data

Incorporate hard data with a memorable background to make your data stand out.

Example: Slide 5 includes statistics with a backdrop that stands out. The number and exciting title (‘A Global Phenomenon’) are the main focuses of the slide.

Why It Works:  Vivid backdrops are proven to be memorable and help your audience take away important numbers or data.

Psychology tells us that seeing colors can set our mood .

The color red is proven to increase the pulse and heart rate. Beyond that, it’s associated with being active, aggressive, and outspoken. LinkedIn Sales Navigator uses red on slides to draw attention to main points:

You can use hues in your own slides to guide your audience’s emotions. Green gives peace; grey adds a sense of calm; blue breeds trust. See more here .

Tip: You can grab free photos from Creative Commons and then set them to black & white and add a colored filter on top using a (also free) tool like Canva . Here’s the sizing for your image:

Caveat: Check with your marketing team first to see if you have a specific color palette or brand guidelines to follow.

Here are some other takeaways from LinkedIn’s sales presentation:

Tactic #1: Include a CTA on Final Slide

Include one clear call-to-action on your final slide.

Example: Slide 9 has a “Learn More” CTA button.

Why It Works:  According to the Paradox of Choice , the more options you give, the less likely they are to act.

Step One : Ask marketing for your company’s style guide (color, logo, and font style).

Step Two: Answer these questions to outline the “Before → After → Bridge” formula for your sales pitch :

• What are your ICP’s pain points?
• What end picture resonates with them?
• How does your company come into play?

Step Three: Ask account management/marketing which customers you can mention in your slides (plus where to access any case studies for pull quotes).

Step Four:  Download photos from Creative Commons . Remember: Graphics > Text. Use Canva to edit on your own — free and fast.

What are the sales presentation strategies that work best for your industry and customers? Tweet us:  @Yesware .

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How To Write the Perfect Business Case

Why do too many projects fail to deliver their objectives even though project management best practices appear to be used? Project management is naturally complicated, but it can be disastrous if you don’t have sufficient buy-in from the right parties. Writing a strong and complete business case can make all the difference.

https://main--bacom-blog--adobecom.hlx.page/blog/fragments/workfront-product-tour

In this how-to guide you will discover,

• What is a business case?

Why you need a business case

• Is the project worth doing?

When to use a business case

How to write a business case, the business case template, a business case example, 1. the executive summary, 2. the finance section, 3. the project definition, 4. project organization, managing the business case, making the case, frequently asked questions, what is a business case.

A business case is developed during the early stages of a project and outlines the why, what, how, and who necessary to decide if it is worthwhile continuing a project. One of the first things you need to know when starting a new project are the benefits of the proposed business change and how to communicate those benefits to the business.

While the project proposal focuses on why you want a project, it will only contain an outline of the project:

• business vision
• business need
• expected benefits
• strategic fit
• products produced
• broad estimates of time and cost
• and impact on the organization

In contrast, the business case, which is first developed during the project initiation phase , contains much more detail. It should be reviewed by the project sponsor and key stakeholders before being accepted, rejected, canceled, deferred, or revised.

Depending on the scale of the business change, the business case may need further development as part of a detailed investigation. Therefore, it should be developed incrementally so that time and resources aren’t unnecessarily wasted on the impractical.

Preparing the business case involves an assessment of:

• Business problem or opportunity
• Costs including investment appraisal
• Technical solutions
• Impact on operations
• Organizational capability to deliver the project outcomes

These project issues are an important part of the business case. They express the problems with the current situation and demonstrate the benefits of the new business vision.

The business case brings together the benefits, disadvantages, costs , and risks of the current situation and future vision so that executive management can decide if the project should go ahead.

Many projects start life as a walk in the fog, which is fine in itself, but never see the light of day or stumble along aimlessly for too long because the clarity of scope , time-scale, cost, and benefits are not defined adequately during the first stages of the project.

Is the project worth doing

Why are you starting a project? Chances are you’re doing it because you need to solve a problem.

Usually, the problem is something that gets in the way of achieving your goals . So, it seems a project is about achieving goals and your goals won’t be realized unless you deal with the problem (or opportunity or circumstance.)

If a project is worth doing you need to answer 4 simple questions:

• What is your goal?
• What’s stopping you from reaching the goal?
• How much change is needed to overcome the problem?
• Are you certain this will solve the problem?

Can you answer these questions quickly? Do you have evidence to support or refute your assumptions?

If not, it may not be worth starting a project.

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The business case is needed when resources or expenditure on a project has to be justified. Approval is usually sought from the project sponsor and other interested parties. For instance, the finance function may authorize funds and the IT department provide resources.

The purpose of the business case is communication. Therefore, each section should be written in the parlance of the intended audience.

Moreover, it should only contain enough information to help decision making. When writing a business case keep the following in mind:

• Be brief and convey only the essentials.
• Make it interesting, clear, and concise.
• Eliminate conjecture and minimize jargon.
• Describe your vision of the future.
• Demonstrate the value and benefits the project brings to the business.
• Ensure consistent style and readability.

The project sponsor is responsible for preparing the business case. However, all appropriate team members should contribute to its development. Likewise, subject matter experts from other functions ― finance, HR, IT, service delivery, and so on ― can provide specialist information.

Those writing the business case should have a thorough understanding of the project’s aims and be able to merge the varied and potentially complex plans into one document using the following business case template.

What follows are the four steps to writing a business case template for your project. It includes the following four sections:

• Executive Summary
• Project Definition
• Project Organization

This example of a business case is a simplified version for a small company with few staff. The bigger the project, the bigger the risk, which means the more detail you will need to provide for your investors and stakeholders.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In 2021, retail e-Commerce revenue reached 768 billion US dollars. People are expecting more digital experiences and want to interact and purchase what they need online.

Our current website is just a static page with no interaction available to possible customers. With a website upgrade to incorporate an e-Commerce store, we can entice users to purchase all their training online, in return increasing productivity and efficiency within the office. An estimated $25,000 could be saved a year through this upgrade.

1.1 Financial Appraisal

The expected cost of the new website is $15,000 with a $500 annual maintenance fee.

The training costs of the staff is estimated at $2,000, but the reduction of administration and manual handling of orders is estimated to save $25,000 annually.

1.2 Sensitivity Analysis

The alternatives include:

• Maintaining the current system, which costs $25,000 annually to maintain and run.
• Upgrading the website, but not including an e-Commerce store. This would cost $6,000, but the cost of processing the orders is still $25,000.
• Outsourcing the training purchases to a third-party site, which would cost between $49.99 - $100 per month. In the long run this would cost more and offer less development scope.

2. PROJECT DEFINITION

2.1 Background information

The World is digitizing and we, as a business, must keep up with consumer demand if we are to remain one of the most sought-after training providers.

Since 2020 and the outbreak of Covid-19, many more people have been working remotely and wish to access their training requirements online. We need to update our systems to provide our customers with a purely online system that can provide them with their required training courses in a virtual environment, from purchase through to attendance. This new e-Commerce website is the first step in this process.

2.2 Business Objective

The goal is to provide an online platform where customers can purchase their training requirements.

The solution is to build an e-Commerce website.

This syncs with the business strategy, as it will increase efficiency and profits.

2.3 Benefits and Limitations

The benefits of this project far out-weigh the negatives. They include:

• Improvement in the quality of customer service and user journey
• Increased conversion rate through streamlined processes
• Cost savings through efficiencies
• Reduced working capital
• Increase in revenue generated
• Remain competitive in a digital world.

The limitations of this project remain with staffing, as we do not have a web designer or developer within our company, meaning this will still have to be outsourced if anything arises at a future date.

2.4 Option Identification & Selection

Options for the e-Commerce site include the following:

• WordPress website with WooCommerce store
• All-in-one website hosted on e-Commerce platform such as Shopify
• Use of third-party payment system, such as Stripe, PayPal, or Worldpay
• Ability to take payments directly through the website and acting as controller and processor of user’s sensitive data
• Inclusion of a blog
• Integration of CRM platform.

2.5 Scope, Impact, and interdependencies

The website will be built independently from the current site, so will not affect any current processes or user experience.

2.6 Outline Plan

The website will be built by an external agency and will take around 6 months to complete and push live.

One month before going live the staff will undertake essential training.

2.7 Market Assessment

Since retail e-Commerce has risen to $768 billion US Dollars, it’s time we also made the move to online sales.

2.8 Risk Assessment

The project will be completed out of house.

2.9 Project Approach

The project will be managed out of house.

2.10 Purchasing Strategy

We will enter a contractual agreement with the creative agency. Attached is a copy of the proposed contract.

3. PROJECT ORGANIZATION

3.1 Project Governance

Project will be managed by the agency and in-house by the Centre Executive.

3.2 Progress Reporting

The agency will report to the Centre Executive.

Depending on the length of the business case you may want to include a high-level summary of the project.

The executive summary is the first section of the business case and the last written. It is a short summary of the entire business case. It succinctly conveys vital information about the project and communicates the entire story to the reader.

First impressions are important. Get this right!

The finance section of an effective business case is primarily for those who approve funding. The finance function will be interested in this plus the first half of the project definition.

Financial appraisal.

When you prepare the financial appraisal seek advice on content and presentation from the finance function. In the case of capital developments, consult subject matter experts.

The purpose of a financial appraisal is to:

• Identify the financial implications for the project
• Compare project costs against the forecast benefits
• Ensure the project is affordable
• Assess value for money
• Predict cash flow.

Sensitivity analysis.

Sensitivity analysis concerns project risk and looks at alternative futures by measuring the impact on project outcomes or assumptions of changing values in which there is uncertainty.

In effect, sensitivity analysis lets the project accountant experiment with possible scenarios.

This is the largest part of the business case and is for the project sponsor, stakeholders, and project team. It answers most of the why, what, and how questions about your project.

Background information.

The purpose of this section is to give a clear introduction to the business case and project. It should contain a brief overview of the reasons why the project or business change has come about: the problem, opportunity, or change of circumstances.

If necessary, refer to related programs, projects, studies, or business plans.

Business objective.

This part describes why you are doing the project. The business objective answers the following questions:

• What is needed to overcome the problem?
• How will the project support the business strategy?

Benefits and limitations.

The benefits and limitations section describes the financial and non-financial benefits in turn. The purpose is to explain why you need a project.

For instance, to:

• Improve quality
• Save costs through efficiencies
• Reduce working capital
• Generate revenue
• Remain competitive
• Improve customer service
• Align to corporate strategy

The business case should also include any limitations since these present potential risk to the project.

Option identification and selection.

Identify the potential solutions to the problem and describe them in enough detail for the reader to understand.

For instance, if the business case and proposed solution makes use of technology, make sure to explain how the technology is used and define the terms used in a glossary. Since most problems have multiple solutions an option appraisal is often needed. This will explore the potential solutions and recommend the best option.

When writing the initial business case, the option appraisal is likely to contain a long list of options and will cover many possibilities. As the project continues a few options will be rejected. The final business case may contain three to five options ― the short list ― that includes a do nothing or benchmark option.

Scope, impact, and interdependencies.

This section of the business case template describes the work needed to deliver the business objective and identifies those business functions affected by the project.

Moreover, the project scope, impact, and interdependencies section should state the project’s scope and boundaries. It describes what is included and what is excluded plus the key interdependencies with other projects. It is important for the business case to consider the failure of other interrelated projects and show how such dependencies make impact benefits.

Outline plan.

The outline plan provides a summary of the main activities and overall timescale ― project schedule ― for the project.

A project should be divided into stages with the decisions to make preceding each stage. Use this section to answer the following questions:

• What is required?
• How is it done?
• Who does what?
• When will things happen?

This outline plan lists the major deliverables and includes a brief project description plus accountabilities for each activity.

Market assessment.

It is important that the business case provides its readers with a thorough assessment of the business context ― the market assessment. In other words, make the underlying business interests explicit.

Therefore, the market assessment should show a complete understanding of the marketplace in which your business operates.

A good starting point is the inclusions of a PESTLE ― political, economic, sociological, technological, legal, and environmental ― analysis.

Risk assessment.

The risk assessment summarizes the significant project risks and opportunities and how they are managed. Include any risks that could arise from your project, as well as the organization’s ability to deliver change.

This section answers the following questions:

• What risks are involved?
• What are the consequences of a risk happening?
• What opportunities may emerge?
• What plans are in place to deal with the risks?
• Every project should include a risk log

When writing a business case, make sure this is included as it explains how risk and opportunity are managed.

Project approach.

The project approach describes how the project is tackled. That is, the way in which work is done to deliver the project.

For instance, a project with much of the work contracted out is likely to take a different approach to a project that develops an in-house solution.

Purchasing strategy.

This section describes how a project is to be financed and whether a decision to buy, lease, or outsource should be taken by the organization before purchasing.

Moreover, the purchasing strategy should describe the purchasing process used. A formal procurement process may save time and money and reduce project risk.

The last section of the business case template is of most interest to the project manager, project team, and managers responsible for delivering work to the project. This project organization section describes how the project is set up.

Project governance.

This section of the business case template shows the reader how the project is structured and the different levels of decision-making. Usually, a business will already have implemented a project governance framework that will support the project through each stage.

If your organization does not use a structured project management process framework use this section to include:

• Roles and responsibilities (RACI Chart)
• Project tolerances
• Project standards
• Review points
• How decisions are made.

Progress reporting.

Finally, the business case should define how project progress is recorded and the project board updated on project performance. Usually, the project manager does this by preparing a concise progress report or highlight report at regular intervals.

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The completed business case provides structure for the project and project organization throughout the project lifecycle . Therefore, it should be used routinely for reference and not consigned to the shelf.

Accordingly, the project sponsor and project board should review and update the business case at key stages to check that the project remains viable and the reasons for doing it are still valid. Ideally, the review should take place before starting a new stage to avoid unnecessary investment in time and money.

In this article we showed you how to write a business case. We covered a lot of ground and may give the impression that the resulting business case is a large and unwieldy document.

This is not the case.

A business case should be concise and to the point. For small projects it may run to a few pages. For larger projects and complex business change endeavors the document will be large.

Therefore, be sure to keep the intended audience in mind when preparing each section and include supporting information in an appendix.

For instance, the option appraisal section may summarize each option with the details contained elsewhere for reference.

To conclude, the purpose of a business case is to outline the business rationale for undertaking a project and to provide a means to continually assess and evaluate project progress.

What is the difference between a business case and a business plan?

The focus of the business case is an action, which is usually the purchase of capital equipment or a service. In comparison, the focus of the business plan is to outline the future of a business proposal, it’s margins, revenue growth over several years and what the business goals and strategies will encompass.

What should be included in a business case?

Writing a business case can seem like a daunting task, which is why we have provided you with a business case template and example to help you make a start.

The four sections include:

What is a business case template?

A business case template provides you with a structure and format to present your case to relevant stakeholders and investors. It’s essential that this document communicate the essence of your project’s goals and benefits, while aligning with the company’s strategies and objectives.

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How to Write a Business Case (Template Included)

Table of Contents

What is a business case, how to write a business case, business case template, watch our business case training video, key elements of a business case, how projectmanager helps with your business case.

A business case is a project management document that explains how the benefits of a project overweigh its costs and why it should be executed. Business cases are prepared during the project initiation phase and their purpose is to include all the project’s objectives, costs and benefits to convince stakeholders of its value.

A business case is an important project document to prove to your client, customer or stakeholder that the project proposal you’re pitching is a sound investment. Below, we illustrate the steps to writing one that will sway them.

The need for a business case is that it collects the financial appraisal, proposal, strategy and marketing plan in one document and offers a full look at how the project will benefit the organization. Once your business case is approved by the project stakeholders, you can begin the project planning phase.

Projects fail without having a solid business case to rest on, as this project document is the base for the project charter and project plan. But if a project business case is not anchored to reality, and doesn’t address a need that aligns with the larger business objectives of the organization, then it is irrelevant.

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The research you’ll need to create a strong business case is the why, what, how and who of your project. This must be clearly communicated. The elements of your business case will address the why but in greater detail. Think of the business case as a document that is created during the project initiation phase but will be used as a reference throughout the project life cycle.

Whether you’re starting a new project or mid-way through one, take time to write up a business case to justify the project expenditure by identifying the business benefits your project will deliver and that your stakeholders are most interested in reaping from the work. The following four steps will show you how to write a business case.

Step 1: Identify the Business Problem

Projects aren’t created for projects’ sake. They should always be aligned with business goals . Usually, they’re initiated to solve a specific business problem or create a business opportunity.

You should “Lead with the need.” Your first job is to figure out what that problem or opportunity is, describe it, find out where it comes from and then address the time frame needed to deal with it.

This can be a simple statement but is best articulated with some research into the economic climate and the competitive landscape to justify the timing of the project.

Step 2: Identify the Alternative Solutions

How do you know whether the project you’re undertaking is the best possible solution to the problem defined above? Naturally, prioritizing projects is hard, and the path to success is not paved with unfounded assumptions.

One way to narrow down the focus to make the right solution clear is to follow these six steps (after the relevant research, of course):

• Note the alternative solutions.
• For each solution, quantify its benefits.
• Also, forecast the costs involved in each solution.
• Then figure out its feasibility .
• Discern the risks and issues associated with each solution.
• Finally, document all this in your business case.

Step 3: Recommend a Preferred Solution

You’ll next need to rank the solutions, but before doing that it’s best to set up criteria, maybe have a scoring mechanism such as a decision matrix to help you prioritize the solutions to best choose the right one.

Some methodologies you can apply include:

• Depending on the solution’s cost and benefit , give it a score of 1-10.
• Base your score on what’s important to you.
• Add more complexity to your ranking to cover all bases.

Regardless of your approach, once you’ve added up your numbers, the best solution to your problem will become evident. Again, you’ll want to have this process also documented in your business case.

Step 4: Describe the Implementation Approach

So, you’ve identified your business problem or opportunity and how to reach it, now you have to convince your stakeholders that you’re right and have the best way to implement a process to achieve your goals. That’s why documentation is so important; it offers a practical path to solve the core problem you identified.

Now, it’s not just an exercise to appease senior leadership. Who knows what you might uncover in the research you put into exploring the underlying problem and determining alternative solutions? You might save the organization millions with an alternate solution than the one initially proposed. When you put in the work on a strong business case, you’re able to get your sponsors or organizational leadership on board with you and have a clear vision as to how to ensure the delivery of the business benefits they expect.

Our business case template for Word is the perfect tool to start writing a business case. It has 9 key business case areas you can customize as needed. Download the template for free and follow the steps below to create a great business case for all your projects.

One of the key steps to starting a business case is to have a business case checklist. The following is a detailed outline to follow when developing your business case. You can choose which of these elements are the most relevant to your project stakeholders and add them to our business case template. Then once your business case is approved, start managing your projects with a robust project management software such as ProjectManager.

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary is a short version of each section of your business case. It’s used to give stakeholders a quick overview of your project.

2. Project Definition

This section is meant to provide general information about your projects, such as the business objectives that will be achieved and the project plan outline.

3. Vision, Goals and Objectives

First, you have to figure out what you’re trying to do and what is the problem you want to solve. You’ll need to define your project vision, goals and objectives. This will help you shape your project scope and identify project deliverables.

4. Project Scope

The project scope determines all the tasks and deliverables that will be executed in your project to reach your business objectives.

5. Background Information

Here you can provide a context for your project, explaining the problem that it’s meant to solve, and how it aligns with your organization’s vision and strategic plan.

6. Success Criteria and Stakeholder Requirements

Depending on what kind of project you’re working on, the quality requirements will differ, but they are critical to the project’s success. Collect all of them, figure out what determines if you’ve successfully met them and report on the results .

7. Project Plan

It’s time to create the project plan. Figure out the tasks you’ll have to take to get the project done. You can use a work breakdown structure template  to make sure you are through. Once you have all the tasks collected, estimate how long it will take to complete each one.

Project management software makes creating a project plan significantly easier. ProjectManager can upload your work breakdown structure template and all your tasks are populated in our tool. You can organize them according to your production cycle with our kanban board view, or use our Gantt chart view to create a project schedule.

8. Project Budget

Your budget is an estimate of everything in your project plan and what it will cost to complete the project over the scheduled time allotted.

9. Project Schedule

Make a timeline for the project by estimating how long it will take to get each task completed. For a more impactful project schedule , use a tool to make a Gantt chart, and print it out. This will provide that extra flourish of data visualization and skill that Excel sheets lack.

10. Project Governance

Project governance refers to all the project management rules and procedures that apply to your project. For example, it defines the roles and responsibilities of the project team members and the framework for decision-making.

11. Communication Plan

Have milestones for check-ins and status updates, as well as determine how stakeholders will stay aware of the progress over the project life cycle.

12. Progress Reports

Have a plan in place to monitor and track your progress during the project to compare planned to actual progress. There are project tracking tools that can help you monitor progress and performance.

Again, using a project management tool improves your ability to see what’s happening in your project. ProjectManager has tracking tools like dashboards and status reports that give you a high-level view and more detail, respectively. Unlike light-weight apps that make you set up a dashboard, ours is embedded in the tool. Better still, our cloud-based software gives you real-time data for more insightful decision-making. Also, get reports on more than just status updates, but timesheets, workload, portfolio status and much more, all with just one click. Then filter the reports and share them with stakeholders to keep them updated.

13. Financial Appraisal

This is a very important section of your business case because this is where you explain how the financial benefits outweigh the project costs . Compare the financial costs and benefits of your project. You can do this by doing a sensitivity analysis and a cost-benefit analysis.

14. Market Assessment

Research your market, competitors and industry, to find opportunities and threats

15. Competitor Analysis

Identify direct and indirect competitors and do an assessment of their products, strengths, competitive advantages and their business strategy.

16. SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis helps you identify your organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The strengths and weaknesses are internal, while the opportunities and threats are external.

17. Marketing Strategy

Describe your product, distribution channels, pricing, target customers among other aspects of your marketing plan or strategy.

18. Risk Assessment

There are many risk categories that can impact your project. The first step to mitigating them is to identify and analyze the risks associated with your project activities.

ProjectManager , an award-winning project management software, can collect and assemble all the various data you’ll be collecting, and then easily share it both with your team and project sponsors.

Once you have a spreadsheet with all your tasks listed, you can import it into our software. Then it’s instantly populated into a Gantt chart . Simply set the duration for each of the tasks, add any dependencies, and your project is now spread across a timeline. You can set milestones, but there is so much more you can do.

You have a project plan now, and from the online Gantt chart, you can assign team members to tasks. Then they can comment directly on the tasks they’re working on, adding as many documents and images as needed, fostering a collaborative environment. You can track their progress and change task durations as needed by dragging and dropping the start and end dates.

But that’s only a taste of what ProjectManager offers. We have kanban boards that visualize your workflow and a real-time dashboard that tracks six project metrics for the most accurate view of your project possible.

Try ProjectManager and see for yourself with this 30-day free trial .

If you want more business case advice, take a moment to watch Jennifer Bridges, PMP, in this short training video. She explains the steps you have to take in order to write a good business case.

Here’s a screenshot for your reference.

Transcription:

Today we’re talking about how to write a business case. Well, over the past few years, we’ve seen the market, or maybe organizations, companies or even projects, move away from doing business cases. But, these days, companies, organizations, and those same projects are scrutinizing the investments and they’re really seeking a rate of return.

So now, think of the business case as your opportunity to package your project, your idea, your opportunity, and show what it means and what the benefits are and how other people can benefit.

We want to take a look today to see what’s in the business case and how to write one. I want to be clear that when you look for information on a business case, it’s not a briefcase.

Someone called the other day and they were confused because they were looking for something, and they kept pulling up briefcases. That’s not what we’re talking about today. What we’re talking about are business cases, and they include information about your strategies, about your goals. It is your business proposal. It has your business outline, your business strategy, and even your marketing plan.

Why Do You Need a Business Case?

And so, why is that so important today? Again, companies are seeking not only their project managers but their team members to have a better understanding of business and more of an idea business acumen. So this business case provides the justification for the proposed business change or plan. It outlines the allocation of capital that you may be seeking and the resources required to implement it. Then, it can be an action plan . It may just serve as a unified vision. And then it also provides the decision-makers with different options.

So let’s look more at the steps required to put these business cases together. There are four main steps. One, you want to research your market. Really look at what’s out there, where are the needs, where are the gaps that you can serve? Look at your competition. How are they approaching this, and how can you maybe provide some other alternatives?

You want to compare and finalize different approaches that you can use to go to market. Then you compile that data and you present strategies, your goals and other options to be considered.

And then you literally document it.

So what does the document look like? Well, there are templates out there today. The components vary, but these are the common ones. And then these are what I consider essential. So there’s the executive summary. This is just a summary of your company, what your management team may look like, a summary of your product and service and your market.

The business description gives a little bit more history about your company and the mission statement and really what your company is about and how this product or service fits in.

Then, you outline the details of the product or service that you’re looking to either expand or roll out or implement. You may even include in their patents may be that you have pending or other trademarks.

Then, you want to identify and lay out your marketing strategy. Like, how are you gonna take this to your customers? Are you going to have a brick-and-mortar store? Are you gonna do this online? And, what are your plans to take it to market?

You also want to include detailed information about your competitor analysis. How are they doing things? And, how are you planning on, I guess, beating your competition?

You also want to look at and identify your SWOT. And the SWOT is your strength. What are the strengths that you have in going to market? And where are the weaknesses? Maybe some of your gaps. And further, where are your opportunities and maybe threats that you need to plan for? Then the overview of the operation includes operational information like your production, even human resources, information about the day-to-day operations of your company.

And then, your financial plan includes your profit statement, your profit and loss, any of your financials, any collateral that you may have, and any kind of investments that you may be seeking.

So these are the components of your business case. This is why it’s so important. And if you need a tool that can help you manage and track this process, then sign up for our software now at ProjectManager .

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A Great Sales Pitch Hinges on the Right Story

• Esther Choy

Listen to your customers, make an emotional connection, and think from their point of view.

When you’re working in sales, you need to master the art of persuasion and that involves being able to tell a compelling story that explains why your product or service will meet someone’s needs. It involves listening, making an emotional connection, and thinking from the customer’s point of view. The earlier you can learn how to communicate in this way, the faster you will likely grow in your role. But too often we tell the customer a story we believe sets our product or service apart without addressing, or considering, the concerns of the customer. A better approach is to step out of your own head and get curious about how the world looks, sounds, and feels to your clients.

When you work in sales, you need to be a great storyteller. This is true whether you’re talking to a potential client, a partner, or a distributor of your product. In a grocery store, for example, where shelf space is limited, you must convince the retailer that placing your product in a visible spot will result in greater profits for everyone. Similarly, at a sales convention, you need to assure prospective clients that what you’re selling is worth their investment. Both situations require a level of persuasion , and that often involves telling a compelling story.

As a professor at Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and a consumer anthropologist who discovers and shares customers’ stories to help clients create relevant products and experiences (Gina) and the founder of Leadership Story Lab that coaches business leaders on the art of storytelling for business success (Esther), we use storytelling as the cornerstone of our work.

Through our experience, we’ve learned that “a compelling story” is a narrative that explains why your product or service will meet someone’s needs, especially in sales. It involves listening, making an emotional connection, and thinking from the customer’s point of view. The earlier you can learn how to communicate in this way, the faster you will likely grow in your role. The first step is avoiding a common mistake we often see those new to the industry make.

What Not to Do

A food and beverage company we worked with wanted to convince a supermarket chain to place its beverage on a more visible shelf. Their sales team told a story about what they considered their product’s biggest selling point: a state-of-the-art production process. They explained that having their beverage in a highly visible spot would increase their sales, allow them to scale distribution, and eventually, lower the price for customers, making their premium product more accessible.

This story was their first mistake, and it’s one we see often.

The story the sales team told focused entirely on why a better shelf space would benefit the company and their customers. It focused on what they believed set their product apart, but did little to address, or even consider, the concerns of the retailer.

Unsurprisingly, the supermarket chain wouldn’t budge, citing the low sales of the beverage, which cost 50% more than similar offerings.

When the food and beverage company met with us to discuss how to break this impasse, their sales team complained: “The retailer just doesn’t get it.”

This was their second mistake.

Rather than passively-aggressively accusing a client of “not getting it,” the sales team needed to take a pause, listen more closely, and reframe their narrative to meet the retailer’s needs.

As you begin your own career in sales, don’t make these same mistakes. Do this instead.

How to Craft Stories that Connect with Your Customers

In sales, the key to persuasive storytelling is to suspend your own judgments about why other people should buy, sell, or highlight your product or service. This is not to say that your knowledge doesn’t matter — you likely know the product or service better than anyone. But focusing too much on your own opinions can push you into that passive-aggressive mindset of others “not getting it.”

A better approach is to use your knowledge to highlight what it is about your product or service that will meet the customer’s needs. To do that, you need to step out of your own head and get curious about how the world looks, sounds, and feels to your clients.

By following these three steps — identifying their obstacles, fostering a shared sense of understanding, and creating and curating a meaningful narrative — you’ll be better equipped to get buy-in from anyone you want.

Step 1: Look for and listen to blocks and obstacles.

Let’s say you work at a car dealership and are trying to sell a newly released vehicle. You’ve told your story with compelling facts and figures, spotlighting all its high-tech bells and whistles. But, to your disappointment, the customer isn’t convinced that this car is worth the cost.

You’re frustrated — and we get it. Just like the food and beverage company, you’re struggling to understand why the potential buyer doesn’t appreciate the state-of-the-art features associated with your product.

Rather than leaning into that frustration, now is the time to step back and show some humility. Remember that, for you, the value proposition is clear: You view your product as superior because of its special attributes and functionality — and your instinct is to talk about those selling points. But technical lingo often appeals only to a few who speak that language. Jargon will never be as effective as the emotional connection you create when you listen to and relate to someone else’s pain point.

So, instead, get curious about your customer. Sticking with our original example, you might start by asking: “Why are you looking to buy a new vehicle today?” Then listen. Tap into your empathy by placing yourself in their shoes and try to identify what obstacles this sale could help them overcome. In this case, you may learn that the customer’s current vehicle is not fit for their growing family. With that information, you can begin to tell a different story — one that is responsive to the customer’s pain points.

In our conversations with the food and beverage company representatives, we identified two obstacles that were preventing the supermarket from featuring their product on a more visible shelf: the beverage’s high price point and its low sales. The food and beverage company’s sales team was not going to make any headway unless they addressed those two points specifically. In other words, they needed a different story.

Step 2: Tap into emotions — not just logic.

Emotions play an important role in decision making. Psychologists have f ound that our feelings influence what we believe to be true. This means, to persuade someone, you need to not only appeal to them rationally, but emotionally.

Consider the example of the car dealership. Now that you know the customer is growing their family, you can aim to understand them on an emotional level by asking yourself: Why would a new parent want to buy this vehicle? What would a parent care about most when driving their family members?

In the same way, the food and beverage company’s sales team needed to shift its tactics away from the purely logical to the emotional. That could only happen, however, if they understood the mix of emotions their consumers experienced before making a decision — particularly parents (their ideal customers) who often make price-driven decisions in the grocery store, as we’ve seen in through our work.

Instead of focusing on how the product was made, the sales team began to ask themselves: What would drive a parent to spend more money on our product? Ultimately, this helped them step more fully into the customer’s point of view.

Step 3: Tell a different story.  

Once you understand your customer emotionally, your story shifts — and, along with it, your sales pitch. In the example of the car dealership, you might choose to focus your pitch on the vehicle’s spacious backseat or family-friendly entertainment system. You can even focus on the fancy bells and whistles you highlighted in your original pitch, but tell a more intentional story about them, one that is crafted specifically for your customer. Explain why those new technologies make the car safer and more reliable — two points that will likely appeal to a parent.

As for the food and beverage company, its sales team began contemplating how to frame a new story as part of a better pitch to distributors and retailers. As it turned out, they had a chance encounter that changed everything. The sales team, all wearing company shirts, stopped at a diner for lunch. A waitress noticed the logo and approached their table. “I love your product,” she said. “I buy it all the time.”

Here was their ideal customer in person: someone who willingly paid a premium price for their product and, in her case, on a modest salary. With curiosity and empathy, they asked her why.

“My son has health issues,” she explained. “Your product has helped him so much.”

Her decision wasn’t based on the company’s production processes and filtration. It was because she saw the difference in her son’s health. This was the story they needed to tell — to distributors, to retailers, and to consumers.

The sales team sought out testimonials and feedback from other customers about why they bought the beverage, despite its higher price point. The feedback was consistent: Consumers believed the product saved them money in the long run by avoiding other costs, from nutritional supplements to medical care.

In the next meeting with the retailer, the sales team shared the waitress’s story and other customer testimonials. It was a pitch centered on their product’s value proposition and this time it landed. The retailer made a small commitment to give the beverage premium shelf space, concurrent with new marketing based on consumer stories. Sales increased and, over time, so did the store’s shelf space commitment.  

As a sales professional, you have a story to tell — a narrative you believe will differentiate what you’re selling from everything else in the market. The effectiveness of that story, however, rests not with what you want to say, but with how meaningful it is to your customers. When your story clears obstacles, creates emotional connections, and fosters a shared understanding, that’s when your narrative will rise above the rest. That’s the moment when everyone will truly “get it.”

• Gina Fong  is a consumer anthropologist at Fong Insight and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing at The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where she teaches ethnographic research. She received the school’s highest teaching honor, the L.G. Lavengood Outstanding Professor of the Year, in 2023.
• Esther Choy  has been training and coaching executives to become more persuasive through the use of classical storytelling elements since 2010. She is the author of “Let the Story Do the Work” published by HarperCollins in 2017. Her thought leadership on storytelling and first-generation wealth creators has appeared in leading US media outlets such as Forbes, Entrepreneur and the New York Times.

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Why some major artists are suddenly canceling shows, and in some cases entire tours

A series of tour cancellations and changes by big-name artists has sparked questions about whether the post-pandemic live music boom could be cooling, as consumer spending fatigue meets elevated ticket prices.

On Friday, Jennifer Lopez announced she was canceling her 2024 tour , citing a desire to spend more time with her family. Meanwhile, the Black Keys announced they were abandoning a stadium tour in favor of a series of shows at smaller venues.

Both tours had recently become the subject of social media fodder, namely screenshots showing empty venues at select tour dates. (NBC News could could not directly verify their authenticity.)

Indeed, some of the evidence of a slowdown is anecdotal. SeatGeek said in an email that the average resale ticket price to attend a summer concert is down to $213 from $257 around this time last year. The company suggested some of the decline could be attributed to the absence of megatours on par with Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” and Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” outings last year.

For artists whose popularity has crescendoed, there appears to be plenty of demand — and high prices. The average resale price for Olivia Rodrigo’s “Guts” tour is $571, and the next-highest is $409 to see Morgan Wallen, according to SeatGeek data first reported by Axios .

Many of those tours are being sold through Ticketmaster and its parent Live Nation. And prior to facing landmark accusations that it is a monopoly , a claim it denies, Live Nation reported its biggest first quarter ever, with $3.8 billion in revenues. Its concerts business alone was up 26% to $2.9 billion, while “estimated fans” globally were up more than 20%, and up 42% in North America.

Yet official government data points to the makings of a return to a more normal pace for live music event sales after a post-pandemic boom. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last month that movie and concert admissions prices climbed just 3.4% year over year through April, the lowest reading since 2021 and the second-consecutive month showing a slowdown.

Dave Clark, editor of Ticket News, which tracks the live entertainment industry, said the period of explosive live music growth following pandemic reopenings may in hindsight be seen as an aberration: People were simply more eager — and more financially able — to go to as many shows as they could after months cooped up indoors.

This year, Clark said, a reckoning may be emerging.

“The days where there was enough demand to sell out arenas at top dollar just isn’t there in this live events economy — outside of people like Taylor Swift who can sell whatever they want wherever they want,” he said.

At a time when many consumers are struggling to pay for basic necessities, he said, “people are seeing some of the prices they’re asking and just saying, ‘Hard pass.’”

Another factor may be a supply issue, Clark added: too many acts trying to tour at once, or too many times. In the pre-streaming era, bands would go on tour as a way of marketing an album. These days, he said, it’s reversed, since the returns on recorded music have shrunk dramatically.

“Now they’re making records to sell the tour,” he said. “That paradigm has a lot to do with it. It’s just a very overloaded market.”

The Black Keys did just release a new album, and its debut single hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart in March.

Still, the rock duo announced it would cancel and reschedule its summer touring plans, switching from arenas to other venues that provide a more “intimate experience,” according to the band. The new dates have not yet been announced.

The Black Keys aren’t the only group that may be falling victim to costly concert fatigue.

Pop-rock band 311 announced it had canceled upcoming European tour dates due to the “rising costs of touring overseas,” which made completing certain portions of the tour “unfeasible.”

Other stars including Pink and Justin Timberlake have also recently canceled specific show dates, while the Jonas Brothers recently postponed their upcoming European tour , though none officially cited financial concerns as reasons for doing so.

“I think with all that competition for fan dollars, it was obviously natural that some artists were going to lose,” said Bill Werde, director of the Syracuse University Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries.

There are still plenty of large-scale tours planned for this summer that, so far, appear to be unaffected by flagging demand. Hootie & the Blowfish have 48 dates booked this year, while Dave Matthews Band is slated for 34. Other top acts hitting the road include Maroon 5, Zac Brown Band, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kenny Chesney and Chris Stapleton.

But experts say recent economic trends in the live-music industry, especially the type of consolidation the Justice Department is now targeting, have translated into fewer smaller-sized venues.

That’s made it more difficult for a given tour date to make financial sense for the artist, venue and promoter.

“Some shows, they can’t afford to drop prices; they can’t afford to wait to try to sell out the rest of the building,” Clark said.

If there is uncertainty about all stakeholders being able to at least break even, he said, the show might get canceled.

Such realities have collided with a more circumspect concertgoer. Brittney D’Mello, a 23-year-old K-pop fan from New Jersey who works in corporate marketing, posted to X about her frustrations with the current touring landscape.

“The tickets are too expensive,” D’Mello said. “There’s only a SMALL amount of people (10%) that will spend $500+ on vip/floor/premium,” she said. “The rest of us have budgets and won’t spend $100 on nosebleeds,” she said, referring to seats that are typically the farthest away from the stage.

“Everyone is touring this year … and we only have money for 2-3 concerts MAX,” she added.

In a follow-up interview with NBC News, D’Mello said she simply decided to cap her concert budget.

“I will only go see two artists that are my tried-and-true favorite artists,” she said. “But I won’t be casually going to concerts anymore. And after going to concerts twice, I think that’s where I stop.”

Rob Wile is a breaking business news reporter for NBC News Digital.

Dania Kalaji is a news associate for NBC News.

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[Updated 2023] Top 15 MoSCoW Method Templates to Prioritize Project Requirements

Kritika Saini

Alistair Cockburn said, "The MoSCoW method enables teams to separate the must-haves from the nice-to-haves, ensuring efficient delivery of valuable features."

MoSCoW Method templates help in prioritizing project requirements. They offer a structured approach to ensure efficient resource allocation to focus on essential deliverables. These PPT Templates sort requirements as Must-Have, Should-Have, Could-Have, and Won't-Have, enabling project teams to prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. 

• Must-Haves: These requirements are critical and necessary for the project's success. They represent essential features or deliverables that must be included in the final product or solution.
• Should-Haves: These requirements are essential but not critical for immediate implementation. They are prioritized after Must-Have requirements and represent features significantly enhancing the project's value.
• Could-Haves: These requirements are desirable but not essential. They represent additional features or enhancements that can be considered if time and resources allow. They are usually prioritized lower than Must-Have and Should-Have requirements.
• Won't-Haves: These requirements are explicitly excluded from the project's scope. They are deemed non-critical or non-essential and will not be considered for implementation.

These templates allow teams to communicate project priorities effectively, make informed decisions, and align stakeholders' expectations. The MoSCoW Method templates serve as valuable tools to streamline project management, optimize resource utilization, and achieve successful project outcomes by prioritizing project requirements effectively.

The Presets can be adjusted as priorities evolve, ensuring that resources are directed toward the most important and relevant requirements. By visually presenting the prioritization of needs, the templates foster shared understanding and consensus on project priorities among project stakeholders.

The combined set visually represents the prioritization process, ensuring that customer needs and satisfaction are effectively addressed. These editable pre-sets save time and resources by providing a predefined framework to consider priorities. Instead of starting from scratch, MoSCoW methods streamlines the process and make faster, well-informed decisions. 

Check out the list of our 15 MoSCoW Methods templates to prioritize project requirements.

Template 1: MoSCoW Prioritization Technique Overview Increases PPT PowerPoint Presentation Model Show

The PowerPoint Preset adds structure, clarity, and strategic value, making the presentation more impactful and empowering stakeholders to make informed decisions based on priority levels. It highlights the Must Haves, Should Haves, Could Haves, Won't and Would- Haves. Seize the opportunity to harness its complete advantages by downloading it immediately.

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FAQs on the MoSCoW Method

What is moscow model stands for.

The MoSCoW model stands for Must-Have, Should-Have, Could-Have, and Won't-Have. It is a prioritization technique used to classify the requirements or tasks based on their importance and urgency in projects or product development.

What is the MoSCoW strategy?

The MoSCoW strategy is a prioritization approach in project management and product development. It involves grouping requirements or features into four: Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, and Won't Have. This strategy helps stakeholders and teams determine the essential elements that must be delivered, prioritize additional desirable features, and identify items that will not be included in the current scope.

What is an example of the MoSCoW technique?

An example of the MoSCoW technique is in software development, where requirements are arranged based on their priority. For instance, a Must Have requirement may be a user authentication feature critical for system security. A Should Have requirement could be a user profile customization feature, while a Could Have requirement might be social media integration. A Won't Have condition could be a customization option for the initial release.

What is the MoSCoW method in Agile?

In Agile methodology, the MoSCoW prioritization technique used to determine the importance and urgency of requirements or user stories. It stands for Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, and Won't Have. This method helps Agile teams focus on delivering the most critical and valuable features first while providing flexibility to accommodate lower-priority items based on project constraints and customer needs.

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MoSCoW Prioritization

What is moscow prioritization.

MoSCoW prioritization, also known as the MoSCoW method or MoSCoW analysis, is a popular prioritization technique for managing requirements. 

  The acronym MoSCoW represents four categories of initiatives: must-have, should-have, could-have, and won’t-have, or will not have right now. Some companies also use the “W” in MoSCoW to mean “wish.”

What is the History of the MoSCoW Method?

Software development expert Dai Clegg created the MoSCoW method while working at Oracle. He designed the framework to help his team prioritize tasks during development work on product releases.

You can find a detailed account of using MoSCoW prioritization in the Dynamic System Development Method (DSDM) handbook . But because MoSCoW can prioritize tasks within any time-boxed project, teams have adapted the method for a broad range of uses.

How Does MoSCoW Prioritization Work?

Before running a MoSCoW analysis, a few things need to happen. First, key stakeholders and the product team need to get aligned on objectives and prioritization factors. Then, all participants must agree on which initiatives to prioritize.

At this point, your team should also discuss how they will settle any disagreements in prioritization. If you can establish how to resolve disputes before they come up, you can help prevent those disagreements from holding up progress.

Finally, you’ll also want to reach a consensus on what percentage of resources you’d like to allocate to each category.

With the groundwork complete, you may begin determining which category is most appropriate for each initiative. But, first, let’s further break down each category in the MoSCoW method.

Start prioritizing your roadmap

Moscow prioritization categories.

1. Must-have initiatives

As the name suggests, this category consists of initiatives that are “musts” for your team. They represent non-negotiable needs for the project, product, or release in question. For example, if you’re releasing a healthcare application, a must-have initiative may be security functionalities that help maintain compliance.

The “must-have” category requires the team to complete a mandatory task. If you’re unsure about whether something belongs in this category, ask yourself the following.

If the product won’t work without an initiative, or the release becomes useless without it, the initiative is most likely a “must-have.”

2. Should-have initiatives

Should-have initiatives are just a step below must-haves. They are essential to the product, project, or release, but they are not vital. If left out, the product or project still functions. However, the initiatives may add significant value.

“Should-have” initiatives are different from “must-have” initiatives in that they can get scheduled for a future release without impacting the current one. For example, performance improvements, minor bug fixes, or new functionality may be “should-have” initiatives. Without them, the product still works.

3. Could-have initiatives

Another way of describing “could-have” initiatives is nice-to-haves. “Could-have” initiatives are not necessary to the core function of the product. However, compared with “should-have” initiatives, they have a much smaller impact on the outcome if left out.

So, initiatives placed in the “could-have” category are often the first to be deprioritized if a project in the “should-have” or “must-have” category ends up larger than expected.

4. Will not have (this time)

One benefit of the MoSCoW method is that it places several initiatives in the “will-not-have” category. The category can manage expectations about what the team will not include in a specific release (or another timeframe you’re prioritizing).

Placing initiatives in the “will-not-have” category is one way to help prevent scope creep . If initiatives are in this category, the team knows they are not a priority for this specific time frame. 

Some initiatives in the “will-not-have” group will be prioritized in the future, while others are not likely to happen. Some teams decide to differentiate between those by creating a subcategory within this group.

How Can Development Teams Use MoSCoW?

  Although Dai Clegg developed the approach to help prioritize tasks around his team’s limited time, the MoSCoW method also works when a development team faces limitations other than time. For example: 

Prioritize based on budgetary constraints.

What if a development team’s limiting factor is not a deadline but a tight budget imposed by the company? Working with the product managers, the team can use MoSCoW first to decide on the initiatives that represent must-haves and the should-haves. Then, using the development department’s budget as the guide, the team can figure out which items they can complete. 

Prioritize based on the team’s skillsets.

A cross-functional product team might also find itself constrained by the experience and expertise of its developers. If the product roadmap calls for functionality the team does not have the skills to build, this limiting factor will play into scoring those items in their MoSCoW analysis.

Prioritize based on competing needs at the company.

Cross-functional teams can also find themselves constrained by other company priorities. The team wants to make progress on a new product release, but the executive staff has created tight deadlines for further releases in the same timeframe. In this case, the team can use MoSCoW to determine which aspects of their desired release represent must-haves and temporarily backlog everything else.

What Are the Drawbacks of MoSCoW Prioritization?

  Although many product and development teams have prioritized MoSCoW, the approach has potential pitfalls. Here are a few examples.

1. An inconsistent scoring process can lead to tasks placed in the wrong categories.

  One common criticism against MoSCoW is that it does not include an objective methodology for ranking initiatives against each other. Your team will need to bring this methodology to your analysis. The MoSCoW approach works only to ensure that your team applies a consistent scoring system for all initiatives.

Pro tip: One proven method is weighted scoring, where your team measures each initiative on your backlog against a standard set of cost and benefit criteria. You can use the weighted scoring approach in ProductPlan’s roadmap app .

2. Not including all relevant stakeholders can lead to items placed in the wrong categories.

To know which of your team’s initiatives represent must-haves for your product and which are merely should-haves, you will need as much context as possible.

For example, you might need someone from your sales team to let you know how important (or unimportant) prospective buyers view a proposed new feature.

One pitfall of the MoSCoW method is that you could make poor decisions about where to slot each initiative unless your team receives input from all relevant stakeholders. 

3. Team bias for (or against) initiatives can undermine MoSCoW’s effectiveness.

Because MoSCoW does not include an objective scoring method, your team members can fall victim to their own opinions about certain initiatives. 

One risk of using MoSCoW prioritization is that a team can mistakenly think MoSCoW itself represents an objective way of measuring the items on their list. They discuss an initiative, agree that it is a “should have,” and move on to the next.

But your team will also need an objective and consistent framework for ranking all initiatives. That is the only way to minimize your team’s biases in favor of items or against them.

When Do You Use the MoSCoW Method for Prioritization?

MoSCoW prioritization is effective for teams that want to include representatives from the whole organization in their process. You can capture a broader perspective by involving participants from various functional departments.

Another reason you may want to use MoSCoW prioritization is it allows your team to determine how much effort goes into each category. Therefore, you can ensure you’re delivering a good variety of initiatives in each release.

What Are Best Practices for Using MoSCoW Prioritization?

If you’re considering giving MoSCoW prioritization a try, here are a few steps to keep in mind. Incorporating these into your process will help your team gain more value from the MoSCoW method.

1. Choose an objective ranking or scoring system.

Remember, MoSCoW helps your team group items into the appropriate buckets—from must-have items down to your longer-term wish list. But MoSCoW itself doesn’t help you determine which item belongs in which category.

You will need a separate ranking methodology. You can choose from many, such as:

• Weighted scoring
• Value vs. complexity
• Buy-a-feature
• Opportunity scoring

For help finding the best scoring methodology for your team, check out ProductPlan’s article: 7 strategies to choose the best features for your product .

2. Seek input from all key stakeholders.

To make sure you’re placing each initiative into the right bucket—must-have, should-have, could-have, or won’t-have—your team needs context. 

At the beginning of your MoSCoW method, your team should consider which stakeholders can provide valuable context and insights. Sales? Customer success? The executive staff? Product managers in another area of your business? Include them in your initiative scoring process if you think they can help you see opportunities or threats your team might miss. 

3. Share your MoSCoW process across your organization.

MoSCoW gives your team a tangible way to show your organization prioritizing initiatives for your products or projects. 

The method can help you build company-wide consensus for your work, or at least help you show stakeholders why you made the decisions you did.

Communicating your team’s prioritization strategy also helps you set expectations across the business. When they see your methodology for choosing one initiative over another, stakeholders in other departments will understand that your team has thought through and weighed all decisions you’ve made. 

If any stakeholders have an issue with one of your decisions, they will understand that they can’t simply complain—they’ll need to present you with evidence to alter your course of action.  

Related Terms

2×2 prioritization matrix / Eisenhower matrix / DACI decision-making framework / ICE scoring model / RICE scoring model

Prioritizing your roadmap using our guide

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A Quick Guide to the MoSCoW Method Technique

January 12, 2022 - 10 min read

The MoSCoW method is a prioritization technique used by project and campaign managers to work smarter not harder. In this quick guide, we’ll explain exactly what the MoSCoW method is, how it works, and provide some examples you can use to inform your own analysis. Keep reading to better understand the various categories within the MoSCoW method, as well as an alternative prioritization tool for project managers.

What is the MoSCow method?

The MoSCoW method is a technique used by organizations to communicate the importance and priority of the various requirements being met in various projects. This method is also referred to as MoSCoW prioritization and MoSCoW analysis.

The term MoSCoW is an acronym that refers to the first letter of each of the four priority categories. It uses four categories, which are must-have, should-want, could-have, and will not have. While it’s meant to be used at the start of a project when time is on your side, it can also be adapted to work seamlessly for time constraints .

Software developer Dai Clegg originally created the MoScoW method. Since then, many other leading companies have used it to get their team on the same page, properly distribute resources, and achieve project goals. 

How does the MoSCow technique work?

The MoSCoW technique works by allowing teams to include multiple representatives from the organization in their project management discussions. This gives everyone a wider perspective on the organization's operations and where their collective priorities lie. 

Before you begin your MoSCoW method, think about which people can provide valuable context for your team. They can help you identify opportunities and threats, and they can help you make better decisions. Once finalized, the MoSCoW method will also force stakeholders to show evidence before they can submit additional work requests mid-project. 

Critics of MoSCoW often say that it does not include a comprehensive objective scoring system for all initiatives. This is a common mistake that many teams make. A weighted scoring method will more accurately measure the backlog against a set of predefined benefits and costs.

One of the most challenging aspects of the MoSCoW technique is learning which categories their initiatives should go in.  As the manager, you will need to know which of your team's initiatives are “must haves” for their product or which are merely “should haves”. 

You may even need to solicit feedback from a different department in order to get greater perspective on your current project prioritization. For example, a marketing department head may have greater insight into which selling points for your upcoming product launch are resonating more with buyers so that you can work on perfecting those components first. 

Another key idea about how the MoSCoW technique works is that it’s only effective if you follow it. This means that, once an initiative is placed into a category, the entire team needs to stick to that decision. Many beginner MoSCoW teams end up agreeing that an initiative should have been initiated, but they move on to the next step instead because it feels better or more familiar to them. 

Finally, when it comes to making decisions about prioritization, your team will need to have a consistent framework in place before you engage with this technique. A consistent framework for assessing and ranking all initiatives is critical if you want to avoid biases and falling into old patterns. 

Your team’s prioritization strategy helps set expectations across the organization. It lets them know that they have made the right decisions and weigh all the factors that go into making those decisions. Don’t be afraid to make your MoSCoW method results available to the rest of your organization if applicable. 

Understanding MoSCow prioritization categories

Before the MoSCoW analysis can begin, all participants need to agree on which initiatives will be prioritized. It's important to discuss how to resolve disagreements in order to prevent them from holding up progress during this preparation stage. This can help prevent issues from happening in the first place.

Once the framework has been established, it is time to start identifying the appropriate categories for each project. Here are the definitions and explanations of each of the MoSCoW prioritization categories: 

Musts are defined as initiatives that are critical to the success of a project or product. These are usually non-negotiable and can be used to describe specific functionalities or solutions that need to be implemented.

The “must have” category is challenging to define. Before you start, ask yourself if something is truly necessary in this category.

Should have

Although “should have” initiatives are not essential to a product or project, they may add significant value. A “should have” initiative is different from a “must have” initiative, which means it can be scheduled for a future release.

“Could haves” are initiatives that are not necessary to the core of a product. Projects that are placed in the “could have” category are often the first ones to be deprioritized when another project takes longer than expected.

Will not have

The MoSCoW method places several initiatives in a “will not have” category. This method allows you to manage expectations about what will not be included in a release or another timeframe.

Putting initiatives in the “will not have" category can help prevent scope creep . This category shows the team that the project is not a priority at this specific time frame. 

Some initiatives are prioritized in the “will not have” group, while others are likely to happen in the future. Some teams then decide to create a subcategory for these initiatives.

How is the MoSCoW method used in project management?

The concept of MoSCoW allows project managers to prioritize tasks that can be done efficiently even when they have limited time. For example, if the team has a tight budget, it can use MoSCoW to determine which initiatives can be completed within those limitations. 

This is especially useful for managers juggling more than project or leading cross-functional teams. This is because cross-functional teams are sometimes obligated to another company or department’s priorities. While your team is working on a new product release, another project manager may have them on a tight timeline for another client’s goal. 

And, as we all know, things come up throughout the lifespan of a project. Although efficient planning helps teams remain agile, the MoSCoW method can make even the biggest and most unexpected roadblocks more manageable. 

MoSCoW examples

This method can be used for nearly any industry or project type because it has to do more with project decision-making than the subject matter itself. Here are a couple of MoSCoW method examples you can use to get started with your first draft: 

1. National College of Ireland’s website project

In this example from a lecture on the MoSCoW analysis, Professor Eugene O’Loughlin demonstrates how to use this technique when building a website . 

The project goal in this example is to create a platform where users can securely log in and access files. Because of this, the tasks listed under their MoSCoW categories will look different from other standard website creation projects. 

For example, while another project may add “have an eye-catching design” to their should-have section, this particular website has added “password retrieval” because it directly applies to their security-oriented goal. 

Even if this website project could benefit from a great design, the MoSCoW method helps managers and teams laser focus on completing the highest priority activities first. If they have more time later on, they can potentially add a design improvement task to their “could haves” if they determine the ROI is high enough. 

Takeaway: Consider your project holistically when assigning priority. Your goals should be your north star for determining what is or is not truly important, regardless of what conventional wisdom says to do. 

2. Slideteam’s Assessing HR Requirements Template

This is one of the MoSCoW examples that shows how many different types of tasks this technique covers. Here, we see storing employee leave history as a must, leave letter printing a should, notifications for pending leave dates a could, and remote access a won’t. 

In HR, many of their decisions around prioritization will be made by compliance and legal counsel that they must adhere to. Still, it’s important to define these tasks and their MoSCoW label so that employees understand at a glance that it’s less important to set up leave notifications and more important that they update employment histories in their software. 

Takeaway: The MoSCoW method can be used to cover many different aspects of projects including compliance and procedure. 

How to undertake a MoSCoW analysis using Wrike

Wrike is a project management software that allows users to strategize how they prioritize their portfolio of projects as well as the tasks within each individual initiative. Using visual tools such as road maps that show what progress will look like from kickoff to completion, managers can easily see which of their chosen MoSCoW analysis configurations work best for achieving their goals. 

Wrike also allows you to centralize all of your project planning in one central location. You can view potential resource conflicts across projects, individual task progress statuses, and automate tasks from your should or could have categories that you otherwise wouldn’t have time for. 

Ready to get started with the MoSCoW method and Wrike? Sign up for a two-week free trial today. 

Maria Waida

Maria is a freelance content writer who specializes in blogging and other marketing materials for enterprise software businesses.

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An Introduction to Bullet Journal Project Management

Bullet journals are great tools to destress and organize various aspects of project management. In this guide, we’re diving deep into the pros and cons of using this method to organize projects of all kinds. Keep reading to discover what bullet journal project management is and how this practice can boost productivity to new levels.  What is a bullet journal? A bullet journal is a customized space to organize all of your personal projects and goals. It can also be used to track deadlines and prioritize tasks. Bullet journaling became popular thanks to the book Getting Things Done, which is about a project management technique that uses a bullet journal to manage different projects efficiently. Bullet journals are often used to create daily, weekly, and monthly project plans. They can also be home to your to-do lists, inspiration boards, and project notes. They’re relaxing to create and relatively easy to maintain.  If you have multiple projects to manage, then you may want to use more than one notebook. Or you can swap your physical journal for a professional services management software that has plenty of space for storing digital plans.  Software tools are also easy to customize, make collaboration easier, and help with turning the plan into reality through task creation and assignment tools. With Wrike, data from multiple users will automatically sync so that everyone is on the same page with new updates and responsibilities.  If you do use a physical journal, using loose leaf paper in a binder will allow you to add pages as you go. This is useful for keeping track of all the data in one place instead of switching to additional notebooks when you run out of room.  There are many elegant, decorated bullet journal page layouts out there. Many invest time into making them artistic with drawings, decorative tape, and cut-out images. This isn’t necessary for project management, but it may be a fun activity outside of work.  Bullet journals can use several different layouts. The most common is a two-page spread that includes a month-long calendar on one page and a breakdown of goals for that period on the other. The latter will help you keep track of all the dates and commitments that are important to you as you get closer to starting a new project. The two-page spread makes it easy to see where you'll be working most efficiently in the coming weeks. It's ideal for people who manage multiple projects simultaneously. You can also create a view of the next six months within your bullet journal project management layout. This is called a future log. A future log is a calendar that lets you keep track of important events and dates for long-term projects. How do you use a bullet journal in project planning? Projects are essentially collections of notes and tasks that are linked to a common goal. They can be pulled together in a bullet journal for you to easily see all of the work related to that specific project. To start, you’ll need to list out your goals.  Create a list that includes every project goal you or your team can think of. Sort them in order of importance. Ideally, these smaller project goals will align with your organization’s big-picture goals.  Once you know what you’d like to accomplish, you can begin your bullet journal. Start by breaking down your number one goal into a project action plan. This can span days, weeks, or months. Then, break down your project action plan into individual tasks. Determine what the task is, who will be in charge of getting it done, and when it needs to be completed.  After that, you’re ready to use your bullet journal for project planning.  Step 1: List out your sections Number your pages if they aren’t already. At the beginning of the bullet journal, write the name of the page on the left side and the page number on the right.  Step 2: Add your key You may use symbols and abbreviations throughout your project planning. Put these at the beginning of the journal either after or on the same page as your key. Use color coding to signify which symbols belong to each project if you have more than one.  Step 3: Write out your future log A future log is a list of key dates and tasks that aren’t part of your immediate three-to-six month plans but are important to keep in mind. Add this after your key and leave space for other items as they come up.  Step 4: Create your calendar This can be in the form of a traditional calendar page. Some people like to hand draw them. However, you can also print, cut out, and paste a blank monthly calendar page into your journal too.  Step 5: Track tasks Create sections for monthly, weekly, and daily task lists. You can organize these in a few ways. Some project managers prefer to do it by project or by person. You can also create one massive list with everything you’re personally responsible for so you have it all in one place. Or use a combination of any of these for your various projects.  Make sure to check in with your bullet journal weekly and monthly. Note any upcoming or past deadlines. Adjust your task list and schedule for unexpected issues as needed.  The benefits of using a bullet journal for work Project managers often have a hard time keeping track of their work activities without losing track of anything along the way. This is one of the reasons why the bullet journal is so useful. Not only does it give you a roadmap of your next projects, but it’s also good for daily use.  You can keep track of to-do lists, priorities, and daily reflections. You can also journal about your progress and realign with goals all in the same notebook or tool. You can also rapidly log your thoughts for the day to boost your creativity and clear out emotions that no longer serve the project.  Combine your bullet journal for work with your personal goals. It will be easier to prioritize and accurately schedule tasks when you have your entire life laid out in front of you on paper.  Another benefit of using a bullet journal for work is that you can either DIY a notebook or use a planner you already have. It’s not so much what you use but how you use it.  And bonus: bullet journaling only takes five to 15 minutes a day. Whether it’s reviewing tomorrow’s meetings or crossing off today’s tasks, a bullet journal practice is easy to build into your schedule no matter how busy you are.  The disadvantages of using a bullet journal in project management While bullet journaling project management is great for keeping track of key project details, many project managers need a separate system to manage their meetings and reports.  Having more than one journal or calendar to manage at one time can be confusing. Add more than one project to the mix, and it may be counterproductive to use a traditional pen and paper bullet journal to accomplish your goals.  Another disadvantage of using a bullet journal in project management is your lack of ability to collaborate with others. When writing on paper, you have to either show your team the notebook in person or scan the pages and share them online. Either way, it’s not ideal for large, remote, and/or revolving teams.  The other thing to know about bullet journaling before diving in headfirst is that it can be quite time-consuming. If you do a crafty layout with calligraphy and scrapbooking accessories, then it may even take several days to finish.  And once you do have your plans laid out, they can be hard to change. Rewriting, erasing, and making more space for things that come up are essential for project planning. For that reason, we suggest using an 11 inch by 7 inch grid lined notebook to give yourself extra space.  Also, you can outline headlines and calendars with a pen or marker if you like the look. But stick to pencil for any factual information that is subject to change throughout the lifetime of the project. If you don’t do this now, you may end up having to scrap entire pages and start over later on.  Bullet journal alternatives you should consider Bullet journals are fun, unique, and creative. But there are some projects where they just aren’t the best possible option for managing it all. The project may be too complex or too large for a single notebook. There may even be so many updates needed that a physical notebook doesn’t make sense for your project.  If you’re facing any of these issues, you can try any of the following bullet journal alternatives:  Digital calendar and list app combo Bulletin board, sticky notes, and shared files Project management software Project management software is the top choice for bullet journal alternatives. Not only is it flexible, but it can make project planning more productive.  Wrike is the ultimate platform for customizing your own bullet journal project management processes. With over 30 predefined apps you can use to sync all your project data in one place, it's the most versatile platform for managing complex tasks. As a single source of truth for a project, team, and entire organization, project management software offers more advanced features than a simple notebook can. Instead of writing everything down on a few sheets of paper, Wrike acts like a living document. And unlike other digital organization tools, Wrike is specifically built to optimize project performance and success.  Wrike's tools are designed to work seamlessly with any team. Anyone who has permission to access the project can share files and tasks quickly and easily. Once uploaded, collaborators can visually edit and obtain files.  They’ll also have access to reports and tasks that are simple to understand at a glance without losing the details in the process. This allows all managers to gain visibility across departments and groups. Wrike is the ideal solution for teams that want to grow and operate efficiently with the help of cutting edge technology. For example, Wrike’s Work Intelligence helps you get started with the next generation of work, with AI-powered projects and automation. Wrike also features a streamlined UI that lets you customize its features to work seamlessly with your team. Although bullet journaling allows you to customize your project planning, you’ll be able to get and implement feedback from partners faster with a digital project tool.  Here are some other stand out benefits of using a project management software over a physical or digital bullet journal:  It’s interactive. For example, Wrike offers Gantt charts that lets users visualize their plans and progress. It’s efficient. Kanban boards make it easy to work seamlessly with Agile teams by creating and sharing whenever needed.  It’s faster. Wrike's template library is designed to help you quickly create and manage complex projects. It’s customizable. With custom request forms, you can easily gather details for your intake, assign tasks to the right teams, and dynamically route questions and requests. It’s up to date. Wrike’s calendars are ideal for team members who want to keep up with the latest information. It’s repeatable. Most tasks go through the same steps before they are finished. In a project management solution, you build a path for yours that will automatically assign and notify people when it's ready to begin through Wrike’s Automation Engine.  It’s trackable. With timers, approvals, and visual task assignments, you can manage entire teams while streamlining your work. It’s transparent. Get a 360 view across all of your organizations with custom dashboards. It’s syncable. Wrike's 400+ app integrations make it possible to integrate hundreds of apps into one central hub.  It’s safe. A digital project management software can safeguard your data by enforcing rules and encryption key ownership. Ready to upgrade your project planning methods and tools? Check out Wrike’s two-week free trial for some more goal-achieving features. 

What Is The Pomodoro Technique and How Does it Work?

Endless tasks and expectations from colleagues and employers can make getting things done hard. There’s always something else to add to your to-do list and, as that list grows, it starts to feel like there’s never enough time to do it all. Productivity hacks can seem gimmicky and semi-helpful at best. But what if there was a time management strategy that could help you tackle your to-do list, meet others’ expectations, and help you feel more productive and balanced?  That’s where the Pomodoro Technique comes in. This popular time management strategy can help you better plan your workload, overcome distractions, and check tasks off your list. And it doesn’t require working overtime or jamming more work into your day. Instead, it encourages frequent breaks in between stints of work. Perhaps one of the best aspects about it is that it’s easy to use.  We’re here to help you make your workdays better and more productive. In this guide, we’re breaking down the Pomodoro method — how to use it, why it works, and its advantages and disadvantages. And don’t worry, we’ll cover what Pomodoro means while we’re at it. Add reading this guide to your list of to-dos for today, and let’s get started.  What is the Pomodoro Technique? The Pomodoro Technique is a productivity or time management method created in the early 1990s by Francesco Cirillo.  A university student at the time, Cirillo struggled to focus and get his assignments done. Feeling overwhelmed, he realized he needed to try a new way of working and held himself accountable for committing to 10 minutes of focused time while studying. As he committed to the challenge, he found a tomato-shaped timer (you guessed it, Pomodoro is “tomato” in Italian), and the Pomodoro Technique was born. Cirillo wrote an entire book about the Pomodoro Technique, but the gist of it is simple. The method encourages short bursts of manageable chunks of work with breaks built in between. With this method, you work for 25-minutes sessions separated by five-minute breaks. After every four or five Pomodoros (think of these as work sessions), you indulge in a more extended break for 15-20 minutes. With a sense of urgency built into it, the method forces you to think through your to-do list and eliminate distractions while progressing on your tasks for a limited amount of time. And you can eliminate distractions knowing that you have breaks built into your day to look forward to. Let’s start by understanding what exactly the word “Pomodoro” means and where it came from. What does Pomodoro mean? Pomodoro quite literally means “tomato” in Italian. But what does a tomato have to do with time management?  Like we mentioned earlier, Cirillo used a tomato-shaped timer to help him manage his focused work time. He later named his famous technique after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that helped him do his best work.  When we talk about the Pomodoro Technique, a Pomodoro also refers to one 25-minute focused work session. You’ll use a timer to work for one Pomodoro. Get it? Don’t worry — we’ll walk you through the nitty-gritty of how to use the Pomodoro Technique next.  How to use the Pomodoro Technique One of the best parts of the Pomodoro Technique is that it’s super simple to use without any training. Depending on who you ask, these steps may vary slightly. But that’s one of the best parts about the method — you can customize it.  Here’s how Cirillo’s Pomodoro method works: 1. Make a list of the tasks you need to accomplish To make the best use of your Pomodoro sessions, consider starting your day by creating a to-do list and outlining the tasks you need to accomplish. Don’t panic if your list becomes lengthy! Remember, you’re going to split up your work so that it’s more manageable throughout the day. You just need to make a note of what you need to accomplish today.  Tip: When you make a list of your tasks, think about how much time you need to complete each task. For example, one task might take you a full 25-minute Pomodoro. Or you might have three short tasks that you can group during one Pomodoro. Write down how many minutes each task will take. That way, you can pair up tasks that will take less than 25-minutes to complete. Your estimations don’t have to be perfect, but you want to avoid having gaps of time to fill or going past time during your Pomodoro sessions. 2. Set a timer for 25 minutes You don’t have to mimic Cirillo exactly and use a tomato-shaped kitchen timer, but to live the complete Pomodoro Technique experience, give a real timer a try. It doesn’t matter if you use a virtual or physical timer; any will do. Here are a few options to choose from when selecting a Pomodoro Technique timer: Pomodoro tomato timer Online tomato timer Focus Keeper app Pomodoro Timer Lite app The timer you use doesn’t need to be overly cumbersome or have any fancy capabilities, so don’t get caught up in the details. Keep it simple to make it most effective.  3. Focus on your tasks until the timer goes off This is the tricky part. Once you’ve set your timer, you need to work on the task or tasks you’ve chosen for 25 minutes without any interruptions throwing you off track. Combating distractions is no easy feat, and it may take practice to nail this step.  Tip: If possible, alert those around you when you’re using the Pomodoro method. This can help reduce interruptions and external distractions.  If you find yourself with spare time during a Pomodoro and aren’t sure what to focus on, Cirillo recommends taking advantage of the opportunity for overlearning. Use the time to make improvements and tidy up your work, reflect on the tasks you completed, or make a note of what you’ve learned until the timer goes off. Use the 25 minutes as best you can and avoid starting your break early if possible. 4. Enjoy a short break for five minutes You made it! Time is up and you can enjoy a break for five minutes or so. Consider using this time to use the restroom, grab a snack, or fill up your water bottle. Give your eyes a break and try to limit screen time if you can. Get up and stretch your legs or move your body around. Taking care of your well-being will help you stay motivated throughout the remainder of the day. 5. Repeat steps the first four steps Are you getting the hang of it? Rinse and repeat the above steps. After you’ve completed four Pomodoros, skip step four and jump straight to step six. 6. After every four or five Pomodoros, enjoy a more extended break You’ve earned it! Enjoy a longer, restorative break this time. Take 15-20 minutes to rejuvenate yourself. Maybe it’s time for breakfast or lunch. Or perhaps you want to spend a few minutes outside in the sun. Whatever the case may be, use your break wisely and prepare to jump into more Pomodoros after the break. That’s it. The Pomodoro Technique is an easy-to-use system, which means there isn’t much of a learning curve to start using it to your advantage. Does the Pomodoro Technique work? It sounds simple, right? That means you might be asking yourself whether the Pomodoro method truly works or not.  Reviews of the method spread amongst the internet suggest that many have seen success when using the technique. One person found that the Pomodoro Technique was a great solution for monotonous tasks on the to-do list. Knowing that they only needed to work on a task for 25 minutes encouraged them to get started on those dreaded, tedious to-do’s. Another person found success using the Pomodoro Technique and later adapted the method to fit their specific needs. The Pomodoro Technique helped them define a practice of self-discipline to expand on and boost productivity.  But what is it about the Pomodoro Technique that makes it work? Studies suggest that brief mental breaks help keep you focused. Frequent distractions rob us of productivity at work, but the Pomodoro method helps eliminate distractions for more focus in the workplace.  As with any time management strategy, what works best for some may not work well for others. Give the Pomodoro Technique a try and tailor it to your individual needs to ensure it has the most payoff for you.  The advantages and disadvantages of the Pomodoro method As with any time management strategy, the Pomodoro Technique has both benefits and drawbacks to consider before experimenting with it. Let’s take a look at both, starting with the advantages. Advantages of the Pomodoro Technique Break the habit of multitasking  When you follow the Pomodoro Technique, you’ll break the habit of multitasking. While multitasking might seem like a great way to get more done, it’s distracting and actually hinders your productivity. With the Pomodoro method, your goal is to dedicate your focus to any given task at hand — and save the rest of the items on your to-do list for another Pomodoro.  Reduce or prevent feelings of burnout Looking at your neverending to-do list can feel overwhelming and stressful, and working through that list without a strategic plan in place can cause feelings of burnout. The Pomodoro Technique not only encourages frequent breaks but it builds them directly into your schedule for you. You can reduce or prevent stress and burnout by taking full advantage of your breaks when you have them. Reduce procrastination We all procrastinate now and then, but the Pomodoro Technique ignites a sense of urgency in the day, which reduces or eliminates procrastination. There isn’t any time to scroll through your favorite social media platform, grab another snack, stare out the window, or engage in another distraction when you know you only have 25 minutes to complete a task. (Don’t beat yourself up — we’re all guilty of these things!) Disadvantages of the Pomodoro Technique Some tasks take more than 25 minutes  The Pomodoro method is said to be beneficial for tasks like writing, coding, and studying. It also comes in handy when needing to work through some monotonous to-dos like cleaning out your inbox or digging into some administrative items. But some tasks are bound to take more than 25 minutes to complete, which means the Pomodoro Technique may not always work for every type of project or task. If you’re in the middle of a project and are in a solid flow state, you might want to keep working past the 25-minute timer mark, which will interrupt all subsequent Pomodoro scheduling. You know your work styles and productivity best, so you’ll be in charge of making the judgment call on whether you need to work past the timer’s buzz.  Meetings could interfere with your Pomodoro planning  The Pomodoro method sounds particularly beneficial to those who have full control over their schedules. But many career professionals are bound to be interrupted by planned and unexpected meetings. Your meeting schedule could interfere with how you plan your Pomodoros or could interrupt you in the middle of a Pomodoro session.  Every time management strategy comes with advantages and disadvantages, and no method is guaranteed to be one-size-fits-all. Since the Pomodoro method is easy and comes without cost, consider giving it a try to see if it works for you. Remember, you can always tweak it to suit you best.  How to use Wrike to plan your Pomodoros  To set yourself up for success when using the Pomodoro Technique, you’ll want to have a to-do list prepared. A project management tool like Wrike can help you organize your tasks so that you can dive right into your Pomodoros (without wondering what you should start with).  With Wrike, you can: Manage and prioritize your work Use templates to organize and break your projects down into manageable tasks Track your time to understand how you’re spending it Manage workloads with resource management capabilities  You’re on your way to a more productive workday. Start your free trial of Wrike and begin planning your Pomodoros today.

Moore’s Law and the Productivity Problem

As the year draws to a close, developing strategies for how to be more productive and finish the year off strong is on every team’s mind — regardless of department or industry.  According to a study by California-based management platform Redbooth, the month of the year that we are at our most productive is October, followed by November, then September. The fall provides a feeling of a new start for many businesses, with the desire for shiny new productivity tools and aids bringing us back to our school days. But, while a new pencil case or a multi-colored pen can work wonders, today’s organizations are looking to much more sophisticated tools to boost their productivity. Note-taking apps, instant messaging platforms, virtual to-do lists, calendar tools — our desktops are overflowing with software designed to make us our most productive selves. But, with so many conflicting apps clouding our vision, it can often be difficult to get anything done at all.  So, why are we so inclined to constantly invest in new technology, believing it will exponentially increase our productivity levels? This concept is commonly referred to as Moore’s Law, and it’s important to understand it if you’re concerned about your team’s or your own productivity levels. What is Moore’s Law? Let’s start off with a simple enough question: what is Moore’s Law? The origins of Moore’s Law lie in IT and computer hardware. It is the principle that the speed and efficiency of a computer can be expected to double every two years, while the cost decreases by half. Moore’s Law is named after Gordon E. Moore, the co-founder of Intel, who made this observation of exponential growth in 1965.  You will have no doubt experienced Moore’s Law for yourself over the last decade, as the need to purchase a new phone or laptop normally begins to creep up every two years or so. While the technical capabilities of your gadget will have grown hugely, the price largely remains standard. We then begin to fall into a cycle of purchasing new technology as a habit, stretching our view to include phones, computers, exercise aids, entertainment systems, and, yes, productivity tools. Moore’s Law and endless productivity tools Of course, Moore’s Law has huge benefits for the technologically-driven society that we live in. The standards of the technology that we rely on can even be linked to Moore’s Law. The overarching idea of Moore’s Law — that speed, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of technology is constantly evolving at a rapid pace — could apply to productivity tools and solutions. The need to update and reinvest in the ever-growing ecosystem of productivity tools and software every few years sees many teams losing themselves to too many apps.  In 2015, the average number of cloud applications per company was 73. In 2020, that number had increased to 163. So much so, that 56% of IT executives are now reporting having to use manual spreadsheets to keep track of all their SaaS apps — defeating their productivity goals before they’ve even started. This concept is commonly known as ‘SaaS sprawl,’ a term that refers to the dilemma of an organization’s tech stack being so expansive that it becomes unmanageable and causes visibility problems across departments. $40 billion is estimated to be spent on unused software each year, and the number of apps we are downloading continues to rise.  Many teams believe themselves to be more productive than ever, when really, spending so much time flicking between apps, tools, and software stifles creativity and raises burnout to an all-time high. How your team can effectively invest in productivity If your organization has fallen foul to overindulgence in productivity tools and gadgets, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to empower your teams and teach them how to be more productive without overwhelming themselves with dozens of productivity platforms.  Consider toxic productivity The concept of toxic productivity relates to an unattainable desire for increased productivity, at the expense of other priorities, such as family or health. Toxic productivity is a real issue for many teams, especially if both our personal and work devices are overrun with technology that is constantly drawing us back to working mode. Consider whether your team could benefit from a digital detox of work-related technology, and set boundaries for after-hours work communication. Turn your attention to other methods of increasing productivity There are plenty of ways to increase productivity and wellbeing at work that have nothing to do with technology. For example, has your organization invested in a flexible work structure, allowing employees to choose where they work best? Could your business go the extra mile and trial a four-day workweek? Could your employee recognition programs use some extra love? These are all areas to consider when brainstorming how to be more productive across the board. Making the most of all-in-one technology like Wrike Of course, technology will always be a cornerstone of a successful business, and continuing to use productivity tools in some way at work is non-negotiable. But which tools should you invest in? What are the most important features of work management software that can actually increase productivity by up to 40%? Workflow automation: With Wrike’s custom request forms and automated task assignment, your team will never miss important tasks and details because of a cluttered workspace. App integration: Using so many apps can be tiresome and inefficient, with details and updates often being missed by team members. Wrike’s work management includes over 400 app integrations, so the constant context switching can stop. Single source of truth: Trawling through emails and messaging apps to find important documents and updates is time-consuming and frustrating for teams. Keeping everything organized in one centralized hub, where users can comment, edit, and give feedback, is a life-saver for teams who wish to be more productive. Collaborative features: Whether your team works in-office, remotely, or under a hybrid model, breakdowns in communication are one of the most common challenges to successful projects. Wrike’s collaborative features, including @mentions, real-time editing, and email and chat app integrations means that your team all have the same view, no matter where they are. Want to know more about how Wrike can boost your team’s productivity? Try out a free two-week trial today.

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Sort Tasks With the MoSCoW Prioritization Method (+ PDF Template)

Table of contents, what is the moscow prioritization method, what are the advantages of the moscow method, m: must have, s: should have, c: could have, w: won’t have…, free moscow prioritization matrix template, limits & alternatives to the moscow method, prioritization is key to meeting expectations.

Defining the scope and features of a project is vital in project management . The proper definition of these key characteristics of the deliverables of the project allows your project team to focus on a well-defined goal and vision . Furthermore, time shouldn't be wasted on useless features to keep the project within the deadlines.

The MoSCoW prioritization method is a useful tool to sort through the requirements of a project and determine which features should be implemented in the final release or product. Learning how to use this framework could save you time and efforts , while preserving the quality and focus of your project.

Keep reading to learn more about how to use the MoSCoW analysis , with its pros, cons and alternatives . And to top it all off, other useful matrices often used in agile project management are discussed below.

Just like other agile tools (such as SCAMPER ), this method is based on a mnemonic: the term MoSCoW is there to remind you of action verbs. The MoSCoW technique was developed by Dai Clegg , who also played an essential role in the development of the first agile methodologies in the form of the Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) , one of the early agile frameworks .

This prioritization method can be used for just about anything, but is most often employed for agile projects and software development to sort user stories and technical requirements. Its principles are simple: not all features of the project are essential to its success. There are features that the project:

• Must have (Mo)
• Should have (Sc)
• Could have (Co)
• Won’t have, at least for now (W)

There are many advantages that make this technique a valuable prioritization technique. The MoSCoW framework:

• Makes the vision more apparent, as words are used instead of numbers or generic terms such as “High” or “Low” to define the priority. This allows the team to focus on what to deliver, rather than argue about meaningless priority levels .
• It doesn’t allow for indecision by including a “Medium” option, yet is flexible enough to give some leeway for debate regarding a feature if the team doesn’t agree from the get-go.
• It’s intuitive and easy to understand, even for non-specialists. This could be especially useful when communicating with stakeholders .

In short, this method keeps it simple, verbal and understandable . Are you sold yet? If so, learn how to make the most of this tool right about… well, now!

How to use the MoSCoW method

As we’ve seen, this tool is designed to decide what are important requirements and prioritise them using 4 labels.

This category is reserved for items that are essential to the success of the project. They cannot be replaced and define the project globally. Must-haves should include:

• All functionalities are required for compliance reasons. Compliance requirements could be related to security and privacy, or be legal obligations.
• All functionalities could not be overlooked or replaced without making the product unusable. These key requirements are required for the product or software to accomplish the basic tasks it was designed for.

To sum up, this category regroups anything that could make the product or software impossible to release or sell .

Some basic examples could include characteristics such as:

• The homepage in the case of a website,
• The wheels to build a bike,
• Security standards to create a professional application...

These features are slightly different from the first category. The final product does not need “should have” functionalities to be functional and usable. However, these should be implemented throughout the course of product development because they add significant business value .

For example, these initiatives could be:

• Implementing a search function on a website,
• Make the bike capable of being used on many terrains ...

The “could have” features are functionalities that would be nice to have , meaning that it would add some business benefits to the project, but less so than “should have” features. They aren’t prioritized: they are kept in the backlog if enough time is available to implement them. However, if the features from the first two categories take longer to develop than expected, they would be postponed or cancelled first .

In some cases, it could be useful to conduct a business analysis to determine the degree of importance and priority of an item, as “should” and “could” are similar in some aspects.

… For now. This group is the most important to define the limits of the scope of your project . It regroups the features that are unlikely to ever be implemented, either because they provide little value to your business, or because they would take too much effort . Or both.

But nothing is set in stone , so a handful of these features could be prioritized later on if deemed useful. Some argue that good practice is to subdivide this category into two subsections, one being “ will not have ”, and the other “will not have this time ”. This allows the team, Project Manager or Product Owner to see which items could be added to the sprint backlog if there is time left for a few sprints before the deadline.

To get your priorities straight shortly, why not use our MoSCoW prioritization PDF template ? If urgent matters are at hand, lose no time and get started right away with this ready to use model you can complete with your own requirements!

Though the MoSCoW technique is a widely used and fairly popular prioritization tool , it isn’t exempt from criticism.

• The verbal basis of this technique makes it more subjective than pure statistics. While it’s useful to reach a consensus and for communication purposes, some may find the “should have” and “could have” categories too similar.
• Make it clear from the start whether it will include features that won’t be part of a specific release or items that should be scrapped completely .
• Subdivide the category to keep these two types of features separate.
• If you go with the “won’t have for now” option, make sure that the scope of your project stays in check , as adding too many low-value items would defeat the purpose.
• It provides no native way to distinguish prioritization levels for items within the same category.

Each prioritization method has its own pros and cons, but some could be best suited to your needs. Below are some of the most popular alternatives to the MoSCoW model:

• User Story Mapping
• The Kano Model
• The RICE Scoring Model
• The PriX Method
• Cost of Delay

Additionally, other useful matrices exist in agile project management to set priorities, either for urgent tasks with the Eisenhower Matrix or in stakeholder mapping with the Power/Interest Matrix .

The MoSCoW prioritization technique is a useful method to help you define the scope of your project. It is an intuitive matrix designed to spark a debate around which features are vital , and which would add the most value to your project .

Setting the right amount of work to put in a project means getting your priorities straight first . Don’t overlook the prioritization process to plan your sprints and manage stakeholder expectations with confidence. Are you ready to tackle the steps of your project in the right order ?

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Reporting by Daniel Leussink and Rocky Swift; Additional reporting by Kaori Kaneko and Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Edwina Gibbs, David Dolan and Muralikumar Anantharaman

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Daniel Leussink is a correspondent in Japan. Most recently, he has been covering Japan’s automotive industry, chronicling how some of the world's biggest automakers navigate a transition to electric vehicles and unprecedented supply chain disruptions. Since joining Reuters in 2018, Leussink has also covered Japan’s economy, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, COVID-19 and the Bank of Japan’s ultra-easy monetary policy experiment.

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Buffett's NetJets sues pilots' union for defamation

NetJets, the luxury plane unit of billionaire Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc , sued its 3,400-member pilots union for defamation over statements about its commitment to safety and training pilots.