Write and Present a Persuasive Business Case Course

Business Communication. Sharpen your communication skills.

Writing and presenting a persuasive business case is a crucial skill for project managers, entrepreneurs, consultants and executives.

At its core, a business case is a tool for identifying and comparing multiple alternatives for pursuing an opportunity, and then making a justification or recommendation for a single course of action that will create value.

Knowing how to write and present a persuasive business case will enable you to seize opportunities and convince decision-makers to take a particular course of action, that benefits your team or entity.

Supporting your case with strong evidence, and aligning it with stakeholder priorities and objectives, will help your leaders and stakeholders make informed decisions and ultimately give your project the green light.

This one-day course will provide you with a detailed understanding of the essential components of developing a persuasive proposal for your project. You will also learn how to align your case with stakeholder objectives, by understanding stakeholders’ perspectives, and supporting your case with research, data and insights.

You’ll gain an understanding of various stakeholder interests in corporate, government and non-government contexts. You’ll also cover the various types of models that underpin your business case, and the tools and mechanics used to write and evaluate them.

You’ll learn how to clarify the need or opportunity, define scope and impact, and apply good structure to your business case. You’ll explore the importance of testing feasibility, providing alternatives, and developing a strong value proposition. Additionally, you’ll learn storytelling techniques to engage your audience, be persuasive and make a lasting impression. Using a sample business case, you will learn how to present, seek feedback and improve your pitch so you can be confident to achieve the coveted ‘Yes!’.

Aims

This course aims to empower you to:

• plan and prepare a strong business case from concept to delivery
• present a sample business case to your peers
• provide and receive constructive feedback, and act on it
• present your own robust business case to relevant stakeholders.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

•  identify the need for a business case, including defining the opportunity, scope and impact
• collect the data and evidence that supports your claims, including primary and secondary market research
• evaluate the case feasibility and acknowledge the benefits versus the risks
• develop, plan and write a business case
• use structure and storytelling techniques to enhance your pitch
• present a sample business case to your peers, so you have the confidence to present to final decision makers
• manage stakeholders’ expectations and enquiries.

Content

This course will empower participants using the following framework:

Critical planning + a customised value proposition + effective presentation = a persuasive business case

This course will equip you with the tools and knowledge to prepare an effective business case. The first part of the course will focus on critical planning to:

• identify the problem and the strategic need
• identify the relevant stakeholders, champions and decision makers associated with your business case
• define impact and scope, and the required investments and resources
• conduct market research, in order to collect credible fit-for-purpose evidence to support your business case claims and analyse alternative options
• evaluate the business case from strategic, operational and stakeholder perspectives
• use creative structure and storytelling methods to enhance the impact of your business case
• identify pathways for fast tracking the approval process including making use of key project sponsors or champions.

The second part of the course will focus on developing your customised value proposition to:

• assess the business case feasibility, including technological, organisational and financial viability
• manage stakeholders' expectations by developing stakeholder analysis and engagement plans
• develop and customise the business case components based on research findings or special interest groups (eg, check-ins/governance/financial reporting requirements)
• recommend one option and assess its risks.

The third part will help enhance your effective presentation to:

• use the art of persuasion and influencing tactics to craft a persuasive business case that is high-impact and memorable
• practice presentation skills among peers and learn how to provide and receive constructive feedback
• pitch your case to relevant stakeholders, share the roadmap and highlights, and tips to address their enquiries and expectations
• learn how to receive stakeholders' feedback, refine your case, and move towards next steps.

Intended audience

This course is suitable for:

• Entrepreneurs
• Project/Program Managers & Portfolio Managers
• Business owners & business sponsors
• Solution Designers & Solution Architects
• Business Analysts
• anyone who wants to develop business case writing, evaluation, and presentation skills.

Delivery modes

• Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
• Online workshop via the platform Zoom

Delivery style

Delivered as a one-day workshop using various techniques including lectures, visual thinking and simulated practical exercises.

Materials

Course materials are distributed electronically.

Recommended readings

Garner, Bryan. HBR Guide to Better Business Writing: Engage Readers, Tighten and Brighten, Make Your Case. Harvard Business Review Press, 2012.

Harrington, H. James, and Robert Lewis. Closing the Communication Gap: An Effective Method for Achieving Desired Results. CRC Press, 2013.

Messner, Wolfgang. Making the Compelling Business Case: Decision-making Techniques for successful Business Growth. Springer Nature BV, 2013.

Sheen, Ray, and Amy Gallo. HBR Guide to Building Your Business Case. Harvard Business Review Press, 2015.