Key Takeaways — Chapter 20: Proposals and Business Cases
A one-page summary card. Use it to re-ground before the quiz, or to review weeks later.
The one idea
A proposal is not a description of your idea; it is a tool built for a specific decision-maker to make a specific decision. And that decision-maker is time-poor and risk-averse. So you write for how they read—bottom line first, in their currency (money, risk, time), with one clear ask—or your best idea dies unread on page nineteen.
The two documents
- Proposal — "Will you let us do this plan?" Leads with the problem and your solution; the reader decides go/no-go.
- Business case — "Is this worth doing, and which way?" Leads with options (including do nothing) and the ROI; the reader chooses a path. The two often combine: a proposal contains a business case; a business case ends by proposing.
The threshold concept
The executive summary is not a preview of the document; it is the document.
Most decision-makers read only the summary, then forward the rest. So it must stand alone: situation, the ask, a number that justifies it, the cost, and a dated next step—all in half a page. The test: could the reader approve it from the summary alone? If not, you wrote an introduction, not a summary.
The three persuasive structures
- Problem → Solution. Make them feel the pain before you name the cure (Situation → Complication → Resolution). A solution before its problem is a solution in search of a need.
- Features → Benefits. Run "so what?" on every feature until you reach an outcome the reader cares about. "256-bit encryption" (feature) → "your data stays safe if a laptop is stolen" (benefit). Decision-makers buy benefits. The right benefit depends on the reader.
- Risk → Mitigation. Name the few real risks and pair each with a concrete control. Naming risks builds trust; hiding them looks naïve. The risk you raise is the risk you control.
Writing for executives (3 minutes)
Lead with the ask · quantify everything ("$310K, 14-month payback," never "significant savings") · one page then depth · a single dated next step · cut your favorite paragraph if it doesn't serve the decision. Always price doing nothing—it's often your strongest number.
Internal vs. external
Internal: assume shared context; win on ROI vs. other priorities and on your track record. External: build credibility from zero; follow the RFP's structure exactly; differentiate.
The test to apply before you send anything
If the reader reads only the executive summary, can they make the decision—and do they know exactly what you want them to do?
If no, you buried the ask. Lead with it.
Themes this chapter surfaced: #2 audience-is-everything (central) · #5 structure-serves-the-reader · #6 every-sentence-earns-its-place.
Threshold concept: The executive summary is the document, not a preview of it.
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