Writing a Clear & Compelling Business Case – Training Course Outline

Creating effective business cases is more science than art. The ability to put together a clear and compelling business case is a core competency for most managers. If you want to produce business cases that sell your ideas, this course is for you. It’s packed with tips and ideas from experienced writers. And we show you step-by-step how to create business cases that persuade.

What you will learn on this course

By the end of the course, you will know how to:

• Link your message to key corporate strategies
• Gather and structure the wide range of information that makes up a business case
• Write in a style that motivates your reader to ‘buy in’!
• Write a Management Summary
• Get the best out of writing tools and templates

Course Duration

We provide both a one-day intensive course and a more interactive two-day workshop.

One-day intensive

This is only available as a private course. This course concentrates on showing you, step-by-step, the process of structuring and writing business cases. Exercises are used to illustrate various points throughout the day.

Two-day workshop

This course is available both as a public or private course and covers all the modules described below. Over the two-day workshop, delegates practise the skills you need to write business cases, learning the techniques through group discussion, exercises and working on real examples of business cases you bring to the workshop.

If you’re unsure which course is best for you, give us a call for more details or email

Follow up session

Get the most from a staff training day and make sure valuable ideas aren't forgotten by booking a follow-up session. Our trainer will visit you again a month to six weeks after your course to give delegates the chance to:

• discuss how they implemented what they learnt
• go over points from the course
• practise their skills by working on their own writing with the trainer’s help

Course Contents

1. Basic principles

• Ingredients of a good business case – focussing on the customer
• Identifying key messages – clarity and consistency
• Developing a clear objective to keep you on track
• Nine things you should know about your audience
• Meeting readers’ expectations – good planning makes your content relevant

2. Considering content for your business case

• Analysing the challenges and opportunities facing you
• How can these best be resolved or exploited?
• What investment will be needed?
• What are the advantages you may expect?

3. Building a solid business case

• The four main sources for your data and the role of each
• Managing the process of gathering information
• The difference between features and benefits – organisation now saves time later
• Tying in to IT and business strategies – making your content relevant to different readers
• Return on investment – targeted statistics, multiple information sources, alternative scenarios
• A word on soft benefits

4. Designing your structure

• Using mind maps and an outline to structure and sequence your material
• Discussing the different ways you can structure your business case
• Top tips for business case structures – what goes where
• Three possible outlines for your business case
• A Management Summary that will sell your case – considering your purpose, audience, style and length

5. Making your arguments persuasive

• What are the principles of persuasive writing?
• How can your overall structure support your arguments?

6. Improving your writing style

• Do your business cases contain these six common hazards?
• Ten principles of clear writing that have stood the test of time
• The best style for your business case and Management Summary

7. Drafting your business case

• The importance of the correct mindset for writing a winning business case
• How to avoid getting sidetracked when writing your draft
• Seven writing musts to keep your writing focussed
• Checking that you are maintaining the correct writing style
• How the right headings signpost your document
• How, when and where to use illustrations

8. Editing your business case

• Polishing your text the way the reader reads – from the top down
• Tips to help you achieve maximum impact
• Using headings, lists and tables for visual appeal
• Making it easy to read – how punctuation clarifies meaning

9. Exploiting the tools

• Getting the most out of spelling and grammar checkers
• Hiding the metadata in Word documents – you might be telling your reader more than you realise
• How to proof your own work and see what’s really there, not what you think is there

10. Avoiding rejections in the future

• What you can learn from good feedback
• Ideas you can bring to your next business case

11. Tips for making presentations

• Presenting your case effectively lets all your hard work come through
• Three of the worst presentation mistakes for you to avoid
• How to hold your audience and make the most of your opportunity

Book Now!

For details of timetabled courses, see the schedule.

To reserve your places you can book on-line, book a private course or call us on +44 (0)844 445 7743.