Harvard Business Review Guides Ultimate Boxed Set (16 Books)

Chapter 12

Prepare Your Document

To get buy-in from your stakeholders, you must tell your “story” in a compelling way so they’ll easily grasp the need, the solution (or solutions) you’re proposing, and the benefits to the company. Typically, your audience will care most about ROI and how your project relates to strategic objectives—so keep those issues front and center. (See appendix B: How to Give a Killer Presentation by TED curator Chris Anderson for further advice on crafting your story, finding the right mix of data and narrative, and sharpening your delivery.) Here are some things to keep in mind as you prepare your presentation.

Your Document Should Speak for Itself

In some companies, especially large ones, you may not get to present your ...