You've got a brilliant idea that could revolutionize your company, but how do you convince stakeholders to give it the green light? The answer: a compelling business case.
Many projects fail to gain traction because of inadequate communication, especially with stakeholders. A well-written business case is your key to securing the support and resources needed to see your project succeed.
If you’re writing a business case for the first time, this article is for you. We’ll show you what to include in a business case and how to write one from scratch. We’ve also included 10 business case templates to get you started quickly.
A business case is a document that explains why a project or task is worth pursuing. It's written at the beginning of a project to help stakeholders—like managers or investors—understand what the project is about, what benefits it will bring and how much it will cost.
A good business case is clear, to the point and flexible enough to accommodate any potential changes or revisions. When written well, it can convince decision-makers to approve the project and give it the resources it needs to succeed, or revise or defer it if necessary.
It’s easy to confuse a business case with a project charter. After all, they’re both created at the initial stages of the project lifecycle. However, they serve very different purposes.
A business case is developed during the project initiation phase to justify the need for the project. It focuses on the "why" of the project, outlining the benefits, costs and risks.
The business case helps decision-makers determine whether the project aligns with the organization's goals and if it's worth investing in.
On the other hand, a project charter is created after the project has been approved. This document defines the project’s scope, objectives, deliverables, and other requirements and acts as a reference point for the project team and stakeholders as they work on the project.
RELATED: 11 Project Charter Templates to Streamline Your ProjectsA business case is an internal document used within an organization to justify a specific project or investment. It’s created for stakeholders and decision-makers and focuses on the costs, benefits and risks of the proposed project.
In contrast, a business plan outlines the overall strategy for a new or existing business. It's often used to secure funding from external investors or partners by covering aspects like target market, competitive analysis, offerings, financial projections and operational plans.
The structure of your business case will vary depending on your project type and industry. However, most successful business cases often cover the following sections:
Writing a business case is a tough job. If you don’t want to spend time worrying about design, layout and sections, simply customize the premade business case templates below to get started on the right foot.
Pro Tip: You can also use Visme’s AI document generator to create eye-catching business case templates. Simply describe the style and type of document you’re looking for and let AI build custom templates for you that align with your brand and unique requirements.
This vibrant business case presentation template is an excellent pick for anyone looking to provide comprehensive project information to stakeholders.
It covers all key aspects of the project, from defining the problem and solution to implementation details like timeline, budget, cost-benefit analysis and stakeholder engagement.
The striking design features a bold, modern color palette of teal, orange and yellow, with clean lines and 3D isometric graphics that give it a fresh, contemporary look. It also features multiple data visualization tools like charts and diagrams to make complex information easy to understand.
Personalize this general business case template by incorporating your branding elements into your presentation, including colors, fonts and logo.
Don’t want to upload your design assets manually? Use the incredible power of Visme’s brand design tool—just enter your website URL and let AI automatically pull all your design elements.
This financial business case presentation template features a stunning, modern design that’s guaranteed to grab your stakeholder's attention.
It’s brought to life with eye-catching colors, creative vector icons, high-res images, subtle animations and multiple professionally designed pages, including success criteria, project plan and financial information.
Design your business case presentation quickly and ensure all information is correct by collaborating with team members. Tag collaborators, assign/resolve tasks and share comments and feedback—all in one place.
Proposing a merger between companies? Use this management business case template to get started and impress your key stakeholders.
It features a clean, professional visual layout, high-resolution imagery, data widgets and dedicated pages highlighting your merger goals, timeline, communication plan, cost-benefit analysis and SWOT analysis.
This economic business case template is a guaranteed head-turner thanks to its beautiful colors, animated icons, top-notch icons and images and overall professional visual layout.
The project timeline, budget and SWOT analysis pages are particularly eye-catching as they allow users to go in-depth on each section.
Facing difficulty writing headings or describing a specific element of your business case? Use Visme’s AI writer to craft professional copy. You can also create high-quality images with the AI image generator. Simply describe what you're looking for and let AI do all the heavy lifting for you.
This sleek and streamlined one-page business case template captures the essence of a company’s proposed in-app booking feature.
The colorful sticky note layout neatly breaks down the problem, solution, scope and key tasks to implement this exciting enhancement. And although a one-pager, the template successfully explains the problem, the proposed solution and the financial aspect of the project.
Breathe life into your business case template by adding travel-themed visuals or icons. Or convert financial information into interactive graphs and charts. Make as many changes as you want until you’re happy with what you have.
Looking for a unique business case example to bring attention to your proposed project and impress key stakeholders? Get started with this interactive template today.
It features stunning colors, high-quality icons, animations, relevant images, professional fonts and plenty of whitespaces. All slides are professionally designed to help you touch on every important element of the business case.
Make the template your own by uploading your branding elements, including fonts, logos, colors and images. Or use our free graphic asset library to enhance the visual appeal of your business case with icons, shapes, illustrations and stock photos.
This one-pager business case whiteboard template is a great pick for anyone looking to quickly highlight the proposed project's vision, objectives, risks, costs and benefits in front of key stakeholders.
It uses multiple bright-colored blocks to clearly separate each section, and the structure flows logically from left to right, making it easy to follow. It also features a chalkboard illustration and a 3D character showcasing that a project is in the works.
Win over your stakeholders by adding animation and interactivity to your business case template—create clickable menus, embed interactive content, add pop-ups, hover effects and much more.
This business case whiteboard template provides a structured framework for brainstorming, analyzing and addressing supply chain issues related to perishable goods.
The template is divided into various sections like problem, scope, KPIs, resources, tasks and risks involved in going ahead with the project. This makes it an excellent tool for discussing project essentials during stakeholder meetings and strategy sessions.
Once you've finalized the design and content of your business case, share and publish it with your managers and other key stakeholders online. This will store all the animations you've added to the project, including the flipbook effect. You can also measure your project analytics, such as total views, unique visits and average time spent.
This whiteboard business case template provides a concise overview of automating the assembly process at an automobile company. It outlines the key problem of manual assembly slowing production, the proposed solution, and the risks and costs involved in undertaking the project.
The minimalist design features a clean white background with colorful high-quality vector icons to distinguish each section. And the typography is modern and legible.
Spice up this template by adding an eye-catching cover image related to automotive manufacturing at the top. Visme's library of professional stock photos and videos and intuitive editing tools make it simple to create a polished, visually engaging header to draw in your audience.
This strategic investment business case template features a tech-inspired color palette of navy blue and green and multiple vector icons to bring attention to each section of the document.
The hexagonal text boxes efficiently organize the key components of the business case, including objectives, strengths, weaknesses, resources, costs, opportunities and threats. It also has ample white space that gives the document a polished, professional look.
Use Visme’s dynamic fields to create placeholders for customizable information within your business case template. Quickly personalize each field for a specific manager, stakeholder, or project without manually editing each detail.
RELATED: 20 Best Business Proposal Examples & Templates to UseWriting a good business case requires careful research and attention to detail. In this section, we’ll look at 7 steps to writing a convincing business case that helps you get the support and funding you need for your proposed project.
A good business case is not developed in isolation. In fact, involving stakeholders from the very beginning can increase the chances of your project getting approved.
Discuss your project idea with key decision-makers to understand their needs, budgetary constraints and strategic objectives. This will help you formulate a business case that aligns with the organization's goals and is more likely to gain support.
Additionally, consult subject matter experts and team members from various departments to gather their insights and perspectives. This collaborative approach not only strengthens your business case but also instills a sense of ownership and buy-in among your colleagues.
Pro Tip: Visme’s online whiteboard tool can help you with brainstorming and strategizing with your team. Access ready-made templates, collaborate in real-time, connect with your favorite tools and share or download your whiteboards in multiple ways.
Talking to stakeholders also helps you identify potential challenges and opportunities you may have otherwise overlooked. Collect, organize and analyze all of your research before you get into the specifics of the project.
Before you start writing the business case, decide how you’re going to do it. What software are you going to use? What about the design aspects?
The smart thing to do is to start with a premade business case template. Using a template means you don’t have to worry about layout, fonts, colors and other design-related issues. All you need to do is add your content and you’re good to go.
You may also want to customize the business case design so it aligns with your company’s branding. This will make it look more professional and increase its chances of getting approved.
Do all of this and more using Visme. Our professional document maker offers several ready-made business case templates you can choose from.
Customize every aspect easily using the drag-and-drop editor, from fonts to colors to images to borders and more. Apply your branding with a few clicks. Upload any photos or simply use the built-in graphic assets.
You can also add links, animations and other interactive elements to your business case, which is especially useful if you plan on sharing it online with stakeholders. For example, you could link out to an external website where stakeholders can find more information about the problem your project aims to solve.
Finally, download and share your business case once you’re done. Visme’s business case templates can be published online, saved in multiple formats and even shared via an embed or QR code.
Once you've gathered insights and analyzed the data, it’s time to define your project. This section is the heart of your business case, where you'll provide a detailed description of the project's goals, the problem it aims to solve, the proposed solution and any alternatives.
Clearly articulate the benefits of your project, both tangible and intangible. Highlight how the project will improve efficiency, reduce costs, increase revenue or enhance customer satisfaction. Additionally, provide a realistic assessment of the costs involved, including any upfront investments, ongoing expenses and potential risks.
When discussing the problem and solution, use data and examples to support your arguments. Provide evidence from industry research, case studies or internal metrics to demonstrate the significance of the issue and the feasibility of your proposed approach.
By presenting a well-researched and data-driven project, you'll establish credibility, look professional and be more likely to get stakeholder support.
To build a compelling business case, you need to go beyond stating facts and figures. Instead, analyze the data you've gathered and present a clear, evidence-based rationale for your recommended solution.
Here’s how to present a business case analysis:
Don’t forget to present your analysis and financials visually using charts and graphs. This makes your data look more engaging and easier to understand. Visme offers 20+ types of data visualizations to help you bring boring numbers to life.
A solid business case should include a detailed implementation plan that outlines how you intend to execute the project. This section should address key questions like:
Providing a clear action plan shows you’re prepared and committed to seeing the project succeed. It also helps stakeholders understand where and how you’ll utilize the resources you need, reducing uncertainty and speeding up the decision-making process.
Although the executive summary should be included at the beginning of your business case, it's best to write it at the end. That’s because you need to distill the key points from each section of your document into a concise and compelling overview.
The executive summary should be a brief, high-level synopsis of your business case, typically no more than one or two pages. It should capture the essence of your project, including the problem, proposed solution, benefits, costs and expected outcomes.
Use clear, jargon-free language and focus on the most critical aspects of your project that will resonate with your audience. Keep in mind the executive summary may be the only section some stakeholders read, so make sure to leave a strong impression.
Before presenting your business case, take the time to revisit your document. Assess your business case for clarity, coherence and persuasiveness. Ensure your arguments are well-supported, your data is accurate and your language is clear and concise.
Consider using visual aids, such as diagrams or infographics, to make your case more engaging and easier to understand. Here’s how to do that in Visme:
Finally, collaborate with your team and, if possible, seek feedback from stakeholders to identify areas for improvement. Be open to constructive criticism and use it to refine your arguments, address potential objections and improve the overall quality of your document.
A business case may also be referred to as a project proposal, investment proposal or feasibility study.
A business case typically includes an executive summary, project background, problem statement, proposed solution, cost-benefit analysis, implementation plan and risk assessment.
A weak business case is one that fails to identify the project objectives and the financial value it brings to the business. It lacks consistency, contains insufficient research and does not align with organizational goals.
A strategic case focuses on how a project aligns with an organization's long-term goals and vision. On the other hand, a business case concentrates on the financial viability, risks and benefits of a project within those strategic goals.
You’re ready to write a business case and turn your project idea into reality. Remember to follow the steps above to create a compelling document that impresses stakeholders and ticks all the boxes of a good business case.
Use Visme to create engaging business cases, business plans, project charters and other professional documents. Our all-in-one content creation tool makes it easy to build all kinds of branded content, from presentations to documents to infographics to videos.
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