Build a Business Case and Calculate ROI

Echolocity
May 21
2 min read

Building a Persuasive Business Case and Calculating ROI: Insights from Echolocity

In today's competitive business environment, crafting a compelling business case and accurately calculating Return on Investment (ROI) are essential skills for project managers and business leaders. A recent webinar by Echolocity delved into these critical topics, offering valuable insights and practical advice.

Why Business Cases Matter?

A business case is more than just a tool for securing approval and funding. It serves as a strategic document that ensures executive sponsorship, stakeholder alignment, and a clear articulation of the project's value. By taking the time to develop a robust business case, organizations can better manage risks, identify costs and benefits, and align projects with strategic goals.

Key Components of a Strong Business Case

A well-structured business case includes:

Executive Summary: A concise overview of the project, its goals, and expected outcomes.
Problem Statement: Clearly defined issues that the project aims to address.
Proposed Solution: Detailed description of the recommended approach.
Alternatives Considered: Evaluation of other potential solutions, including the option to do nothing.
Benefits: Quantitative and qualitative advantages of the proposed solution.
Costs and Risks: Comprehensive analysis of one-time and ongoing costs, as well as potential risks..

Frameworks That Work: Calculating ROI

One of the standout segments of the webinar was Molly’s walk-through of the “ROI Value Drivers Framework.” She broke down practical strategies for identifying cost levers and quantifying benefits across six key categories:

Elimination of work
Automation of work
Optimization of work
Risk reduction
Revenue acceleration
Improved experience

Even if your organization doesn’t track every data point today, Molly offers insight into where to start and how to make meaningful estimates that drive urgency.

“If you’re not making the case, someone else is—often for a competing priority. Your job is to connect the dots between pain and possibility.”— Molly Yanus, Echolocity

Storytelling for Buy-In

The numbers matter, but they’re only half the equation. Telling the story behind those numbers—through real use cases, user pain points, and aspirational outcomes—is where your business case comes alive. Molly walked through a sample pitch deck structure that bridges the emotional and analytical, increasing stakeholder engagement and decision velocity.