Proposing value, not activity.

What inspired yesterday’s post about value?

Well... I’d just been reading a proposal.

Actually it was more like a situation diagnosis report and statement of work with a price at the end. Nothing like the investment business case it needed to be. That's something I’ve seen many times over the years — it's frustrating.

Why are consultants who are brilliant at framing problems, not as good at framing pay‑offs?

The Problem

Analysis ✔️
Issues mapped ✔️
Workplan ✔️
Business case ❌

To be clear, these aren’t business cases:

"Deliver a new operating model."
"Implement a data platform."
"Redesign the customer journey."

They’re activities, not outcomes.

Why that matters

Activities alone don’t unlock mega‑budgets.

Why? Because every executive with a budget has to answer (higher up) to a set of business outcomes, like:

- Revenue growth or margin improvement.
- Risk reduction or compliance assurance.
- Speed, resilience, or customer retention.

If your proposal doesn't connect the dots to those outcomes, it's a cost. The value is buried and the investment stalls.

That's when you start to panic.
More check‑ins. Free audits. Even discounts.

The mindset shift

The change needed is easier than you think.

I learned this as a systems analyst, working between IT and business functions. Always translate your work into outcomes and impact.

So instead of:

"We'll run a 12-week diagnostic and design a target model."

Try:

"We'll identify where margin is leaking today and design a model you can implement that eliminates at least 40% of those leaks over the next 19 months. You've confirmed that's worth upwards of £4M."

Same work. Different frame. One talks about effort, the other about value.

And if you can't do this, you've only done half the diagnostic.

But, it only works long-term when you start thinking this way. Which is what I help consultants do.

A simple test

Before you present your next proposal, ask two questions:

1/ Can I say the business outcome in one sentence without using the words "solution, "platform", or "framework"?

2/ Does my sentence sound like something an executive would repeat in their board meeting?

If the answer is no to either question, you’re still proposing work, not impact.