Do you ever daydream about having a new learning platform? Your wish can come true if you know how to make a persuasive case for a new learning management system (LMS) to the decision-makers at your association.
Last week, we explained how to prepare your business case for a new LMS—from collecting evidence to gathering allies. Now, it’s time to learn how to present a business case for a new LMS to your board, CEO, or other decision-makers.
First, you have to learn about your audience: the decision-maker(s).
Most importantly: what do decision-makers value or prioritize? You must figure out how to connect a new LMS to those values. For example, the COO and CFO may focus on ROI, while the CEO and other executives care more about member engagement or industry standing. Others may pay more attention to a new technology’s ability to deliver value, provide exclusive benefits, or help develop a new audience.
Know what expectations decision-makers have for a proposal or business case.
Talk to colleagues who have made successful proposals to the same people and find out what they did to win their case. If you’re not sure who’s been down the same path, ask around to find out who’s in the midst of or who’s just finished a project or initiative that required a budget. Colleagues in the IT department may know who can give you the inside scoop.
Your business case presentation is both a performance and a briefing. During the presentation, you want to keep listeners interested and informed. You have to appeal to their emotions and logic.
Speak your audience’s language. Don’t use technical jargon unless you’ve heard them use that same phrases themselves. You don’t want to dumb things down to a condescending point but you must be confident they will completely grasp what you’re sharing.
Rehearse your presentation several times and at least once in front of other people, including someone who’s not familiar with your department and with e-learning technology. Encourage your practice audience to raise objections and ask questions—and make note of their objections and questions. Did everyone understand the main points of your argument? Were they convinced by your argument?
Find out how much time you’re allotted. Rehearse for that amount of time, and then rehearse again for half as much time. Know what you can cut from your presentation yet still make a convincing case.
Slides are meant to emphasize your talking points. Don’t overload them with information or people will read them instead of listening to you. Use short sentences and never more than five bullets. Don’t read your slides—keep your eyes on the audience.
Start the presentation by describing the business need or challenge you’re trying to solve. This need must align with your association’s strategies and goals.
Talk more about strategy than about technology. The eyes of your CEO may glaze over if you start talking about AMS integration. Instead, talk about the positive impact of integration. What does it make possible for members and for staff?
Focus on the impact of new technology, not the features of that technology. Talk about the impact a new LMS will make on:
Ask your marketing colleagues to review your presentation and written materials so they can suggest how to make them more persuasive.
If allowed, bring some project team members to the presentation, most importantly, your colleague from IT. Also invite representatives from departments that will benefit from the productivity and revenue benefits of a new LMS, such as accounting, conferences/meetings, and/or human resources.
Having these colleagues in attendance demonstrates support for the project from other departments. It’s a sign of cross-departmental cooperation and due diligence on your part—plus they can address concerns and answer questions too.
Be ready to share some of the success stories you heard from associations who were once in your situation—we talked about these LMS success story conversations in last week’s post. Stories are more interesting than a list of talking points. They put the future in context and help to alleviate the fear of the unknown.
If, during your research, you learned that your CEO (or other decision-maker) is friends with someone at an association that’s benefited from a new LMS, see if you can talk to some of your peers over there about their experience. Your CEO’s ears will perk up when they hear a story about a respected colleague’s association.
Gather several of these case studies or success stories. Include them in the appendix of your presentation, but also learn them by heart so you can bring them up if the timing’s right.
Decision-makers won’t just hand over money, even if they agree with the need for a new LMS. They must do their due diligence too, including asking tough questions. Anticipate any objections decision-makers are likely to bring up and be ready to overcome them. Here are some to get you started:
Throughout your presentation, remember to contrast a continuation of the status quo—and all its negative implications for staff and learners, lack of industry standing, and lost opportunities—with a brighter future. Lifelong learning has become an imperative for all adults—plenty of headlines back up this point. Paint a picture for decision-makers on how a new LMS can help your association better meet the educational needs of your industry or profession.
