You’ve come up with a great idea. Unfortunately, it’s not within your power to implement. So you decide to take it to the people who can make it happen. But before you do this, make sure you propose the idea properly.
Many a bright idea has been doomed because it was poorly presented. Follow these tips to get your ideas accepted:
• Put the purpose up front. Don’t wait until you’re 15 minutes or five pages into your message to let your bosses know what you’re after. The gist of your proposal should be the first item you cover.
• Be specific. Don’t cloud the issue with vague words and unnecessary background data.
• Compare, don’t knock. Remember, your audience may have a vested interest in the old method and may take negative comments personally.
• Stress the benefits. Your proposal is a marketing vehicle for selling your idea, not an opinion paper. Make your case using facts and figures that demonstrate savings or improved performance. • Acknowledge limitations. Every idea is going to have some drawbacks. If you can state those shortcomings up front and provide ways to work around them, you won’t give opponents ammunition.
Source: Robert Vels, Cellular Rent-A-Phone, New York.
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