Oftentimes, the difference between having your next large purchase approved or denied is as simple as how it is presented. Without its value clearly seen by all decision makers, such a purchase can be viewed only as an expense. If you learn the fundamentals of how to present necessary purchases as investments that deliver value back into your organization, you’ll be able to drive the purchase forward.

STEP 1: Define what the acquisition does, not what it is.

STEP 2: Define what is not happening today that needs to be done.

STEP 3: Define what happens if nothing changes.

STEP 4: Conduct an ROI model  —  compare the cost of the investment against the potential cost of doing nothing.