Framework Business Cases

The 1-Page Business Case

A section-by-section framework breakdown to help you shape the sales conversations happening about you, without you.

By Nate Nasralla3 min 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
The short answer

A one-page business case gives your champion an executive-ready message that can travel without you. Build it from five connected blocks: a priority-driven headline, the costly problem, the recommended approach, measurable target outcomes, and the total investment required.

On this page
    Questions answered

    Frequently asked questions

    What belongs in a one-page business case?

    Include a priority-driven headline, a quantified problem, the recommended approach, target outcomes, and the total investment required.

    Why should a sales business case be one page?

    Simplify complex sales: get the latest frameworks.

    Short, practical frameworks for executive messaging, business cases, multithreading, and sales enablement.

    Get the next framework

    Enter your email to subscribe.

    © Nate Nasralla · Complex sales training & advisory

    There are two types of writing in sales:

    The first summarizes what you already know: a recap email, CRM fields, and similar updates. The second helps you discover what you do not yet know, but should.

    You can and should outsource Type 1 writing to AI wherever possible. Sellers who develop Type 2 writing skills will consistently outsell those who do not.

    Why writing matters in complex sales

    1. Writing is thinking. It is both evidence of your thought process and a way to make gaps visible.
    2. Writing travels. It reaches rooms you cannot enter and helps script the conversations happening about you.
    3. Writing creates commitment. It transfers ownership from you to your champion, so the message becomes theirs.

    Type 2 writing works best when it starts with a framework instead of a blank page. The 1-Page Business Case has been adopted by more than 150 enterprise sales teams and used in work involving many Fortune brands.

    The five building blocks

    Business cases are like LEGO blocks. Each one supports the next, producing a clear and concise message an executive can act on.

    Build a case that can travel

    A strong business case gives your champion a message they can take into an executive conversation without you. Start with the five blocks, use the customer's own language and data, and keep the finished case to one page.