Using Slidedocs for proposals and updates

- What if your proposals were sent, and then they actually were read, and then they were understood, and then they were discussed, and then they were approved? All that without needing a follow-up meeting. That is the power of a well-built slidedoc. So in this video, you're going to understand the differences between the two types of slidedocs, proposals and updates, and why both of those are vital for driving decisions and execution. So first, we're going to talk about proposals. Now, these are highly structured communications and they're designed to persuade stakeholders to approve a decision or allocate a resource. Proposals demand more effort and it has to have more fresh thinking, because they are high stakes, and they often introduce new opportunities or new risks that you need to unpack. So you need to spend a little bit more time on the layouts. You need to look at the font hierarchy, and you need to draw attention to all the visual elements on each slide and prioritize what they see. For example, imagine pitching for a $50,000 increase to your sales budget. Your slidedoc might include a sales trend chart with an annotation showing the opportunity in a way that really grabs attention. You can have a simple table showing forecasted revenue gains instead of a complex spreadsheet with pivot tables, and a bold, colorful headline that says, "We recommend allocating $50,000 to fund incentives, which is going to boost sales by 25%." That's amazing. These ideas for a slidedoc link the investment to the outcome. Using data and visuals to make the case undeniable, the decision makers don't have to guess what's being asked or why it matters. So updates, on the other hand, they focus on alignment. They are about recurring metrics and ongoing progress. And these types of updates rely on familiar charts like dashboards, charts, or tables that stakeholders are already working on all the time, and they understand them and they probably use the same charts often. So for instance, a status update slidedoc might highlight KPIs, it might flag risks, and outline the next steps. The slidedoc format ensures that even dense information is easy to skim. It saves you time while keeping everyone aligned. The distinction is key. Proposals introduce novel insights to drive decisions, while updates ensure alignment through familiar data. Proposals demand thoughtful structure and layouts, while updates focus on running a recurring meeting efficiently. Now, both benefit from the clarity and focus that a slidedoc brings. Next time you prepare a slidedoc, think about whether it's a proposal or an update. Tailor its structure and your effort accordingly. For proposals, emphasize unpacking new insights, and for updates, keep it concise and aligned to familiar metrics. Purpose-built slidedocs really will help you move your ideas forward.