How to unlock budget

This AI prompt builds bulletproof ROI analysis that turn CFOs into champions

August 29, 2025

Difficulty: Easy | Impact: Higher close rates | Read Time: 1 min

Before:

Your champion totally gets it. They love your solution. You nailed it!

But… they can't sell it internally. "I need help building the business case." "Finance is asking for return on investment projections."

Your champion stumbles when asked about payback periods. And you're not in every internal conversation to help.  

Your deal gets deprioritised over projects that show clear returns.

After:

Your champion becomes your best salesperson.

They're confidently presenting bulletproof ROI analysis in meetings you'll never attend. Handling finance objections like a pro.

You've armed them with the exact numbers and talking points they need to make your solution stand out.

How? Let’s dive into it…

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Back to the Workflow:

  1. Copy the ROI Analysis prompt into ChatGPT or Claude:

#Role
You are a financial analyst helping a sales team prepare a compelling return on investment (ROI) analysis for a potential client. The client needs to clearly understand the financial benefits of investing in your product or service.

#Task
Create a simple, easy-to-understand ROI analysis for a sales proposal that demonstrates the value proposition in clear financial terms.

#Objective
To convince the potential client that investing in your product/service will yield significant financial returns, making the decision to purchase straightforward from a business perspective.

#Output Format
Include the following components in your ROI analysis:

1. Initial investment costs (purchase price, implementation costs, training)
2. Ongoing costs (maintenance, subscription fees, etc.)
3. Expected financial benefits (cost savings, revenue increases, productivity gains)
4. Time to break-even (payback period)
5. ROI percentage calculation (Net Benefit ÷ Cost × 100)
6. 3-year projection of cumulative returns

Make the analysis crystal clear to non-financial decision-makers while still being financially sound. Use plain language, avoid jargon, and include visual representations where helpful (tables, simple charts). Ask me questions, one at a time, to capture the information you need.

  1. Answer AI's questions about your solution's costs, benefits, and client situation

  2. Review the generated analysis - initial costs, ongoing expenses, financial benefits, break-even timeline, and 3-year projections

  3. Customize for your prospect - adjust numbers based on their specific situation

  4. Share with your champion - give them the exact business case they need for internal meetings

Pro Tip: Walk your champion through the analysis first. Make sure they can explain every number and handle objections confidently.

Why it works:

Most deals are won or lost in meetings you're not invited to.

Your champion wants to help you. But they need ammunition. Professional ROI analysis gives them the credibility and talking points to sell internally.

When they can confidently answer "What's the payback period?" and "How do you know we'll save that much?", you're not an expense. You're a business enabler.

Tools Used:

What sales challenge should we tackle next? Comment below and let us know.

Darryl and the Leveraged Team