How to find your bottom line
Main point
Key message
Bottom line
Put it up front.
It works for everything. Yes, even when you have bad news. The only thing worse than getting bad news is to have to hunt to find it.
The bottom line up front, or BLUF, might be a statement or a question.
How do you work out your bottom line?
(This is the real tip.)
Ask ‘If this document does its job, what will happen?’
That helps you work out the most important thing.
For example, if this email works, Miraka will help me figure out where the Code Injection button is on the website.
So my BLUF will be: Where is the Code Injection button on the website?
Another example, if this proposal works, the client will choose one of my two options.
So my BLUF will be: Which of these two options would you prefer?
👀 A letter with the bottom line up front
👀 A reworked report title focused on the bottom line
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