bluf presentation format

Put Your Best Foot Forward: BLUF Presentations

August 4, 2015 / Blog BLUF, communication model, presentation tips, Presentations, public speaking, Rick Enrico, SlideGenius

We’ve talked much about how effective presentations rely on time-tested and expert-recommended ways, techniques, and structures.

However, we still get questions on whether there could be an easier, simpler way to plan your slides. There is one such thing: the BLUF Model .

Keeping It Short and Simple

BLUF is an acronym often used in communication. It stands for “Bottom-Line Up Front.” The BLUF model’s main purpose is to keep things clear and concise. It sets your best foot forward right out of the gate, putting the most vital parts of your talk into your introduction.

Here, all the conclusions, recommendations, and sometimes even the call-to-action is presented in the very beginning. All of the supporting information is kept to a minimum and placed after. According to McMillion Leadership Associates president, Mark McMillion, this approach drives the pitch straight to the point, making things more streamlined and economical.

Having a cohesive story or adjective tension can build interest. However, there are some instances when you just need to roll in and say what you need to say. Afterwards, simply reap the rewards of a job well done.

Where What Works

If you’re giving a presentation just to keep your bosses updated on pending or ongoing work, using the BLUF model lets you do it quickly and efficiently.

This approach is also ideal to use with strong USP’s (Unique Selling Propositions). This is the perfect structure especially if you’re confident about what you’re trying to sell. It fits in occasions where you know you only have a short amount of time to pitch.

With this, there’s no need for narratives, stories, build-ups, or any of the other fancy skills. If you expect to be done quickly, then why bother prepping your audience for a long haul? Instead, use this format to get right down to the core message and the key benefits.

This doesn’t mean that we should start all of our decks from scratch. Presentations needing more time might be better suited with your standard presentation fare.

To engage and prepare your audience for a lot of necessary information, data, and arguments, a narrative structure will do. The standards are there for a reason. For most occasions, they work brilliantly – acting as all-around solutions for a wide array of visual communication problems.

You need a tried and tested framework to make your message flow if you have lot of details and data to explain.

Most of the time, you’ll still need a well-planned and designed deck. It’s still worth considering alternate ways of designing your PowerPoints, including the BLUF Model.

It keeps your pitch simple and straight to the point, putting all the information you need right at the beginning instead of wasting time building up to your big reveal.

However, the BLUF method isn’t always the answer to your presentation problems. There are times when a narrative structure would work better. Test for yourself whether the BLUF method works for your particular presentation or not. This increases your flexibility and gives you an extra ace in the hole for when you might need it.

Angeles, Sara. “ 36 Ways to Make a Killer Business Presentation. ” Business News Daily. June 27, 2014. “ Advertisers’ PowerPoint Visual Design Tips: Calls to Action. ” SlideGenius, Inc. May 28, 2015. “ BLUFing Your Communication at Work. ” The Managers Resource Handbook . February 17, 2014.

Featured Image: “ Best Foot Forward ” by Jason Rogers on flickr.com

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Laura M. Foley Design

Cheat Death by PowerPoint!

The BLUF Statement: Your secret PowerPoint weapon

June 3, 2015 by Laura Foley 1 Comment

How many presentations have you attended where the presenter took forever to get to the point? I’m betting it’s probably quite a few. The problem is that presenters can often be so close to their material that they can clearly see the benefits of what they’re talking about and they forget to tell the audience about them. They know what the end results will be if people learn what they’re teaching, buy what they’re selling or adopt the same point of view that they have. The audience doesn’t. That’s why speakers have to clearly communicate at the beginning of their presentations why they’ve invited people to listen to them, what they’re going to talk about and what benefits the audience will derive from the information. In other words, they should get to the point right away.

Your new secret weapon: the BLUF Statement

BLUF stands for Bottom Line Up Front, which means letting your audience know why they should listen to you. Your BLUF Statement should be delivered during the first few minutes of your speech so that people quickly become aware of the value of your presentation and the benefits they’ll derive as a result of having experienced it.

Examples of effective BLUF Statements:

In the next thirty minutes, I’m going to teach you how it’s possible to have a great vacation for just $75 a day. And you won’t be depriving yourself of a good time while keeping within this budget! You don’t have to starve yourself. You don’t have to stay in your room the whole time. You just need to adopt five simple habits. I guarantee you that by the end of this session, you’re going to look at planning your next trip in a whole new way. We’re here to learn the ins and outs of the new accounting system. Today’s training will focus on hands-on exercises to get you up to speed with the new software. The goal is that by the end of the day, each of you will have the skills you need to be up and running on the new system. By using this software, our billings will be more efficient, we will have greater control of our cash flow, and we’ll reduce needless paperwork. By the way, I apologize in advance to those of you who will miss filling out the TPS Reports in triplicate! As managers, we should deal calmly and fairly with all of our employees. But we’re all human, and sometimes difficult people can drive us crazy! Today we’re going to talk about some tactics you can learn to deal with difficult people. You will come to understand the benefits of encouraging and rewarding good behavior over punishing bad behavior. You’ll learn to recognize the warning signs of escalating conflict. We’ll discuss different kinds of disruptive behavior and learn how to defuse negative situations before they happen. And we will do some role play so that you can practice the techniques I’ll be teaching you. The goal is to give you the tools you need to become a better, more effective leader.

You see how that works? Your BLUF Statement is like the lead paragraph in a newspaper article. It grabs people’s attention and lets them know very early on what’s going to happen during your presentation.

Why it’s great

When you clearly articulate the purpose of your presentations and the benefits that will result, you are setting the tone for a positive experience for your audience. A strong BLUF Statement gets people excited about what they are about to hear and how it will help them. It lets people know that your session has a clear purpose. And it allows people who really shouldn’t be there to duck out gracefully at the beginning of your speech if they find out early on that the information you’re about to give doesn’t apply to them.

Start incorporating BLUF Statements into your presentations and you’ll see how they can spark interest in what you have to say, right at the outset.

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BLUF: The Military Standard That Can Make Your Writing More Powerful

September 9, 2019 by Jan-Erik Asplund in

BLUF is a military communications acronym—it stands for “bottom line up front”—that’s designed to enforce speed and clarity in reports and emails.

The basic idea is simple: put the most important details first. Don’t tease or delay your main point because people are busy and their time is valuable. And make it clear —life-or-death decisions could be made using your information.

While the decisions you make may not be life-or-death, you probably also spend a lot of your time communicating with people who are busy, whose time is valuable, and who deserve at least the same level of consideration. That’s why BLUF is such a useful model. Whether you’re writing for your company’s blog, writing Slack messages to co-workers, or writing emails to customers, BLUF can help you cut through the noise and connect.

But BLUF is more than a simple communications tactic. It’s not, as the name might imply, simply about finding your “bottom line” and sticking it at the top of whatever you’re writing.

BLUF, if you apply it consistently throughout your writing, is a way of organizing your thoughts and understanding the narrative that lets you yield your central points to your reader as quickly as possible. It is a “full body” writing exercise, not a quick and dirty copy and paste.

Include All the Context Your Reader Needs to Act

Whether you’re asking for help or organizing a call, BLUF your communications with your co-workers by reducing the amount of work that your recipient has to do to help you. Secondarily, try to reduce the overall amount of context-switching necessary to help you (remember that Slack is fundamentally distractive if you’re writing, coding, etc).

This is a good example of what not to do:

Asking if someone has time to chat or if they have time to answer a question, on its own, forces a context-switch with no immediate resolution. Now your recipient has to read your message, type in “Great, what’s your question?” and wait for your response before they can help you. That may not sound like a lot of work. Add up dozens of instances over the course of a day or week, plus time lost getting in and out of a flow state, however, and this kind of sloppy communication can become a considerable time sink.

Avoid this kind of thing, too, where you offer slightly more context but still not enough for it to be an actionable request for your recipient:

This time, at least there’s an actual question embedded in the first Slack message, but it’s too general to answer. It demands more context in order to be properly answered.

Instead, give as much context to the ask as you can, and do it in one message:

This kind of ask gives the recipient enough information that they can fully address your need and help you out without having to exchange multiple messages looking for context.

It gives a clear what (“examples of thought leadership”) and a clear why (“putting together a proposal for Acme”) that, together, let the recipient infer more or less the asker's exact need. By thinking about BLUF when we communicate internally, we put our concluding thought—often, our ask—at the beginning.

Make Your Ask and Your Tone Clear

Email was one of the original contexts in which BLUF was first imagined, so it is a natural fit for the method.

For a large percentage of the kind of emails that you’re likely to send at work, BLUF is relatively simple to apply. Don’t hem and haw at the beginning of your email. Begin with the ask. Give supporting details and context after that. Then, your recipient doesn’t have to scan your email up and down looking for what they actually have to do.

The first few sentences of any customer email should clearly explain the purpose and reason for the email, as well as (our desired or intended) next steps.

But not all communication, especially with clients, is so transactional. Sometimes we need to do more than convey a request. Sometimes we need to convey our excitement, or a sense of urgency, or penance.

In these cases, you still want to BLUF and make the purpose of the email clear. Giving your email an emotional edge doesn’t mean putting extra processing time between your recipient and the point of the email.

You also want to use one of the central principles behind BLUF—that information higher up in the reader’s visual hierarchy is more likely to be understood and retained—to effectively get across the emotion you want to convey.

Check out the example below, sent to a new customer at Animalz. After some confusion around the first article we produced for them, our main goal was demonstrating a sense of urgency about making things right and getting back on track as fast as possible. So after the first line—the BLUF—we explain our reasoning for the email in a way that makes that urgency as clear as possible:

It’s a natural human tendency, when there's any kind of problem, to only cautiously admit it even exists—to approach it gingerly, if at all. Over email, this kind of approach doesn't convey what you want it to. It creates confused communication. You have to actively resist that impulse and attack problems head-on using BLUF if you want to pitch solutions to problems rather than wallowing in them.

In the final draft, we begin from the assumption that there is a problem—as there always is, if a customer of ours is not actively publishing the content we create with them—and use the first few precious sentences at the beginning of the email to make it abundantly clear that we want to fix it. Most importantly, we show that we have a vision for what fixing it looks like.

Revise Until Your Thinking Is Off the Page

Virtually all content marketing is put out there to help people. Often, however, those people are busy, with a million things pulling at their attention.

That’s why it is not enough to just write something useful—your content needs to communicate efficiently with readers.

Therefore, you should BLUF your content marketing the same way you BLUF your internal and external communications. Organize your writing so that it delivers context and meaning to readers as quickly as possible.

In the example below, the introduction to this article analyzing SaaS homepage language should lay out a theory for why clear language is so important to great homepages.

Why Clear Language Is the Secret to a Great Homepage Your homepage serves as the welcome mat for your SaaS business. Its clarity can make the difference between taking a new user through your signup process to conversion, and having them abandon your site, never to come back.

In two sentences, we do that. Clear language is important because your homepage is the first impression of your product—the most critical juncture in the relationship.

In the next example below, the same article gets an introduction that contains more words, appears to say more, and appears to get into more detail—but in the end, doesn’t convey a clear point.

Why Clear Language Is the Secret to a Great Homepage By keeping your language and design clear and concise for all users, whether they are new or not, you can make sure that everyone understands the core value of your product. By choosing simple language to describe your product, you will be able to communicate with everyone, whether they totally understand your field, or are novices just looking for the best product for their business.

Instead, it’s muddled, distinguishing for no clear reason between new and not-new users, conflating language and design, and failing to draw a conclusion as to why clear language is so important. We make the point that we’ll be able to “communicate with everyone,“ but that’s, arguably, synonymous with the idea of ”clear language“ itself.

The root difference between these two introductions is simple. One was written by a writer who knew what exactly what the article to come was going to contain, and one was written by a writer who didn’t. When you know the main point you’re going to make, you can come right out and start talking about them from the beginning. When you don’t, you have to resort to making general points that live in approximately the same neighborhood as your main point.

See the two article introductions below for an example:

The article introduction on the left proceeds the way that many of our first drafts do: languorously and inductively. After some throat-clearing, it eventually gets to the point. Who knows if the reader would still be interested.

The introduction on the right—this is the actual introduction of Paul Graham's article Relentlessly Resourceful —begins with the main point that we’re trying to make: “A couple days ago I finally got being a good startup founder down to two words: relentlessly resourceful." Graham goes on to explain how he reached the conclusion and what its implications are for founders, but the weight of the piece sits in the first sentence.

In the version on the left, the reader has to concentrate. They have to follow along with the writer’s thought process. Many first drafts do this, because the first draft is where we write to figure out what we know.

When you go back and revise, one of your biggest priorities should be finding places where evidence of your own research process and thinking persists. You want your writing to communicate with maximum effectiveness to its reader, not reveal the exact route you took to reach your conclusions. That’s what will make a piece of content feel polished and complete.

White Glove Writing

When you’re used to writing for professors or parents or friends or anyone else who is obligated to read your writing, it’s easy to forget that in the real world you need to put in work for your reader’s attention.

You put in work by including all necessary context, getting to the point, and revising until all evidence of your thought process is off the page.

Among colleagues and customers, that attention to detail will be appreciated. Among your blog’s readers and potential customers, it’ll be reflected in more people sticking around and more people coming to read your content.

In her writing and consulting guide The Pyramid Principle, Barbara Minto makes the claim that investing time to make your communication as clear and efficient as possible is important because founders and C-suite executives are extremely busy people. In some ways, the trick to writing good content is assuming your own readers are equally as busy.

Jan-Erik Asplund

Animalz is an agency that provides high-end content marketing solutions to SaaS and tech companies.

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BLUF: The Military Secret to Improve Your Writing for Clear and Powerful Communication

Home » Blog » Content Marketing » BLUF: The Military Secret to Improve Your Writing for Clear and Powerful Communication

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) is a communication principle that emphasizes starting with the most important information. Originating from military practices, BLUF ensures clarity and efficiency by presenting the key message or conclusion at the beginning of a communication.

This approach is valuable not only in military contexts but also in business, academic writing, and everyday communication, making messages clear, concise, and actionable. By leading with the main point and following up with necessary details, BLUF enhances understanding and decision-making for the audience.

Table of Contents

Bluf in military communication, the power of bluf in writing, bluf components for effective writing, step-by-step guide to writing with bluf, real-life examples of bluf in action across different mediums, the end note.

The inception of BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) is deeply rooted in military communication, a domain where clarity, brevity, and rapid decision-making are paramount. This section delves into the historical context and the strategic importance of BLUF within military operations, highlighting its role in enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making processes.

Historical Context and Rationale

BLUF emerged as a critical communication tool in the U.S. military, designed to address the unique challenges of military operations where time is of the essence, and the stakes are high. In the fast-paced and often high-pressure environment of military decision-making, the ability to convey crucial information succinctly and clearly cannot be overstated. BLUF was developed as a response to this need, ensuring that the most important information is presented at the outset of any communication, be it written orders, briefings, or strategic reports.

The military’s adoption of BLUF reflects a broader strategic emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness. By structuring communication to lead with the main point or conclusion, military leaders and personnel can quickly grasp the essence of the message without wading through extraneous details. This approach not only saves time but also significantly enhances the clarity of the communication, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings and ensuring that critical information is immediately apparent.

Enhancing Clarity and Decision-Making

The adoption of BLUF in military communication serves a dual purpose: it streamlines the transfer of information and optimizes the decision-making process. In scenarios where rapid response is crucial, BLUF enables commanders and their units to quickly understand their objectives and the context of their missions, facilitating swift and informed decisions.

Moreover, BLUF’s emphasis on conciseness and precision aligns with the military’s broader communication standards, which prioritize directness and clarity. This alignment ensures that all levels of military personnel are trained to think and communicate in a manner that supports the quick assimilation and action upon critical information.

BLUF’s Role in Operational Efficiency

Operational efficiency in the military is not just about the effective deployment of resources or strategic planning; it’s equally about how information is communicated within and between units. BLUF, by virtue of its design, enhances this aspect of military operations. It ensures that briefings, reports, and directives are free from unnecessary complexity, allowing for a more streamlined and focused approach to both planning and execution.

The adoption of BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) transcends its military origins, finding profound utility in the realm of writing across various domains. This section explores the transformative impact of BLUF on writing, emphasizing its ability to enhance clarity, engage readers, and convey powerful messages succinctly.

BLUF vs. Traditional Writing Structures

Traditional writing often follows a narrative or deductive structure, building up to a conclusion or key point towards the end. While this method has its merits, especially in storytelling or academic exploration, it can sometimes obscure the main message or delay its delivery. In contrast, BLUF inverts this approach by leading with the most critical information, akin to the ‘inverted pyramid’ style prevalent in journalism. This method ensures that the reader grasps the essential message from the outset, making it particularly effective for reports, proposals, emails, and any communication where immediate clarity is paramount.

The power of BLUF lies in its simplicity and directness, akin to a thesis statement in academic writing but applied more broadly. By stating the conclusion or main point upfront, BLUF eliminates ambiguity and focuses the reader’s attention on the core message, enhancing comprehension and retention.

Enhancing Reader Engagement and Comprehension

In an era where information overload is common, capturing and maintaining the reader’s attention is crucial. BLUF addresses this challenge by delivering the ‘bottom line’ at the beginning, ensuring that even a cursory glance provides a clear understanding of the message’s essence. This approach not only respects the reader’s time but also significantly increases the likelihood of the message being read and acted upon.

The clarity and brevity inherent in BLUF also aid in comprehension, particularly in complex or technical subjects. By distilling the message to its most important points, BLUF facilitates a better understanding and allows the reader to quickly assess the relevance and implications of the communication.

The Role of BLUF in Decision-Making and Response Generation

BLUF’s impact extends beyond just clarity and engagement; it plays a pivotal role in facilitating decision-making and response generation. In business writing, for example, a BLUF-styled proposal or email enables decision-makers to quickly grasp the key points and implications, leading to faster and more informed decisions.

Similarly, in academic and professional settings, BLUF helps articulate complex arguments or research findings in a manner that is immediately accessible, allowing readers to engage with the material more effectively and respond with a deeper understanding of the issues at hand.

Crafting an effective BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) requires a keen understanding of its core components. This section outlines the essential elements that constitute a compelling BLUF statement, ensuring that your writing is clear, concise, and impactful.

Clarity of Purpose

The foundation of an effective BLUF is its clarity of purpose. It should unequivocally convey the primary objective or conclusion of the message. This clarity ensures that the reader immediately understands the central theme or action point without ambiguity. In military communication, where BLUF originated, this clarity is critical for operational success. Similarly, in business or academic writing, a clear purpose guides the reader through the subsequent details with a firm understanding of the message’s intent.

Brevity and Conciseness

Brevity is at the heart of BLUF. An effective BLUF statement distills complex information into a concise summary, stripping away any superfluous details. This conciseness respects the reader’s time and attention, ensuring that the key message is communicated with economy of words. In professional settings, this brevity facilitates quicker decision-making and enhances the overall efficiency of communication.

Directness and Assertiveness

An effective BLUF is direct and assertive, leaving no room for doubt about the message’s significance. This directness stems from the military’s need for unequivocal communication under pressure. In civilian applications, this translates to a confident presentation of the main point, which establishes authority and encourages the reader to take the message seriously.

Relevance and Context

While a BLUF is concise, it must also provide enough context to make the main point comprehensible. This balance between brevity and relevance is crucial; the BLUF should encapsulate the essence of the message while grounding it in a context that makes it meaningful to the reader. For instance, a BLUF in a business report might succinctly summarize the report’s conclusion while hinting at the underlying data or arguments that will be elaborated upon.

Action Orientation

Many effective BLUF statements are action-oriented, especially in contexts where a decision or response is required. This component is particularly evident in military and business communications, where the BLUF often prompts immediate action or decision-making. Even in informational contexts, a good BLUF can motivate further reading or engagement with the subject matter.

Mastering the art of BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) in your writing can significantly enhance the clarity, impact, and efficiency of your communication. This section provides a structured, step-by-step approach to integrating BLUF into your writing, ensuring that your messages are both compelling and straightforward.

Step 1: Identify Your Key Message

Before you begin writing, clarify the central message or conclusion you want to convey. This involves distilling your communication to its essence, pinpointing the ‘bottom line’ that you want your audience to understand and remember. Whether you’re drafting a report, an email, or any form of written communication, having a clear grasp of your main point is crucial.

Step 2: Lead with the Conclusion

Start your communication by stating the conclusion or main point upfront. This aligns with the BLUF principle of putting the most critical information at the beginning. Your opening sentence should be clear, concise, and direct, ensuring that even if the reader goes no further, they have grasped the essential message.

Step 3: Provide Supporting Information

Once you’ve presented your key message, follow up with the necessary supporting information, details, and context that bolster your main point. This information should be organized logically and coherently, making it easy for the reader to understand how you arrived at your conclusion. Prioritize the most relevant details to maintain clarity and prevent information overload.

Step 4: Keep It Concise

BLUF is as much about brevity as it is about clarity. As you provide supporting information, be mindful of keeping your communication concise. Avoid unnecessary jargon, redundant phrases, and tangential information that could detract from the main message. The goal is to be thorough yet succinct, respecting your reader’s time and attention.

Step 5: Review for Clarity and Impact

After drafting your message, review it to ensure that the BLUF is clear and impactful. Check that your opening statement effectively communicates the bottom line and that the supporting information is directly relevant. Consider the perspective of your audience: Will they immediately understand the main point? Is there any ambiguity that needs to be clarified?

Step 6: Refine and Revise

Based on your review, refine and revise your message to enhance its clarity and effectiveness. This may involve rephrasing your BLUF statement for greater impact, reordering supporting details for better logical flow, or eliminating superfluous information. The revision process is key to honing your message and ensuring that it adheres to the BLUF principle.

Email Communication

Before BLUF: An email might start with a lengthy introduction, background information, and several paragraphs before finally getting to the main request or point towards the end.

With BLUF: The email begins with the main request or conclusion. For example, “Request for Project Extension: Due to unforeseen challenges, we seek a two-week extension on Project X.” This is followed by concise supporting details like the challenges faced and the impact on the project timeline.

Business Reports

Before BLUF: A traditional business report might start with an introduction, followed by detailed analysis, data presentation, and eventually conclude with findings and recommendations towards the end.

With BLUF: The report starts with key findings and recommendations, such as “Recommendation: Invest 20% more in digital marketing to increase lead generation by 30%, based on our Q3 performance analysis.” The subsequent sections provide the supporting data and analysis that led to this recommendation.

Academic Presentations

Before BLUF: An academic presentation might begin with an extensive background, literature review, and methodology before getting to the main findings or arguments.

With BLUF: The presentation opens with the key findings or thesis statement, such as “Our research indicates a direct correlation between social media use and student engagement in online learning environments.” The following slides then detail the research methodology, data analysis, and supporting evidence.

Social Media Posts

Before BLUF: A social media post might start with a story or a build-up to the main message, potentially losing the audience’s attention before getting to the point.

With BLUF: The post leads with the main message or call to action, such as “Join our webinar on climate change this Friday and make a difference!” The rest of the post can provide details about the webinar, why it’s important, and how to register.

News Articles

Before BLUF: A traditional news article might begin with a narrative introduction, setting the scene before gradually revealing the main news point or event.

With BLUF: The article starts with the most newsworthy information, such as “The city council approved a new public park downtown, set to open next spring.” The rest of the article provides context, quotes from key figures, and details about the park’s features and expected impact on the community.

Customer Service Responses

Before BLUF: A response might begin with an apology, thank the customer for their patience, and then provide a lengthy explanation before addressing the customer’s concern or question.

With BLUF: The response immediately addresses the customer’s concern, such as “Your refund has been processed and should appear in your account within 3-5 business days.” This is followed by an apology for any inconvenience and additional information if necessary.

In each of these examples, BLUF ensures that the primary message or action item is communicated right at the beginning, making it more likely that the key point is seen, understood, and remembered, regardless of the medium used.

In conclusion, adopting the BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) approach in your communication can significantly enhance the clarity, efficiency, and impact of your messages. By leading with the most critical information, BLUF ensures that your key points are immediately understood, fostering better engagement and facilitating quicker decision-making among your audience.

In a world where information is abundant and attention spans are limited, the ability to communicate effectively is more valuable than ever. By adopting BLUF, you equip yourself with a powerful tool to ensure your messages stand out and make a meaningful impact.

Posted on February 21, 2024 in Content Marketing

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What is BLUF? How to Use It + Expert Tips

June 28, 2023

Cut through the content noise with this simple, effective framework to craft effective messaging.

Here, you’ll find:

• What the BLUF principle is
• How it enhances communication in marketing
• Best practices for applying BLUF in your content
• When it is (and isn’t) appropriate to use BLUF

Readable, informative, engaging, consistent, and findable. 

These are all key qualities of effective writing, which are all essential for content marketing success. However, these won’t matter in the end if the reader doesn’t stay long enough to read your content.

While it’s not really true that our attention spans are now just 8 seconds long, there is some truth to reports that technology has contributed to the decline in our ability to concentrate.

As content marketers, this makes it even harder to get our point across, which impacts the success of our marketing efforts.

The solution? Placing the key information in front to get your point across much faster.

What is BLUF?

BLUF is an acronym that means “bottom line up front.” This technique was originally developed and practiced by U.S. military professionals in all branches, including the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and Air Force, to ensure the messaging in memos and other forms of communication was clear and concise.

Outside of the military, BLUF is also applied to writing in various fields:

• In journalism, the Inverted Pyramid borrows from the BLUF method, as it also involves presenting the most important piece of information, the 5 Ws ( who, what, when, where, and why ), at the start of the story. The supporting details, the how , will then follow to provide contextual and supplemental information.
• In academic writing, the BLUF structure can be applied in the form of the thesis statement, which highlights the stance or the main point of the piece, and the topic sentence , which is the single main idea of a paragraph as the first sentence.

Where content marketing is concerned, this technique basically places the conclusion at the start of the content piece, allowing readers to grasp your main point quickly.

Don’t bury the lede: The BLUF technique puts the most important information at the beginning of your content. (Image: Unsplash)

How does BLUF help in marketing writing?

The most important part of marketing content, apart from the headline, is the intro (or the hook, in traditional sales writing). Its main function is to draw in readers and pique their interest enough that they will want to keep reading your content.

You want your message to be received and understood — and what better way to do that than front-loading your content with your conclusion?

This accomplishes two things:

• First, it helps readers grasp your main idea immediately without having to comb through blocks of text.
• Second, by sharing the most important piece of information first, you are essentially guiding readers through the details, helping them get through the text more efficiently. 

Other benefits of using BLUF in your marketing writing include:

Enhances reader comprehension

Research conducted by Hidi and Anderson in 1986 showed that teaching students to identify the main point early on led to significant gains in comprehension.

Although this study took place decades ago, its findings are still relevant to this day and are supported by a 2011 psychological study on story spoilers.

In this study, two separate groups were given stories to read. One had spoilers for the ending of the book as the intro. It found that the readers who were given spoilers were able to concentrate on the details even more.

Consequently, this group was able to remember even more information from the story they read.

The reason?

By being given the most important information first, they were unencumbered by what was about to unfold next and were instead able to use the additional information to support the main point.

Makes your content more concise

According to a Nielsen study , users only have time to read at most 28% of the words on page during an average visit. 

The more lengthy and complex your content is, the less accessible it becomes. This means the more words you put on a page, the higher the likelihood of you losing your audience.

Placing the most important information at the start of the message helps you get to the point much faster. With this information already provided, you can prioritize the supporting information you want to convey, which helps you eliminate any tangents or unnecessary details.

Eliminating fluff, lengthy introductions, and excessive background information can help you write in a clear, direct manner, making your content easier to read and comprehend.

Improves the credibility of your content

In content marketing and SEO, the best ways to establish credibility in your content are:

• Citing credible sources
• Keeping information current
• Quoting subject matter experts

But writing skills also matter in establishing credibility. Aside from the information you present, it also matters how you present this information to your readers.

For instance, presenting key information upfront demonstrates transparency and directness, which contributes to your credibility.

By being clear and concise in your messaging as you present supporting information, your readers are able to recognize the intent and purpose behind your writing.

These qualities showcase your ability to effectively communicate important information, which are also qualities of effective BLUF.

Keeps your audience’s attention 

Capturing your audience’s attention is only a portion of the conversion rate equation. You also need to keep their attention until they understand your main point and decide to take action because of it.

A good headline and image are crucial in luring your audience’s attention and directing them to read your content — and a good intro is what makes them want to keep reading.

Starting with the main focus upfront is one of the best ways to do that.

With this approach, you’re immediately addressing your reader’s intent and quickly following that up with additional information, which sustains their attention on your content.

Remember that 2011 study we referred to earlier?

Well, in that study, the group that was given spoilers in the intro found the story to be more enjoyable because of the information they were given and were more likely to read through to the end. 

How to use BLUF 

In a Harvard Business Review post titled “How to Write Email With Military Precision,” Kabir Sehgal wrote:

“In the military, a poorly formatted email may be the difference between mission accomplished and mission failure.”

Similarly, proper writing and formatting are crucial in ensuring the success of your content. That includes using the BLUF framework properly to fulfill its purpose.

To paraphrase Sehgal:

“[BLUF] declares the purpose of the [content] and action required. The BLUF should quickly answer the five W’s: who, what, where, when, and why. An effective BLUF distills the most important information for the reader.”

Follow these best practices to learn how to use BLUF properly and effectively in your writing:

1. Get to know your audience

The golden rule of effective content writing is to know your audience.

As you learn about your audience, you gain more information about their needs, interests, and preferences. All of these pieces of information can help you craft content that speaks to their pain points and addresses their concerns.

The same goes for writing effective BLUF. By getting to know your audience, you can:

• Tailor your main message to the audience you’re speaking to
• Address their concerns immediately
• Write in a language (technical/academic, not English/Spanish, etc.) and tone they prefer
• Provide an appropriate amount of additional inputs based on their level of knowledge or skill

Before you start writing, take a step back and try to understand your audience.

Find out what topics they’re interested in and understand their pain points. Tailor your BLUF statement and additional inputs to your specific audience because you are writing for them, not for yourself. 

2. Perform in-depth research to find your main idea

Before you can start writing effective BLUF, you need to make sure you have a thorough understanding of the topic you’re writing about to find your main idea.

For instance, if you’re writing about thought leadership on LinkedIn, then it takes more than an idea and a quick Wikipedia search to get everything you need to write your content.

Just like what you would normally do when writing content, you need to put in the time to:

• Perform keyword research
• Analyze search intent
• Talk to other subject matter experts
• Gather all the data

Ask the right questions, find the answers, and organize your thoughts to form a general idea of what you want your content to look like.

Then, summarize your thoughts and synthesize your main idea to form your main point. This will help you in constructing your BLUF.

3. Write and format your content accordingly

Now that you’ve formed a deep understanding of your topic and audience, it’s time to start writing your content.

BLUF structure

Structuring your content with the BLUF framework is a fairly straightforward process, so you won’t really need to work with templates.

Based on the BLUF acronym, its structure can be broken down into three main elements:

• Bottom line – the main message or idea you want to convey, which is typically found near or at the end of the content.
• Up front – refers to the position at the very start of your content.
• Context – supporting information that elaborates on or adds to the main message or idea.

Let’s take a look at the following example to see BLUF in action:

BLUF: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) boosts your brand’s online presence and drives organic website traffic. By ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), you can increase your chances of reaching your intended audience.

You can improve your SEO performance through the following tactics:

• Keyword research
• On-page optimization
• Quality content creation
• Link building

These techniques are crucial in improving your website’s performance on SERPs. The better it performs, the higher your likelihood of attracting your target audience to your brand.

In this example, we can highlight a few things:

• The first sentence (written in bold) was the key message of the content. Its primary purpose was to highlight the impact of SEO on a brand’s marketing efforts early on.
• The second sentence provided additional context by stating that the main source of organic traffic in SEO is through SERPs.
• The third sentence expanded upon the main message and supported the preceding sentence by listing the techniques used in SEO.
• Lastly, the final paragraph reinforces the crucial nature of these SEO practices and emphasizes their value in helping the brand improve its online presence.

This basic structure can also be applied to any content you want to produce, whether it’s a social media post, landing page, or client presentation.

When is BLUF most effective in marketing?

One common disadvantage of writing in BLUF is that it eliminates all the suspense of the ending. But unless you’re writing an expository essay or employing an emotional marketing approach, there really isn’t any reason to build up suspense.

However, if you’re looking for a better way to write marketing content, then the BLUF technique is one of the best methods you can implement. 

You can apply this method of writing in the following aspects:

• “Problem/solution” marketing – use the BLUF statement to highlight a key pain point and present the solution upfront.
• Email marketing campaigns – start with a compelling subject line, then convey the key benefit in your opening line. Follow up this statement with supporting information separated by bullet points or subheadings to make it scannable.
• Blog posts – draw in your readers with your concluding statement as your intro, then provide more information in succeeding sub-sections to support your main point.
• Landing pages – write a compelling headline and start your copy with your unique value proposition.
• Advertising copy – grab user attention by highlighting the main benefit at the start of the message.
• Social media marketing campaigns – use eye-catching visuals captioned with the main message, immediately followed by supporting information. 
• Client presentations – articulating your main points early on immediately conveys you know what you’re talking about, allowing you to draw potential clients in.

When is BLUF not appropriate to use?

BLUF is a versatile technique and can benefit your content in a lot of ways. But it’s not always the right approach.

Because it’s swift and direct, it can make your content seem unemotional and unengaging. 

Here are other instances you might not want to apply the BLUF approach:

When you’re marketing complex products or services

Customers will always want to know more information about the products they’re considering purchasing. They will want to know about how it works, its unique features, and how it solves their pain points.

This usually requires a more detailed and layered approach to ensure these nuances are communicated effectively — something that the BLUF approach may not be able to convey properly. 

Additionally, if you’re dealing with a more skeptical audience, placing the most important information first may cause them to ignore everything that comes after it, rendering your content ineffective. 

When you want to evoke emotions from your writing

Emotional marketing is a good strategy to employ when you want to appeal to a person’s emotions rather than through factual information.

But creating content that appeals to a person’s emotions will often require gradually building a narrative or a story to connect with the reader on an emotional level.

This may involve setting a scene, providing background information, describing emotions, or building suspense.

With its conciseness and upfront delivery, the BLUF approach may not allow for the gradual development of emotions within the reader.

During lead nurturing campaigns

Lead nurturing is all about relationship building. It’s about establishing rapport, gradually building trust, and building a sense of connection with potential customers to guide them further along the customer journey.

This strategy typically requires a more conversational and engaging style of writing, which is the direct opposite of BLUF.

The takeaway

The BLUF approach is a good writing style to apply if you want to get information across much faster. By applying this approach to your content, you can help readers focus on important information and help them comprehend the additional details you provide.

Using BLUF in your writing may not be as easy to pull off, especially if you’re used to communicating in a more conversational style. But over time, this type of writing will become a valuable tool in your marketing quiver the more content you push out.

And as always, if you need expert help in implementing effective marketing campaigns, don’t hesitate to reach out .

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Mastering BLUF: A Tactical Guide for Tech Leaders to Elevate Communication

• December 4, 2023 December 6, 2023

In the fast-paced realm of technology leadership, effective communication is not just a skill; it’s a strategic necessity. This blog post aims to arm busy professionals in the technology sector, especially those navigating leadership roles for the first time, with a powerful communication tool—the Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) technique.

In the heart of Silicon Valley, Alex, a seasoned tech lead, found himself facing a moment of urgency. The digital clock on his workstation relentlessly ticked away, mirroring the impending deadline for a crucial system update.

As the minutes slipped through his fingers, Alex knew that conveying the gravity of the situation to his manager, Mr. Anderson, was paramount. He decided to deploy the Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) technique to ensure clarity amidst the chaos.

With a quickened heartbeat, Alex crafted a concise yet impactful message:

Subject: Urgent – Critical System Update Required BLUF:  Immediate action required. System vulnerabilities detected, posing a high-security risk. Details:  Following the latest security audit, our team unearthed critical vulnerabilities in the system architecture. Exploiting these could lead to a severe data breach. We need to implement a comprehensive update to patch these vulnerabilities urgently. Action Required:  Allocate resources for an emergency update. I recommend a team meeting at 2:00 PM today to discuss the implementation plan. Attachment:  Detailed report on identified vulnerabilities and proposed update strategy.

With the BLUF technique leading the charge, Alex pressed the send button, sending the urgent message into the digital ether. Moments later, Mr. Anderson appeared at Alex’s office doorway, a furrowed brow betraying the urgency he sensed.

“Alex, what’s the situation?” Mr. Anderson inquired.

“Sir, we’ve uncovered critical vulnerabilities. If exploited, it could jeopardize our entire system. I’ve outlined the necessary actions in the email. We need to act swiftly,” Alex replied, maintaining the clarity and urgency embedded in his BLUF communication.

Mr. Anderson, recognizing the urgency conveyed in the BLUF, nodded thoughtfully. “Gather the team for the meeting. Let’s address this head-on.”

Why Should You Learn How to BLUF? 😎

In the dynamic tech landscape, time is a precious commodity. Leaders often find themselves drowning in a sea of information, needing help to convey crucial messages concisely. This is where Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) technique becomes a game-changer. BLUF empowers tech leaders to cut through the noise and deliver their key message upfront, ensuring that time-strapped professionals grasp essential information immediately.

Example: A scenario where a tech lead must convey a critical system update to their manager. By leading with the main point using BLUF, they ensure that leadership understands the urgency without wading through unnecessary details.

Formatting BLUF in Your Content Writing ✍️

Tech leaders are not just managers; they are communicators. Formatting is critical when applying BLUF to content creation. Start with a clear and concise opening that encapsulates your main message. Follow it with supporting details arranged in a logical flow. Wrap up with a firm conclusion that reinforces the main takeaway.

Example: When drafting an email about a project update, use the first sentence to highlight the project’s current status and the next steps. Provide additional details in the subsequent paragraphs for those seeking more in-depth information.

How Does BLUF Help Your Writing? 🚀

In a tech-driven world where precision is valued, BLUF becomes a secret weapon. It ensures your message gets noticed in the digital noise. By adopting BLUF, tech leaders cultivate a culture of writing that is concise and impactful. This technique enhances your ability to influence decision-makers, making your voice heard in the crowded tech corridors.

Example: Consider drafting a proposal for a new project. With BLUF, you can present the project’s benefits and potential challenges in the opening lines, instantly capturing decision-makers attention.

Tips to Keep in Mind About Implementing BLUF 📌

• Know Your Audience:  Tailor your BLUF communication to resonate with your tech-savvy audience’s specific needs and concerns.
• Practice Conciseness:  Embrace brevity without sacrificing clarity. Eliminate unnecessary jargon and focus on delivering a clear, actionable message.
• Iterate and Refine:  As with any skill, mastering BLUF takes practice. Solicit feedback and continuously refine your communication approach.

Practical examples: Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) technique 📝

Email subject – revised project deadline.

• BLUF:  Due to client requests, the project deadline is September 15th.
• Details:  Following our recent client meeting, they emphasized the need for an earlier campaign launch. Consequently, we must recalibrate our timeline and prioritize tasks accordingly. Please review your responsibilities and inform us of any potential challenges.

Meeting Time Adjustment Notice

• BLUF:  Due to scheduling conflicts, tomorrow’s team meeting has been rescheduled to 3:00 PM.
• Details:  Recognizing a scheduling overlap with the department-wide training session, I’ve revised the meeting time to 3:00 PM in the same conference room. Kindly update your calendars and come prepared with your weekly updates.

Policy Modification Alert

• BLUF:  Starting next month, all expense reports must reach us by the 5th of the following month.
• Details:  As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance financial processes, the finance department has revised the expense report policy. This alteration ensures prompt reimbursements and facilitates better budget tracking. You’ll find attached a detailed guide on the submission process.

When you incorporate the Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) technique into these scenarios, you not only streamline communication but you also enhance the impact of your message. Whether conveying project updates, rescheduling meetings , or notifying policy changes, the BLUF approach ensures that the core message is presented clearly and promptly, facilitating efficient understanding in our dynamic tech environment. Integrate BLUF into your daily communication to amplify your leadership efficacy amidst the rapid pace of the tech sector.

Conclusion 🎓

In the ever-evolving tech landscape, effective communication is not just a skill—it’s a strategic advantage. BLUF equips first-time tech leaders with the ability to cut through the noise, convey messages with precision, and exert influence within their organizations. Embrace BLUF, cultivate a culture of impactful writing, and watch your communication skills drive your tech leadership journey.

Ready to revolutionize your communication style? Start implementing BLUF today and witness its transformative impact on your effectiveness as a tech leader. Your journey to mastering BLUF begins now—communicate with clarity and influence with precision. Elevate your tech leadership game.

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BUS610: Business Intelligence and Analytics

BLUF is the acronym for Bottom Line Up Front, a method of placing conclusions at the beginning rather than the end. The alternative is BLAB (Bottom Line at Bottom); most managers hate this.

BLUF in digital communication

Digital communication follow a different set of norms than direct mail for emails requires brevity and clarity of message contents at which the BLUF framework is most applicable. At present 66% of consumers open their messages thru mobile devices hence making us to realize how to optimize our writing for mobile email consumption. An email patterned in BLUF declares the purpose of the email and action required. The subject of the email states exactly what the email is about. The body of the message should quickly answer the five W's: who, what, where, when, and why. The first few sentences explains the purpose and reason of the email and continues to give supporting details. Message conveyed must be clear if simply for information or requiring action. This help email recipients grasp and retain the message. Thus, an effective BLUF distills the most important information for the reader (receiver of the message).

The nature of BLUF writing is short and concise hence, it helps reduce time most especially in the decision-making process.

Below is an example of a traditional narrative email between colleagues who try to solve a problem:

Over the course of working on the new project, we've encountered some challenges working with the data. When we try to take table A from Database 1 and load it into Database 2, we are getting an error. So far, we've tried a few methods we found online here and here but nothing seems to work. Do you have any experience with this type of data transfer? If not do you know anyone else that has experience converting Oracle data to SQL Server?

As the example reflected, the sender's query came to an end. Further, no information on what kind of error and even gave several links to the receiver instead of elaborating the methods and put a technical detail after asking for help.

Let us compare it to the BLUF email version below:

Do you know who can help us convert Oracle data to SQL Server? This is for the new project and we've encountered some challenges…

In the second message, the receiver already knows if he can help or he needs the assistance of another colleague. This will lead to a faster decision-making process.

At first, you need ample time to get used to this kind of writing style but in the end, you will find that it is better and more effective than the traditional one. As Marino puts it, "Brevity for readers doesn't always translate to brevity for the writer".

The Persimmon Group had revealed that nearly 30% of our workday has been dedicated to reading and answering email; and about 40% of their time in the meeting. This has also been still rising due to the continuous integration of technology in the business field as part of their processes. While during the pandemic, about 13.5% is the increase of the number of meetings per person according to the data of National Bureau of Economic Research. Then, about 11.5% less time of employees spent their time in meetings during the post-lock down. BLUF as a military way to shorten the message can also help the business industry and the workers to make their workload easier. Poor communication is costing a lot of money and time. But through BLUF, they can save through simplifying words and messages in any communication strategies and tools being used in companies. BLUF makes you even more an effective communicator.

Beyond these textual discussions, BLUF in digital communication also means conveying data. This includes making a presentation filled with facts and figures. If your subject matter requires a deep dive into hard numbers and devilish details, there is a way not to put your audience to sleep. You can enliven your presentation by beginning with a "BLUF slide" – a compelling visual image that encapsulates the overall thesis. Before presenting research data to marketers, for instance, you can show a timeline of a company's sales before and after it experienced a public relations crisis.

Use BLUF to improve your written communication

Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) is a technique for improving the speed at which written communication can be conveyed. It places the conclusions and recommendations at the beginning of a document, instead of at the end. By using BLUF, you can convey the most salient part of your document in the least amount of time.

The importance of communication

I believe that in any organization beyond a certain size, communication becomes one of the most important factors for that organization’s success. For example, it’s unlikely that as a company, you’ll solve business or technical problems without effective communication regardless of how much raw talent or business acumen you have.

An important aspect of communicating effectively is communicating quickly. For written communication, this is especially important, as documents which take too long to read are less likely to be read and hence, understood. Thus, it is important to convey the most important part of your document as soon as is possible.

I am going to focus on written communication here, because you may not be able to meet face-to-face with all the people in an organization that you wish to convey your ideas to. Thus, effective written communication is essential to getting your point across.

An example of BLUF

BLUF is most applicable when you have to present the results of something, e.g. a recommendation, decision or outcome. By starting with a BLUF, you place the most important information first. Someone who doesn’t want to read the entire document can get a good overview by reading the BLUF opening; someone who wants to dive deeper can get a good background that will prepare them to understand the rest of the details in the document.

Here is an example:

Our existing SOAP API was an impediment to onboarding new customers because few of them have familarity with this older protocol. To provide a path forward for these clients, we have decided* to adopt GraphQL for the next version of our API . This will greatly reduce their onboarding friction, and has the potential to benefit existing customers as well. The alternatives we considered are outlined below, along with our reasoning for choosing GraphQL over them. REST: While REST is ubiquitous, it had several drawbacks for our use cases that GraphQL did not. Namely, … … XML-RPC: This was not seriously considered, because it was essentially the precursor to SOAP, and hence our clients unfamiliar with SOAP would be unfamiliar with this as well. …

* May be replaced with “we recommend” if you are not in a decision-maker role

The opening paragraph above provides the BLUF: It begins with a concise explanation of the situation and problem, and then jumps right into what was decided or recommended. The reader is then directed towards further details to support the decision. While this is admittedly a bit of a contrived example, I’ve found that many documents can be rephrased in this manner.

Contrast the BLUF example above, with this decidedly non-BLUF document:

To replace our SOAP API, which has been the basis for our API since its original inception, we investigated several alternatives: REST: REST stands for REpresentational State Transfer and is a defacto standard when it comes to web APIs. For this reason, it was our initial first choice. However, when we started looking at GraphQL, it became clear that … … GraphQL: GraphQL is a relatively new language that has several advantages over REST. These advantages are: … … XML-RPC: This standard is even older than SOAP, and has few benefits… … Based on the reasoning provided above, it is clear that GraphQL provides the most flexibility and furthermore, is well understood by our API partners, clients, and customers. By contrast, SOAP is an outdated protocol understood by few nowadays. By adopting GraphQL in the next version of our API, we will be able to reduce onboarding time, enabling new customers to begin using our service without much technical support from our team. Therefore, we decided to use GraphQL for V2 of the API.

While this document eventually conveys all the same information as the previous, the order in which the information is presented does not make it easy to digest. The first line indicates that we are “replac[ing] our SOAP API” , but why is this being done? No context is provided. Also, it’s unclear whether this document is going to just list some suggestions, or give a recommendation. Furthermore, you are forced to read through a list of all the alternatives in order to understand which one was selected.

This document flows more like a stream-of-consciousness that was written as the process unfolded. While there is nothing wrong with keeping notes (you should!), you should also take the time to edit those notes into a cohesive document.

Use BLUF to provide context

The golden rule of technical writing is to put yourself in the reader’s shoes: If you did not have context on the situation, but needed to be informed of an important development, what would be the most clear way to have that explained to you?

This is actually harder than it seems. It is easy to forget that the context we have may not be the context that the reader has. We have become too involved in the particular details of the task that we take for granted the background knowledge that others may not have. ( “Of course the SOAP API needs to be replaced! It’s SOAP and no one uses that!" ) You need to take a step back, and try to understand your audience before you start writing - because you are writing for them, not for yourself.

Providing sufficient BLUF context without drowning the reader in details is tricky, which is why I recommend you ask someone to review your BLUF opening. It shouldn’t take them too long. If it does, you probably have too much in your BLUF opening! You need only to provide enough context so that the explanation of your decision (the BLUF) makes sense to the reader.

Use BLUF whenever possible

BLUF excels when you need to convey recommendations, conclusions, or the outcomes a decision. As such, it’s applicable for a wide range of technical communication:

• Design Documents : What problem is the given design trying to address? Why was it selected? What assumptions were made when this decision was made? These are some aspects that can be included in a BLUF here.
• Post-Mortems : When a service disruption happens, you often want to review how the situation was handled after it was resolved. A post-mortem should start off with a summary that can act as the BLUF: It should address, at a minimum: What happened? Why did it happen? What could we have done better? What actions will we take to reduce the chance of this happening again? The body of the document can then dive into each of these in detail. Furthermore, for post-mortems to be effective in the long-run, they should be blameless .
• Emails requesting an action by the reader : What needs to be done? Why does it need to be done? When does it have to be done by? A BLUF in this sort of email can begin with a short explanation of each of the above, and then provide further details below.

Using a BLUF style is also important when you collectively need to make a decision. For example, under the RAPID Framework , the Decider (the “D” in RAPID) will need to get accurate information from the other participants (in particular, the Recommenders) to inform their ultimate choice. Being able to communicate quickly and effectively is thus paramount in these situations.

Further technical writing tips

Writing, like almost any skill, takes practice to improve. By continually writing and getting feedback from others, you will be able to improve your writing, and hence your ability to communicate technically. Using a BLUF style can be one effective tool in your writing kit, but it is far from the only one.

I would also consider studying the topic of writing itself. For example, if you’ve taken a writing course, you may have heard about the four main types or styles of writing: Expository, Descriptive, Persuasive, and Narrative . In technical writing, you are usually concerned with the expository (explaining concepts and facts) and persuasive (arguing for your point-of-view) types.

While you generally won’t be writing in a narrative style, you still have to ensure that your document flows properly. Now, whether a document flows well is a bit of a subjective matter, but here are some points to consider:

• Transitions : Does the presentation of subject matter transition logically from one concept to another? For example, if you are describing a proposed change in a system, the reason for why the change is needed should have already been communicated. The reader shouldn’t be wondering why.
• Section ordering : Does the reader have to flip back and forth between multiple sections in order to understand a concept you’re explaining? If so, can that be eliminated or reduced by changing the ordering of sections?
• Be consistent, and avoid ambiguity : If you refer to a concept by a certain name (e.g. “the FooBar component”), use the exact same name in all other references to avoid creating confusion. Furthermore, any terms you use in your document that don’t have a common meaning (or that differ from the common meaning) should be clearly defined.

Your aim should be to ensure that a reading of your document produces no surprises; the reader should not have to wait until the very end to understand where you are going with your text. This is in contrast to a story, where you usually want to build suspense, and slowly reveal details until drawing back the curtains on the exciting conclusion; in technical writing, you should aim for the opposite!

(Note: Sometimes telling a personal anecdote is great way to create a hook into your topic - but this should be used sparingly and with great care, and is better suited as the intro to a technical presentation, rather than in purely written communication.)

I’ve tried to keep this article focused on just the BLUF style, but went a bit off track on providing other writing tips that I’ve felt were useful. Part of the reason for this is that writing is something that is interesting to me, and is also a skill that I’m working on to improve.

I believe it’s important to build a culture that values written communication , and a big part of that is making sure that everyone can write effectively.

A full overview of technical writing is well beyond the scope of this article, and so if you are interested in more, here are some references I’ve used:

• Michigan State University - Technical Writing Guide
• Sentence Structure of Technical Writing
• Style Guides for Technical Writers

I hope that you enjoyed this article, and thanks for taking the time to read!

Bottom Line Up Front BLUF

Explore what Bottom Line Up Front BLUF means for your meetings. Learn more about its definitions, best practices, and real-world examples to enhance your meeting effectiveness. Dive into the importance, challenges, and solutions for each term.

In the modern fast-paced professional environment, the ability to communicate effectively and make an impact within a limited timeframe is highly valued. The term Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) has gained prominence as a strategic approach to communication, especially in the context of meetings. This section will delve into the essence of BLUF and its significance in professional communication, particularly in meetings and briefings.

Briefly introduce Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)

At its core, Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) is a communication principle that emphasizes the delivery of key information or the primary message at the outset of a conversation or document. This approach ensures that the audience grasps the most critical details immediately, facilitating efficient understanding and decision-making.

Relevance of BLUF in Meetings and Professional Communication

In meetings, the ability to convey essential information swiftly and succinctly is essential for maintaining engagement and achieving desired outcomes. BLUF enables participants to focus on the primary message from the onset, fostering productive discussions and reducing the risk of misinterpretation or information overload.

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Definition of bottom line up front (bluf)

At its core, Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) is a communication principle that emphasizes the delivery of key information or the primary message at the outset of a conversation or document. This approach ensures that the audience grasps the most critical details immediately, facilitating efficient understanding and decision-making. It is synonymous with the BLUF Principle .

Importance of bottom line up front (bluf) in meetings

In the context of meetings, the application of Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) serves multiple crucial purposes, all of which contribute to the effectiveness of communication and decision-making:

Clarity : By presenting the primary message upfront, BLUF ensures that the purpose and key points of the meeting are immediately evident to all participants.

Engagement : BLUF captures the audience's attention from the outset, setting a clear direction for the meeting and facilitating active participation.

Efficiency : The upfront delivery of essential information streamlines discussions, minimizing the risk of digressions and lengthy explanations.

Impact : By presenting the bottom line upfront, BLUF reinforces the significance of the conveyed information, making it more memorable and impactful.

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Examples of how bottom line up front (bluf) applies in real-world meeting scenarios

Consider a scenario where a project manager is leading a presentation to stakeholders about a new initiative. By employing BLUF, the project manager begins by succinctly articulating the primary objectives and anticipated outcomes of the initiative. This upfront approach ensures that the audience comprehends the core purpose of the presentation, setting the stage for a focused and productive discussion.

During decision-making meetings, BLUF can prove instrumental in ensuring that all participants are aligned with the key factors influencing the decision at hand. By presenting the essential information upfront, the meeting remains focused on the pivotal aspects, expediting the decision-making process and minimizing the likelihood of misunderstandings.

Executives often face time constraints and information overload. When communicating with high-level executives, employing BLUF in email correspondence allows the sender to deliver the primary message concisely, ensuring that it captures the recipients' attention and facilitates prompt decision-making.

In client pitch meetings, the application of BLUF is paramount for capturing the clients' interest and effectively conveying the value proposition. By presenting the core benefits and differentiation upfront, the pitch resonates more profoundly with the clients, maximizing the potential for successful outcomes.

Team meetings for project status updates benefit significantly from the utilization of BLUF. By commencing with a concise overview of the project's status and critical developments, BLUF ensures that the team members are promptly informed of the essential updates, fostering efficient and contextually relevant discussions.

Best practices of bottom line up front (bluf)

To effectively leverage Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) in professional settings, individuals and organizations can adopt the following best practices:

Know Your Audience : Understanding the audience's preferences and priorities allows communicators to tailor the upfront message effectively, ensuring its resonance with the recipients.

Conciseness : Maintaining brevity while encapsulating the core message is essential to the successful application of BLUF; unnecessary details should be omitted to streamline communication.

Clarity and Directness : The upfront message should be articulated with absolute clarity and directness to ensure that its significance is immediately evident to the recipients.

Relevance : It is vital to ensure that the BLUF message is contextually relevant, aligning with the immediate objectives of the communication and the recipients' needs.

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Challenges and solutions

The adoption of Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) is not without its challenges, but these obstacles can be effectively mitigated through strategic approaches and conscious efforts. Let's explore some common challenges related to BLUF in meeting settings, along with practical solutions for addressing them:

Common Challenges Associated with Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)

Resistance to Change : Some individuals or organizations may exhibit reluctance to adopt BLUF due to ingrained communication habits or resistance to change.

Complex Information : Communicating intricate or multifaceted information upfront in a concise manner can pose a challenge, especially in technical or specialized domains.

Perceived Rudeness : In certain cultural or professional contexts, the upfront delivery of information might be misconstrued as rudeness or brevity.

Practical Solutions and Workarounds

Change Management : Implementing BLUF necessitates a gradual transition, coupled with effective change management strategies to instill a culture of upfront communication.

Structuring Information : Breaking down complex information into digestible components and prioritizing the most critical aspects can streamline its upfront communication effectively.

Cultural Sensitivity and Context : Sensitizing communicators and recipients to the value and implications of BLUF within specific contexts can mitigate the perception of rudeness.

In essence, embracing the concept of Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) as a communication strategy can significantly enhance the efficacy and impact of meetings and professional interactions. By prioritizing the upfront delivery of key information, individuals and organizations can elevate their communicative effectiveness, fostering greater engagement, clarity, and efficiency in diverse professional contexts.

Step-by-step guide to implementing bottom line up front (bluf)

Crafting a bluf message

Identify Key Information : Determine the pivotal information that must be conveyed in the communication or meeting.

Prioritize Key Points : Establish the priority of the identified information, ensuring that the most critical aspects are presented upfront.

Draft a Succinct Message : Articulate the core message concisely, focusing on clarity, brevity, and resonance with the intended recipients.

Review and Refine : Ensure that the BLUF message remains aligned with the immediate objectives and is devoid of superfluous details. Refine the message for maximum impact.

Do's and dont's of bottom line up front (bluf)

People also ask (faq).

What are the common mistakes to avoid when using bluf?

The primary mistake to avoid when employing BLUF is the inability to prioritize and articulate the core message succinctly. Overcomplicating the upfront communication or neglecting the contextual relevance can also undermine the effectiveness of BLUF.

How can bluf contribute to more efficient meetings?

BLUF ensures that meetings commence with a clear and focused agenda, thereby minimizing digressions and enabling more productive discussions. By streamlining information delivery, BLUF promotes heightened efficiency in meetings.

Are there instances where using bluf may not be suitable?

While BLUF is invaluable for conveying essential information succinctly, contexts that demand comprehensive detail and thorough explanations may not be conducive to its application. In such cases, a more comprehensive communication approach may be necessary.

How can one practice and improve their bluf communication skills?

Practicing BLUF involves consciously structuring communication to commence with the most critical information. Regularly evaluating the effectiveness of upfront communication and seeking feedback can significantly aid in honing BLUF skills.

Can bluf be utilized in written communication outside of meetings?

Absolutely. In written communication, such as emails and reports, BLUF plays a fundamental role in capturing the recipients' attention and ensuring the efficient delivery of key information, aligning with the principles of effective BLUF communication.

By incorporating the principles of Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) into professional communication, individuals and organizations can elevate the clarity, impact, and efficacy of their interactions, ultimately contributing to more purposeful and productive meetings and engagements.

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BLUF! A Great Method to Get Your Message Across

Bluf: put the main takeaway – the bottom line – of your message at its very beginning., bluf what on earth is that.

BLUF stands for “Bottom Line Up Front”. It is a term coined, apparently, in the US Army, and it denotes a model for effective message writing. The idea is to reverse the usual method, where you first present your case, your arguments and justifications, and then – at the end – draw the conclusions or decisions. Instead you put the conclusion, the main thing you need the reader to understand, at the very beginning of the message; then you can provide more details.

The content of the BLUF would typically include – in a very concise form – the answers to the five W’s: What, Where, When, Who and Why, or a subset of these as makes sense. In an organization that uses this method, the paragraph would begin with the actual term BLUF, thus:

BLUF: Starting June 12, all meetings in the company will end 5 minutes before the hour or half hour, to allow people to get to their next meeting on time.

Variations on a theme

There are many methods to draw attention to the key parts of a message; you can highlight key sentences with color or a bold font, and so on. The advantage of BLUF of course is that you don’t need to scan a long document to see what’s highlighted – you run into it right at the start, so there’s no way you can miss it. It also forces the sender to think what the key message is and phrase it succinctly, which results in better focus.

Incidentally, BLUF isn’t the only such system used by the US Army (and, thus, denoted by an acronym). They also use BLIND, a method which requires that the email start with the elements:

• BL = Bottom Line
• I = Impact on the organization
• N = Next steps to be taken
• D = Details

However, BLUF is simpler and probably just as effective in most cases.

In a sense, the best BLUF style message is one that only contains the BLUF paragraph and nothing else; and better yet, if the takeaway is very short, you can stick this in the subject line (and terminate it with <EOM>, for End-of-Message, to indicate that the body is empty). Less is more!

Tips for managers: driving adoption

Of course, it isn’t enough to have a good structure concept for emails: you want to have everyone in your organization adopt the concept in practice, thereby making their coworkers more productive. This is always difficult, people being people – obstinate, habit-bound and too busy (and selfish) to bother optimizing their messages. There are a number of approaches you can take here, as a manager:

• You can tell people to do it – tell them, train them, send them directives, and so on. Of course, your mileage may vary – considerably.
• You can role model by including a BLUF in all the messages you emit. Naturally, the more senior you are, the more effect this will have.
• You can enforce the talk by refusing to read (and returning to sender) any message that fails to have the BLUF section. If you are the boss, this will do the trick.
• You can install technology that will enforce the correct usage. This is what I call Technology Assisted Behavior Change, and I covered it at length here . The Intel Email Effectiveness Coach (IEEC) described in that post did not enforce BLUF, but it did suggest adding a Management Summary to lengthy emails, which comes close (the difference being that a BLUF paragraph doesn’t intend to summarize the entire message, only its bottom line).

Tips for individuals: solo adoption

OK, you say – but what can you do if you are not a manager, and the manager above you doesn’t intend to enforce BLUF usage across your group?

The BLUF method is one of those cases where solo adoption still makes sense. It is not dependent on others; nothing’s stopping you from using it in your outgoing messages as of this very day. The benefit to others also brings a benefit to your own work, since recipients are more likely to do what you want them to do when they can quickly get the gist of your emails. If the term BLUF is not familiar in your group, you can instead prefix the paragraph with Bottom Line instead of BLUF . Or you could use BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) , which is sure to draw attention and get others to adopt the system. You’re welcome to link the phrase to this blog post by way of an explanation.

But the greater effect will come if you can get this method used across your entire organization, and I encourage you to try and get BLUF adopted in this manner – once your coworkers see it in action in your own mail, you can bring it up with management or in a team meeting and start evangelizing !

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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