bluf presentation format

1.858.217.5144

Start your project

Put Your Best Foot Forward: BLUF Presentations

communication model

presentation tips

Presentations

public speaking

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Aug 04, 2015

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

Other popular articles

How to Visualize Your Startup ‘Business Model’ Slide

December 17, 2024

The Benefits of Visualizing a ‘Sales Distribution Strategy’ Slide

December 16, 2024

Can Customer Journey Maps Influence Investor Decision-Making?

December 15, 2024

The Need to Visualize a ‘Cost-Benefit Analysis’ Slide

December 14, 2024

The Right Ways to Use Clustered Column Charts in a ‘Competitor’ Slide

December 13, 2024

Do Bullet Points in a ‘Solution’ Slide Actually Work?

December 12, 2024

24×7 Design Services

BLUF Meaning: How Military Writing Can Improve Your Content

Utilizing specific military techniques for writing reports and documents can help improve content readability and improve reader response. In addition, it makes it easier to understand context from the beginning.

Content writer

Need content for your business? Find top writers on WriterAccess!

Capturing the attention of consumers with your content is becoming more and more difficult every day.

Busy schedules and decreasing attention spans are burying your best messages.

Since consumers now spend more time scanning, you’ll need to find a way to leap out at them and snag their attention quickly.

Enter the military writing standard: BLUF.

When it comes to crafting content, the last thing you may be thinking about is utilizing military order. While the two sound as if they could never go hand in hand, you may find that the BLUF technique can serve you well.

You don’t have to be a five-star general to make the BLUF technique work.

Gain control over your  content marketing  by reading more below about this technique and how it can benefit you and your brand.

Introduction to BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)

If you or someone you know serves (or served) in the military, you may already be aware that these organizations consistently employ acronyms.

The BLUF acronym stands for  bottom line up front .

Essentially, BLUF is  a structure that presents the conclusion at the beginning of a piece of content.  This technique gives the reader a clear understanding of what is included in the document.

It does not mean, however, repeating your bottom line at the top of the document.

Also, BLUF is not a summary of your overall content.

BLUF is the actual conclusion of the content upfront.

In most cases, it is even tagged with BLUF at the very beginning. For example:

BLUF: Website conversions for the month of July are down slightly, which has a significant correlation between summer holidays and the high percentage of our target market being on vacation during this time period.

Jan-Erik Asplund of Animalz  puts it this way.

“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.”

BLUF originated in military communications and slowly found its way into professional and business writing once its efficiency, effectiveness, and value were realized. Today, you can find examples of BLUF in both journalism and academia.

Overall, the  true purpose of BLUF is to improve clarity and efficiency in communication .

Today’s consumers are busy, and they value their time. Providing the main point clearly and precisely snags their attention and piques their curiosity.

BLUF in Military Training and Guidelines

So, where does it come from? 

The BLUF Technique is actually included in military guidelines and training. 

This shouldn’t surprise anyone who is familiar with how organizations like the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force operate and their reliance on formal guidelines.

For those who are curious, BLUF is specifically mentioned in Army Regulation 25–50 : Information Management: Records Management: Preparing and Managing Correspondence .

In chapter one, it outlines how individuals should use this style to create all reports, documents, emails, and memos.

Remember, the goal is to try to save time for commanders who are in the field or otherwise need information more quickly. 

This is why the BLUF Technique is formally part of the process of creating documents in a military setting.

Key Benefits of Using BLUF

Simply put, BLUF is  a concise framework to help you create effective messaging.

The top benefits of using BLUF, whether in business writing or content marketing, include:

• Clarity : BLUF presents the main point clearly and immediately. Readers will grasp your idea right away without having to dig through pages of text.
• Efficiency : BLUF saves time by getting straight to the point. By sharing the conclusion first, you guide your audience through the details that helped you reach your conclusion more efficiently.
• Engagement : Capturing the reader’s attention early increases the likelihood of them reading the entire message. Once engaged, your audience will want to learn more about how you reached the key determination presented at the start.

Why Should You Learn How to BLUF?

By learning to keep your most important information up front, you give your readers and website visitors the data they need to make key decisions more quickly and effectively.

In turn, this can lead to a higher conversion rate and an improved time on page — simply due to the fact that they know very quickly whether the content you’re providing should answer their questions or give additional information that they didn’t already have access to.

And this process works in other areas besides just written content, too.

It’s a great practice for business and sales presentations, where giving the customer the most important information in the very beginning could save you both a ton of time and effort. 

Especially if that’s the only thing they need before making a purchase decision.

And it can also be used in formatting website pages, advertisements , and other pieces of content.

Simply, by giving your audience or lead what they need to make a decision or take a stance from the very beginning, all you have to do is fill in the details from there. 

In turn, this saves time and effort.

Formatting BLUF in Your Content Writing

Do you need to tag every opening statement with BLUF?

Not really. It depends on the type of content and your overall buyer persona .

If you’re simply writing an article for your website, then you could tag the top paragraph with the words bottom line or similar.

But if your target customer is someone who might have been in the military in the past, you could go ahead and use BLUF. They’ll likely know what you’re talking about and appreciate the nod.

You can also use a special visual call-out box , which makes it easier for your audience to spot right away.

And it is also important to understand that there are times when you do not want to use BLUF as a writing technique.

Why? It can sometimes come off as cold or impersonal.

If you’re trying to create a conversational tone or persuade someone to do something, then it might not be the best option.

However, at times when you’re attempting to report detailed information or create explanations of events and concepts, BLUF is very useful.

How to Implement BLUF in Writing

When implementing BLUF in your  content creation , formatting is just as important as the text itself. Consider the following best practices for success:

1. Place the Main Point First.

Begin with critical information. To determine the key message or desired action, learn more audience and the topic itself.

Steps to help include:

• Conducting keyword research
• Analyzing readers’ search intent
• Gathering data
• Talking to subject matter experts

2. Provide Supporting Details

Follow up with necessary details, background, and context. Elaborate on the issue and how you reached your conclusion, without using long-winded or flowery language.

3. Be Concise.

Avoid wordiness and long explanations. Keep your writing tight and concise. However, keep in mind that you are not writing, in most cases, for a military audience. You may need to soften up the typical BLUF tone or else you may come off as cold.

Examples of BLUF

Improving your writing skills  is essential today, or you can easily hire a  content writing service  to help. Below are examples of BLUF in different contexts to help you see how the technique works.

In your  emails , begin with a straightforward yet compelling subject line. Follow this with an opening line that conveys the key finding or benefit. From there, add supporting information, using scannable subheadings and bullet points when possible.

For example:

• Subject Line: Permission to Add You to Our New Customer Loyalty Program
• Bottom Line: On June 1 st , we will be opening our customer loyalty program to new customers. Will you be one of those new members?
• Background: As someone who has purchased or interacted with our brand in the past, we would like to invite you to join our new loyalty program. Here’s what you need to know to begin enjoying the information and benefits that go along with it.

Instead of beginning with an introduction and following with a traditional format, start with your key findings or recommendations.

• BLUF: To increase lead generation in 2024, most brands will need to invest up to 20% more in digital marketing strategies.

Presentations

At the beginning of a presentation, share the main takeaway or call to action. This lets your audience know that you are knowledgeable about what you are presenting. It can also grab their attention and make them curious to hear more.

• BLUF: Research shows that giving praise or admiration is more productive than giving criticism or negative feedback when it comes to motivating employees.

Real-World Applications

To gain a clearer understanding of the value of BLUF, take a look at these real-world examples.

Business Communications

Companies like Animalz use BLUF to streamline content and also to create a sense of urgency when needed. They often use emails to reach out to clients and use the bottom line upfront method to request action, for example, setting up a meeting to discuss the client’s needs or to solve a particular issue. In other words, they aren’t afraid to get to the point immediately.

Educational Resources

Carnegie Mellon University champions the use of BLUF in academic writing. The university even hands out a resource to students on the topic, as you can see  here .

Professional Development

BLUF’s impact on professional communication continues to grow. You can find BLUF being discussed in various places online, including articles shared on  Medium  as well as the  Lucid Meetings  website.

How Does BLUF Help Your Writing?

The process of using the BLUF Technique in your writing offers several benefits.

➤ First, it gives you the main focus upfront. 

This allows you to stay on that same train of thought without getting sidetracked along the way.

➤ In addition, it can make it easier to fill in the details of what you’re trying to communicate, sell, or even explain when you already have an idea of the final outcome. 

Think of it as spoiling the ending before you’ve even started the introduction paragraph.

➤ Finally, it makes your overall writing tighter and more succinct. 

In certain business documents, using fluff and flowery language isn’t appropriate. BLUF helps eliminate that issue by putting everything out front first.

While BLUF isn’t ideal for every circumstance, it can be a good option for business reports, emails, or highly technical documents where getting to the main point swiftly is incredibly important.

Additional Tips to Keep in Mind About Implementing BLUF

For someone who has always used the bottom line at bottom (BLAB) technique, it might be difficult to instantly switch to BLUF. 

And that’s perfectly understandable.

To help you make the transition, here are a few additional tips to keep in mind about implementing BLUF.

BLUF Isn’t Always a Good Idea

There are certain times when you want to keep your conversation casual, build suspense, or increase rapport. 

In that case, BLUF probably isn’t your best option.

Putting Bottom Line is Better for Factual Content

Persuasive content isn’t always a good idea for BLUF. 

When you risk alienating your reader by including your controversial position in the beginning, you should usually skip it. 

However, the process is excellent where you’re using the BLUF statement to quickly summarize facts, such as in an incident report.

BLUF Can Seem Cold in Tone

There’s a reason why the technique is preferred by the military. 

It is quick, swift, and mostly unemotional — all elements necessary in a battlefield-centric niche.

For those engaging in marketing, this can be seen as a negative, making it important to choose wisely when to utilize it.

Conclusion: Benefit by Using BLUF at the Right Time

If you’re looking for a  better way to write  business emails and other precision content, starting with the BLUF technique is a good idea.

Be sure it is the right fit for your overall tone, audience, and information delivery system first.

With BLUF, you can convey information quickly and help your readers focus while providing details to support your conclusion or recommendation.

Placing the bottom line up front can lead to better understanding and faster decision-making on behalf of your readers.

Scale Your Content With The Help of WriterAccess

Crafting the various forms of content you need today takes time and skill. Help, however, is not far away. Whether you wish to make your writing more powerful with the BLUF technique or need help scaling your overall content, WriterAccess is here to help. Try our  14-day free trial  today.

Human Crafted Content

Find top content freelancers on WriterAccess .

Subscribe to our blog

Sign up to receive Rock Content blog posts

Related Posts

100 editions of The Beat: Behind the scenes of our interactive marketing newsletter

From Meta to Cara: Where Artists Reclaim Their Creative Freedom

More in SEO

Infographics and Visualizations as Tools For the Mind

Google Announces New Features For Its Chatbot Bard. What Is The Impact On SEO?

Want a Dog? Use Content Marketing!

Order badass content with WriterAccess . Just as we do.

Find +15,000 skilled freelance writers, editors, content strategists, translators, designers and more for hire.

Want to receive more brilliant content like this for free ?

Sign up to receive our content by email and be a member of the Rock Content Community!

Talk to an expert and enhance your company’s marketing results.

Rock Content offers solutions for producing high-quality content, increasing organic traffic, building interactive experiences, and improving conversions that will transform the outcomes of your company or agency. Let’s talk.

• © 2013-2023 Rock Content
• Privacy Policy

A Better Way to BLUF

By Jeffrey Pool 

In the federal government, staff are often instructed to state the main point at the very start of a document or presentation. This practice, known as the “bottom line up front” (or the BLUF), helps improve clarity and ease of reading. On its own, the BLUF can be a powerful statement–but will the intended audience learn enough from it to take informed action? 

When staff make concise, direct writing their top priority, they risk leaving out context that is essential to making informed decisions. Therefore, if they present a solid BLUF that appears to stand on its own to time-constrained senior leaders, it is understandable that the leaders will make decisions based on the BLUF alone. But what if leaders require more context to truly understand the effects or consequences of their decision? 

When presenting complex material or laying out multiple courses of action to key leaders, staff should provide some indication, however brief, of how they developed their recommendations and what outcomes they anticipate. These ideas should flow logically through to their conclusion. This also helps avoid misunderstandings when the remarks make their way to a broader audience than the staff originally intended. 

So, how can federal personnel and leaders benefit from the directness of the BLUF while minimizing the communication gaps of its front-loaded approach? By applying the following best practices: 

Understand the knowledge level of the audience.

Consider whether the audience comprises well-informed experts or are new to the topic. If they are novices, take some time to set a scene and explain any arcane concepts or jargon. 

Know the audience’s learning style.

Find out if the leader typically asks for a read-ahead and whether they use it. If the answer is yes to both, great—now you know that the meeting can dive right into the decision itself in the spirit of the BLUF. However, if the answer is no, the leader may be more of an oral or visual learner and will require a more detailed discussion to ensure they make an informed decision.  

Ensure that content answers three simple questions.

Matt Abrahams of Stanford University uses a model called, “What?–So what?–Now what?” Originally developed to prompt critical reflection in education and healthcare, this structure helps writers arrange their message in a way that prepares the reader or listener to understand what message the writer is transmitting, conveys why it is important, and tells them what to do with the information (usually in the form of a roadmap or recommendations). This approach also increases the likelihood that secondary audiences, those who will be implementing the decisions, clearly understand the whole concept. Now every reader (or listener) will have a summary statement, necessary scene setters, an explanation of why the issue warrants executive attention, and a roadmap or recommendation for the way forward.

Whether staff is writing to inform, to advise, or to influence, balancing the BLUF with the above three best practices will lead to clearer communication and more informed decision-making at all levels.