CASE

COMPETITIONS
THE ULTIMATE GUIDEBOOK

2024
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This booklet represents the collaborative effort of the entire IFSA LSR team. We extend our
heartfelt appreciation to the following individuals for their unwavering support and cooperation
which have been instrumental in crafting this comprehensive resource. This booklet draws from
a wealth of successful strategies, innovative solutions, and effective presentation techniques that
have proven triumphant in various prestigious case competitions. By compiling these insights, we
aim to provide students with a robust toolkit for tackling complex business problems, developing
compelling recommendations, and delivering persuasive presentations.

Written by:

1. Aanya Maheshwari
2. Akshata Kalyanaraman
3. Apoorva Jain
4. Asmi Chawla
5. Bhavya Agarwal
6. Dhaani Sood
7. Jiya Agarwal
8. Mishka Narang
9. Pakhi Priya
10. Rupali Bhalla
11. Sana Gupta
12. Sanya Rao
13. Unnati Hirwani

Designed by:

1. Aditi Gagrani
2. Gitan Chopra
3. Gunjan Arora
4. Navya Garg
5. Pakhi Priya
6. Saumya Gupta
7. Shreyanshi Khowal
8. Tamanna Sharma
9. Vaishnavi

IFSA-LSR
 INDEX

CHAPTER PAGE NO.

Introduction to Case Competitions 1

Where to find Case Competitions 3

Types of Case Competitions 4

Basic Frameworks 9

Reading and Researching 19

Making the Ideal Team 23

What is required in a presentation 25

How to deal with Financials 27

Presentation making tips 31

Pitch + How to deal with Q/As 40

IFSA-LSR
 INTRODUCTION TO CASE COMPETITIONS

PURPOSE & SCOPE

Problem-Solving Strategy Team-Work

Equips participants with skills such as real-world problem-solving, strategic

analysis, and teamwork under pressure.

These competitions revolve around specific, complex business cases—

whether related to marketing, finance, or other fields—that participants
must analyze and present solutions for within a limited timeframe.

They are generally organized by universities, corporations, and professional

associations.

REAL-WORLD SIMULATION

Interdisciplinary Practical Real-Time

The competitive environment imitates the realities of the business world,

providing participants with valuable knowledge regarding the robustness of
decision-making and strategic planning.

The assigned work involves assembling interdisciplinary teams of people

with varying experiences and areas of expertise, which helps garner a
practical point of view.

FAR-REACHING BENEFITS

Articulation Analysis Growth

Case competitions are popular not just for their academic value but also for
their capacity to develop strategic planning skills and critical thinking
necessary for success in today's competitive environment.

Participants are compelled to articulate their findings concisely and

convincingly while conveying complex ideas with clarity, contributing
holistically to their personal development.

IF S A -LSR IN T R ODUCTION T O C A S E C O MP E T I T I O N S page 01

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 REASONS TO PARTICIPATE

Engaging in case competitions offers a unique opportunity to sharpen professional skills,

enhance problem-solving abilities, and prepare for the demands of the workplace. Beyond
this, these experiences foster personal growth, pushing participants to think critically,
collaborate effectively, and develop a well-rounded perspective that serves them in both
their careers and personal lives.

HONE YOUR DEVELOPS PROFESSIONAL

SKILLS PERSONALITY EDGE

DEVELOP ANALYTICAL GAIN CONFIDENCE HELPS BUILD A

SKILLS AND LEADERSHIP STELLAR RESUME

ENHANCED IMPROVED NETWORK WITH

RESEARCH SKILLS COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONALS

PROBLEM EXCEL & POWERPOINT EXPOSURE TO

SOLVING SKILLS SKILLS INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

IF S A -LSR IN T R ODUCTION T O C A S E C O MP E T I T I O N S page 02

 SOURCES TO FIND CASE COMPETITIONS

UNSTOP
Formerly known as Dare2Compete, Unstop is a platform
designed for individuals new to case events and hosts the
majority of college-level competitions.

REPUTED COLLEGE WEBSITES

Ivy Leagues, IIMs, IITs and other B-Schools host some of the
most competitive case competitions.

COLLEGE WHATSAPP GROUPS

You can join college WhatsApp groups and get regular
updates about case competitions and even get follow-ups
from them.

CONSULTING COMPANIES
Firms such as EY, BCG, HSBC, etc have regular case
competitions. They use these case competitions to analyze
the contestants and hire them as interns.

LINKEDIN POSTS
Follow relevant business organizations on LinkedIn for
updates on case competitions they organize or sponsor.

INSTAGRAM SOCIETY PAGES

Use Instagram's search to find hashtags related to case
competitions, business contests, or your college's name to
discover posts about upcoming events.

IF S A -LSR IN T R ODUCTION T O C A S E C O MP E T I T I O N S page 03

 TYPES OF CASE COMPETITIONS

MARKETING
Entails issues in marketing of a product/service, resulting in lesser sales or visitors, or issues in current
market strategy.
It is expected to devise the following strategies-
Marketing strategy for the launch of a new product/service OR revamping of an older one
Designing a marketing campaign for better outreach
Identifying the target customer segment, and proposing a tailored strategy

Example: IIM Sirmaur Case PS

GROWTH
Entails issues in long/mid/short term growth, or aiming to reach X% of growth.
It is expected to -
Judge upon past performance
Identify factors affecting growth
Find ways to reach the target growth
Prepare a year-on-year comprehensive plan for achieving the target

Example: A mid-sized software startup seeks to overcome stagnant growth. The goal is to develop a
growth plan incorporating marketing and strategic partnerships.

PROFITABILITY

Entails issues in decline in revenue or rise in costs of a firm/company and finding ways to increase profits.
It is expected to analyse past performance and give strategies to-
Increase revenue (year-on-year & long term) or/and reduction in costs
Assessing whether a new product/diversification affects profits
Doing a cost-benefit analysis of any proposed solution

Example: A restaurant chain has seen profits stagnate recently despite an increase in customers,
what can be the reason?

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 TYPES OF CASE COMPETITIONS

PRICING
Entails issues of fixing a price for a newly launched product/service
It is expected to understand the product features and the industry to come up with a price, based on-
Competitor-based pricing- determining price based on
How competitors price it
Value-based pricing- determining price based on the
Demand of the product
Cost-based pricing- determining price based on the cost of the production

Example: A vaccine company recently launched COVID-19 vaccines. Devise a pricing strategy for the
same.

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

Entails cases where a company undertakes decisions to acquire/combine/merge with another company.
It is expected to do an analysis on the to-be acquired company and propose solutions like-
Feasibility of the strategic decision, in terms of costs and benefits
Relations with all the involved stakeholders
Risk assessment and mitigation

Example: A company named BGC., is planning to merge with a renowned AI startup, to increase its
potential in AI. Evaluate the same by identifying a rationale.

MARKET ENTRY
Entails cases of entering into a new market in terms of geography (new city/country), product (new
product/service or diversification), or customer segment (targeting a different customer base). It is
expected to do an analysis of the current market and the features of the company and see:
Feasibility of entering (in arenas described above)
The solution regarding the same and its short/long term impacts

Example: A leading car rental company wishes to expand into the Middle East. Is it feasible? Devise a
suitable strategy.

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 TYPES OF CASE COMPETITIONS

BUSINESS PLANS
Entails cases where one needs to lay out business’s details, like what the business does, the resources it
needs, its future trajectory, and the execution of the business plan.
It is expected to provide details on-
What the company does?
Analysis of the market the company functions in
Analysis of the competitors
How to market the existing/new products?
Long-term development plan, and feasibility of the solutions

Example: Devising a business plan for a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) set to launch in Pune (or
any other tier 1 city of India).

SOCIAL IMPACT

Entails cases centering around creating a positive social, environmental, or economic impact. Solutions are
provided to private companies, NGOs, the government and authorities It is expected to research details
such as-
The stakeholders (international/national/state/district
level) and find the impact of the solutions
Clarify beforehand what success looks like to the company or authority facing the issue
Search for practical solutions that worked in the past. If an entirely new solution: implement on
smaller scale first

Example: Gender inequality in STEM persists across India. You have to devise a strategy for Ministry of
Education, Government of India to solve this problem.

UNCONVENTIONAL
Entails cases where the solution doesn't seem to fit in any conventional framework. These range over
broader topics like crisis management (PR disaster), climate change, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)
etc. It is expected to do an analysis and identify the following-
The core issue and analysis of the overall problem
Applying frameworks only if suitable (not trying to fit in any model uselessly)
Coming up with solutions keeping the MECE approach in mind
Example: A church in Mumbai is seeing decreased donations over the past three months. What can be the
cause?

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 BASIC FRAMEWORKS AND MATRICES

WHAT THEY ENTAIL AND WHERE TO USE THEM

FRAMEWORKS
Frameworks are structured approaches to analyzing problems. They typically consist of a set of steps or
questions that guide the analysis process.

MATRICES
Matrices are visual tools used to organize and analyze information. They are typically used to compare and
contrast different options or alternatives.

GOVERNANCE ADMINISTRATION

LEGITIMACY
AND SUPPORT

OPERATIONAL
CAPACITY

EXAMPLE

BENEFITS OF USING FRAMEWORKS AND MATRICES

1 BREAK DOWN COMPLEX PROBLEMS

Frameworks and matrices help break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable
parts. This makes them easier to analyze.

2
STRUCTURED APPROACH
By providing a structured approach to analysis, frameworks and matrices can help identify the
most critical issues and focus areas.

3 IDENTIFY PATTERNS AND RELATIONSHIPS

Frameworks and matrices can help identify patterns, relationships, and opportunities that may not
be immediately apparent.

4 COMMUNICATE COMPLEX INFORMATION

Frameworks and matrices can be used to communicate complex information in a clear and
concise manner.

IF S A -LSR B A S IC FRAMEW O R K S A N D M AT R I C E S page 07

 PORTERS’S FIVE FORCES
Used to chart out the competitive landscape or forces affecting an industry and the power each
component has.

WHAT THEY ENTAIL

1 RIVALRY AMONG EXISTING COMPETITIORS

Number and diversity of competitors Quality differences in product
Industry’s growth & concentration Barriers to exit

2 BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS

Number of substitute products Relative price performance of

Buyer’s propensity to substitute substitutes
Perceived level of product
differentiation

3 THREAT OF SUBSTITUTE POWERS

Economies of scale Distribution channel access

Barriers to entry Government policies

4 BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS

Number of customers Differences between competitors
Buyer’s substituting power & available Price Sensitivity
information

5 THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS

Number of suppliers Uniqueness of supplier’s products
Size of suppliers Focal company’s ability to substitute

Where to use: industry analysis, market entry strategy, identifying areas for innovation or
understanding dynamics of profitability in an industry

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 PESTLE ANALYSIS

It involves identifying external factors that can influence a company's growth and performance. It
examines the threats and opportunities arising from the same.

POLITICAL
P Fiscal policy
Government laws
Taxes
ENVIRONMENT Stability of the govt

Environmental policies
Consumption trends
E
Production processes
Climate change impact

S SOCIAL
Demographic variables
Cultural factors
Consumer lifestyle

TECHNOLOGY
T
Consumer attitudes

Technological access
Infrastructure
Research Cyber

L
security
LEGAL
Labour laws
Industry regulations
Job security and wages
ECONOMIC
E
License/permit rules

GDP
Employment rate
Exchange rate
Inflation

Where to use: Doing research on external factors influencing an industry, in market entry cases
(such as, launch of a new product), or in marketing strategy cases (how could these external factors
impact marketing)

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 SWOT ANALYSIS

Involves analyzing the competitive position of a company. S: Strengths, W: Weaknesses, O:

Opportunities and T: Threats This framework combines the internal (SW) as well external factors (OT)
that have an impact on the company.

Personalised algorithms for Hiked prices recently

suggested shows Dependency on third-party content
Broad & diverse content library Content can disappear anytime
Original content available as well

S W

O T
Market expansion due to growing Illegal streaming
internet usage Competition from other
DVD purchase & rentals declining streaming platforms (like Hulu,
Telecom partnerships Prime, etc.)
Media company demanding
higher payment

SWOT Analysis Example of Netflix

Where to use: market entry cases (new opportunities/increase visibility in a new market), marketing
strategy cases (know where the company lacks, and what areas to focus on), growth cases (how
internal/external factors can impact a company's performance).

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THE 4P’S
Also called a “marketing mix", it is a marketing framework that companies use to market a
product to buyers.

P RODUCT
Features like packaging, customer's expectations that differentiates it from a
competitor's product.

P LACE

P
Product’s location (offline/online) and of the outlet. Involves a distribution
system: which transportation or storage channel is suited for the company.

P RICE
The right price that consumers are willing to pay and that brings in the
maximum benefit to the company.

P ROMOTION
This involves strategy regarding advertisement, and making the product
cognitively available.

4 P’s example of Starbucks

PRODUCT PRICE
A variety of caffeinated drinks and a Premium price because of the
distinct ambience unavailable before uniqueness of the American market and
Starbucks in the US. the willingness of people to pay.

PLACE PROMOTION
Establishing themselves as a coffee-to- Addresses its modern clientele using
go place, set up coffee shops in places mobile apps, social networks, and
with high frequency of customers other types of viral marketing.

Where to use: Gives overall understanding of the market landscape. However, if we go into
specifics, it is of use in marketing-related cases.

IFSA-LSR T H E 4 P’S page 11

 THE 5C’S
Involves analyzing the internal & external factors that influence a company's marketing strategy.

COMPANY CUSTOMERS
Internal factors, like: Segment base, like:
Core competency, mission & vision Target customers
Strengths and weakness Their needs and wants
Brand reputation Their purchasing behaviour
Details of product & value chains Their demography and lifestyle
Source of financial resources Customer psychographics

COMPETITORS
Focus on their profile, like:
Primary competitors
C COLLABORATORS
Multiple stakeholders, like:
Details of suppliers
Their strengths & weaknesses Details of distribution channels
Their market share Strategic partnerships
Their pricing strategy Relationship with stakeholders
Their marketing strategy Regulatory environment details

CONTEXT
Overall trends, like:
Market size and growth rate
Macroeconomic conditions
Industry trends
Technological level & access
Political and legal factors

Where to use: assess opportunities, competitive positioning and the potential collaborations in
developing marketing strategies.

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 THE 3 C’S OR CP'S
Focuses on the skills needed by a company to succeed. Primarily 3 elements, but sometimes an additional
element (P) is taken too.

CUSTOMER COMPETITOR
In-depth customer research, like- Competitors’ profile, like-
Different customer segments Market share of the competitors
Their needs and preferences Their revenue/growth strategy
Their purchasing behaviour Their competitive strategy

COMPANY PRODUCT
Analyzing own company, like- Details of the product, like-
Key strengths and weaknesses Product’s features & its cost
Structure of the business and its past Its substitutes and complements
performance Marketing strategy to be employed
Capability gaps

Where to use: gives overall understanding of the market landscape. However, if we go into
specifics, it is of use in marketing-related cases.

For external factors and collaboration opportunities, opt for 5C’s framework.
For a concise analysis concentrating on core market elements, opt for 3C's framework.

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THE BCG GROWTH-SHARE MATRIX
Entails plotting on a graph a company’s products to help the company decide what it should keep,
sell, or invest more in. It has 4 quadrants across 2 axes. Each business is assigned to a category to
help analyse the costs & benefits.

STAR QUESTION MARK

Invest in these as they have high future Invest or discard, depending on their chances of

potential. becoming stars.

CASH COW PETS

Milk these for cash to get reinvested. Liquidate, divest, or reposition these.

?
LANCÔME
High
PARIS L’ORÉAL
ARMANI MEN EXPERT
beauty
Market growth rate

MAYBELLINE
NEW YORK
KÉRASTASE
GARNI eR
Low PARIS

High Low

Relative market size

BCG Matrix Example of L‘Oréal

Where to use: brand marketing and product management based on the growth potential and market
position of different products. However specifically, it is of use in marketing-related cases.

IFSA-LSR T H E BCG GROW T H - S H A R E M AT R I X page 14

 ANSOFF MATRIX
A 2x2 framework used to point out the level of risks involved with different growth strategies.
Focus is to leverage both existing products and markets alongwith new ones.

MARKET PENETRATION MARKET DEVELOPMENT

Increasing sales of existing products into an Focuses on selling existing products into
existing market. new markets.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT DIVERSIFICATION

Focuses on introducing new products to an Entering a new market with altogether

existing market new products.

EXISITING PRODUCTS NEW PRODUCTS

EXISITING MARKETS

Market Penetration Product Development

Introduction of new product

Increasing the market share of

Increasing Risk
(like advanced AirPods)
iPhones within USA

Market Development Diversification

NEW MARKETS

Expanding iPhones to a new Launching EVs (Apple car) to

country (lets say in Africa) enter automobile industry

Increasing Risk

Ansoff Matrix Example of Apple

Where to use: can be used to prioritize work, but specifically in growth cases, or market entry
ones as it helps evaluate and prioritize strategies.

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 IMPACT-EFFORT MATRIX

Assesses tasks and prioritizes them based on potential impact and effort required. The matrix is
divided into four quadrants, each representing a different type of task.

QUICK/EASY WINS MAJOR PROJECTS

High Impact, Low Effort High Impact, High Effort

FILLERS THANKLESS TASKS

Low Impact, Low Effort Low Impact, High Effort

Upgrading customer Solar panels on charging

service systems stations
Community education Partner with govt for EV
on benefits of EV infra expansion
EFFORT

- +
Upgrading of Only maintaining older
employee handbook recharge stations
Redesigning company Engaging in avoidable
logo disputes

-
IMPACT
Impact-Effort Matrix Example of an EV Company

Where to use: Help assess business’s current position and potential growth avenues, which
align well with growth-related case.

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 READING AND RESEARCHING
It takes a systematic approach to read and research cases for case competitions in order to compile
pertinent data, evaluate the issue, and create workable solutions. Here's a detailed tutorial on how to
efficiently read and investigate cases.

Skimming and getting an overview

Read the problem statement or case prompt thoroughly first. Start by skimming
through the case study and carefully reading the first and last paragraph that will
offer you a gist of the case.

Thorough reading and comprehension of the case

Highlight key information, take notes on unclear details, and read between the
lines of the case, including footnotes and exhibits.

Identification of relevant information:

Try to highlight the key question,the limitations and challenges (as mentioned in
the problem statement) and the prospective solutions that the case requires you
to develop. Determine the primary problems that require attention.

Gathering information:

Secondary Data: Start by compiling secondary data from already-published

sources, including articles, market studies, industry reports, and academic
publications. To get accurate information, make use of trustworthy websites,
internet databases, and libraries.

Primary Data: In case of any gaps in the secondary data that can be bridged
through the availability of any additional information based on the opinions of
the general public, rely on the collection of primary data. Most common ways
of collecting such insights are online and offline surveys.

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 HOW TO STRUCTURE RESEARCH
Issue Tree Framework:
These entail visual diagrams wherein the purpose is to get down to the root cause of any problem. To do
so, the main problem is broken down into branches, and these branches are further subdivided into
several others. This process is repeated through many levels until the root causes are isolated and
identified. It is great if these issue trees follow the MECE (mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive)
approach.

1.

2.

WHERE TO USE
It is versatile and adaptable to various cases. For example:
1. In market entry, it helps to analyze factors such as market demand, competitive landscape, regulatory
environment.
2. In profitability, it can help dissect cost and revenue structures.
3. In marketing strategy-related cases, it can help break down customer segmentation, pricing strategies,
distribution channels.

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 TYPES OF ISSUE TREES

PROBLEM-BASED TREES

Here, the aim is to determine the root cause of the problem, by breaking down the overarching issue
into smaller branches. The goal is to find out ‘why’ it's occurring.

SOLUTION-BASED TREES

Here, the aim is to determine recommendations for solving any problem, or rather focus on the ‘how’
to fix the issue at hand.

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 MAKING THE IDEAL TEAM
Ingredients for the perfect combination of people

Continuous
Diverse Skill Research, Analysis,
Improvement
Sets and Innovative
& Positive Attitude
Thinking

Adaptability Effective
Attention to
and Communication
Detail
Flexibility and Clear Roles

HOW TO FORM A TEAM?

Competition Requirements
Understand the requirements of the competition or project you're tackling. This includes knowing
the scope, objectives, deadlines, and any specific skills or expertise needed.

Reach out to those team members

Approach potential team members and communicate your vision for the project or competition.

Transparency and communication

Open communication within the team. Encourage team members to share their ideas,
concerns, and progress regularly. Ensure everyone stays informed.

Identify people with the required skills

Once you know what skills are necessary, identify individuals who possess those skills or have
the potential to acquire them.

Set goals
Define clear and achievable goals for the team. These goals should be specific, measurable,
attainable, relevant, and time-bound.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

Regular practice and rehearsal are essential for enhancing skills, troubleshooting any issues
that arise, and improving performance.

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 ROLES OF TEAM MEMBERS

Moderator/ Anchor/ Presenter/ Content Creator/Writer:

Project Manager/Team Leader:
Writing Skills: Strong writing skills to craft
Leadership Skills: Ability to lead and motivate clear, concise, and compelling content for
the team, delegate tasks effectively, and the case deck.
ensure timely completion of the project.
Research Skills: Ability to gather relevant
Organizational Skills: Capable of managing information, data, and insights to support
timelines, resources, and priorities efficiently, the case.
and giving roles and responsibilities to
people. Analytical Skills: Capability to interpret
data and draw meaningful conclusions to
Communication Skills: Excellent strengthen the case, and market it using
communication skills to network with clients the right usage of sentences and framing
and team members. them correctly.

Problem-Solving Skills: Proficiency in Attention to Detail: Keen eye for detail to

identifying challenges, developing solutions, ensure accuracy and coherence of the
and making decisions under pressure. content.

Designer/Graphics Specialist/Visualization: Analyst/Researcher:

Graphic Design Skills: Proficiency in graphic Data Analysis Skills: Proficiency in

design software to create visually engaging analyzing quantitative and qualitative data
and professional-looking slides. to extract insights, and is also good with
FINANCIALS (very crucial).
Visual Communication Skills: Ability to
translate concepts and data into visually Research Skills: Capability to conduct
compelling graphics and charts. thorough research, including market
analysis, competitor analysis, and industry
Creativity: Innovative mindset to trends.
conceptualize, visualize, and design creative
solutions for presenting information, Critical Thinking: Ability to evaluate
especially needed for information critically and identify key
marketing cases. factors influencing the case.

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 PRESENTATION STRUCTURE
An effective presentation structure is in fact a game changer when it comes to the ability to deliver
content and ideas in a discrete yet engaging format.
Creating an effective presentation involves organizing your content in a clear and logical manner, one in
which coherence and professionalism are not compromised with the engaging display of content, one that
reinforces perspectives and clarity in audience interactions.

EXCECUTIVE ANALYSIS (1 SLIDE)

This is the elevator pitch where you briefly introduce the

client, their problem, and your recommended solution.
This section offers a succinct summary of the main
problems and suggested solutions, presenting the most
crucial information clearly and briefly.

Tip: You can leverage pre-designed layouts with

clear headings and bullet points. Also, insert an
impactful image to make it appealing to the
audience.

SITUATION ANALYSIS (2-3 SLIDES)

First, you need to set the context by analyzing the client's current situation. One can mention the following
components:

Industry Trends:
Discuss relevant trends (such as headwinds and
tailwinds) that affect the client’s business using charts or
graphs. In case of an analysis presented for a company,
discuss the business model, current pitfalls being faced,
USP, etc.

Tip: You can use MS Excel’s recommended

charts and leverage the built-in feature of
creating custom charts in MS Office.

Market Analysis:
Market Analysis:
Then focus on the target market with visuals like market segmentation charts. One can also guesstimate
the market size (TAM, SAM, SOM) in case adequate data is not available.

Competitive Landscape:
After that analyze competitors using a SWOT matrix or other.

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PRESENTATION STRUCTURE

Tip: For Canva, You can use pre-designed SWOT matrix templates. In MS PowerPoint, you can create
tables with clear sections for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. You can also use other
frameworks as specified such as Porter’s 5 Forces for deep risk analysis, etc. You can also use a
positioning map.

Financial Performance:
Review the financials with clear charts or graphs showing revenue, profitability, and cost structure.

Tip: Try to utilize and incorporate lots of pie charts, bar graphs, or line graphs to showcase the financial
data.

PROBLEM DEFINITION (1 SLIDE)

Try to devote one or more slides to clearly define the core issue that the client faces, supported by data
and evidence.

Tip: Try to incorporate the use of primary and

secondary data, improvement modalities (in case
of a particular product/service), how the problem
has affected the business and its various
stakeholders, quotations from articles that
reflect the existence of such a problem (in case
of B-Plans use tweet references or customer
reviews/statements) and causation factors of the
problems to arrive at your suggested solution.

SOLUTION OPTIONS (2-3 SLIDES)

After you have defined the problem, you need to

present the potential solutions with their pros and
cons. Also define the target market (using user
personas), back them with up data and rationale
(such as industry trends/growth drivers in line with
the demography, geography, resources in hand, and
socio-cultural sentiment of the target audience), and
a working mechanism for implementation.

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PRESENTATION STRUCTURE

RECOMMENDED SOLUTIONS (1-2 SLIDES)

Then state your preferred solution. You also have to justify it based on the analysis, highlight potential
challenges, and risk mitigation strategies. Create a table comparing solutions. Include columns for each
solution, outlining its key features, advantages, and disadvantages. Solutions can be evaluated based on
investment required, degree of impact, complexity of implementation, duration of implementation,
analysis method for impact calculation, and overall attractiveness.

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PRESENTATION STRUCTURE
Utilize icons or checkmarks (such as pie charts, and heatmaps) for visual clarity. Explain why it
best addresses the concerned client's problem.

Tip: You can use a heatmap to show the degree of impact (impact and profitability on the X-Y axis
respectively) or to conduct a feasibility analysis of the solution by plotting the importance of a feature
to the company and the consumer on either axis respectively.

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (1 SLIDE)

Outline a pragmatic and feasible plan for executing

the solution.

Tip: You can create a timeline with clear action

steps leveraging existing Canva templates for
doing so, resource requirements, and
allocation details, You can also utilize tables or
bullet points for a more structured approach.

CONCLUSION

Include an analysis of how the recommended

solutions create an impact, based on market
share, EBIT margins, revenue, social media
analytics (in case of a digital marketing strategy),
NPV, and other impact assessment metrics (can be
related to ESG for social impact cases).

Tip: You can also utilize KPIs (Key Performance

Indicators) to determine the impact such as
CCR (Customer Conversion Rate), CAC
(Customer Acquisition Cost), ROI (Return on
Investment), Average Revenue per Customer
(ARPC), and/or industry-specific KPIs.

PRESENTATION STRUCTURE
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PRESENTATION STRUCTURE

FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS (1-2 SLIDES)

To have a further detailed extension and to

leave the judges impressed you can showcase
the projected financial impact of your solution.
Here you can employ charts and graphs to
visually demonstrate how your solution will
improve profitability (through breakeven
analysis), revenue streams (through revenue
projections), or cost efficiency. (through cost
estimates and unit economics calculations).
Other popular calculations include NPV analysis
to calculate the value addition of strategic
investments in an idea over a period of time.

TIP: Always mention the assumptions being made in such a case. Also, try to show the growth and
revenue projections before and after the recommended strategy was implemented to reflect
incremental impact.

If the slide limit is being exceeded, include these in the appendix.

APPENDIX

A section at the end of a paper that includes information that is too detailed for the text of the paper
itself and would "burden the reader" or be "distracting," or "inappropriate".
The proper presentation of the Appendix is equally important. In corporate competitions of massive
scale, the appendix might be more extensive than the actual pitch deck, which can indicate how
detailed and comprehensive the research is.

Include the financial data, all links (numbered), followed by pie charts/analyses cited in the
presentation through primary research.

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 HOW TO DEAL WITH FINANCIALS

SOURCES OF DATA

Consulting based Research behind the paywall

provides simplified and provides insightful data,

especially on market size and
citable data in one place
competition in industries

Government based
provides insightful gov. data, but
could be complex to comprehend

You need to be comfortable with financial modeling In Excel after gathering the data.

Future projections based on this data need to be added, therefore you often need to find the
market size and CAGR, say at least 5 years in the future (to show the feasibility of the solution).

GUESSTIMATES

Market sizing Cost Estimation Feasibility

We can use guesstimates We can use guesstimates Guesstimates can be

to arrive at an to estimate the potential used to quickly
approximate estimate costs quickly. determine the feasibility
when there exists a need of the solution.
for analyzing the size of a
potential market.

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 8.
NECESSARY FINANCIAL ASPECTS

NET PRESENT VALUE (NPV) REVENUE STREAMS

Net present value (NPV) is the difference Revenue streams are the various sources
between the present value of cash from which a business earns money from
inflows and the present value of cash the sale of goods or the provision of
outflows over a period of time. services. Calculate this through your
revenue projections.

Click here for the video. Click here for the video.

INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN (IRR) BREAKEVEN ANALYSIS

Internal rate of return is a metric used in Break-even analysis in economics, business,
financial analysis to estimate the and cost accounting refers to the point at
profitability of potential investments. IRR is which total costs and total revenue are equal.
a discount rate that makes the net present A break-even point analysis is used to
value (NPV) of all cash flows equal to zero determine the number of units or dollars of
in a discounted cash flow analysis. IRR revenue needed to cover total costs (fixed and
calculations rely on the same formula as variable costs).
NPV does.

Click here for the video .

Click here for the video.

POTENTIAL AND COMPARATIVE REVENUE ANALYSIS

It’s a deliberate, detailed, and well-researched report that indicates revenue for all activities. This
analysis needs to be shown in the deck to compare the revenue streams before and after the strategy
implementation.
Click on this to learn more.

SCORING MODEL MARKET PENETRATION

A scoring model is a tool you use For marketing-based cases, you

to assign a comparative value to need to incorporate this analysis
one or more projects or tasks. In in the solution deck. You can add
the problem statement, you can social media analytics for digital
incorporate this and use this marketing campaigns, and total
model to compare the different serviceable market identification
parameters in situations before for product/service through
and after the strategy guesstimate.
implementation.
Click here to know more. Click here to know more.

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NECESSARY FINANCIAL ASPECTS

CAGR (COMPOUND ANNUAL GROWTH RATE)

The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is the annualized average rate of revenue growth
between two given years, assuming growth takes place at an exponentially compounded rate.
Its formula is given by:

Here is an example that showcases how to apply the formula.

PROBLEM: We want to calculate the final value of the tea industry 5 years from now, starting with
the current market size of $ 690 billion and a CAGR of 4.5%

Therefore, the estimated market size of the tea industry after 5 years is approximately
$852.06 billion.

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NECESSARY FINANCIAL ASPECTS

REVERSE CALCULATION OF INITIAL AMOUNT USING CAGR

Its formula is given by:

Now, let’s look at reverse calculation to arrive at the initial value using an
example.

PROBLEM: The bamboo toothbrush industry is projected to have a CAGR of 15% for the next 10
years. If the market size of the industry 10 years later is estimated to be $50 million, then
determine the current market size.

Therefore, the estimated market size of the bamboo toothbrush industry based on the
given information is $14.3 million approximately.

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 8.
PRESENTATION MAKING TIPS

TYPES OF
TYPES OFPRESENTATION
PRESENTATIONS

SUBMISSION PRESENTATION
These kinds of presentations are viewed on These are displayed on a projector and are
a laptop by a single viewer. They have to be viewed by a large audience. They must be
made text-heavy so that the reader can made less text-heavy because the presenter
understand our main idea gives detailed explanations about the
comprehensively. Moreover, it is important central idea to the audience himself. Such
to mention your references in the notes presentations must include catchy visuals to
section because by citing sources we give make them look more attractive and
credit to the original author's ideas and engaging to the audience. Lastly, the
avoid the unethical act of presenting them presenter must always keep track of time,
as your own. This also helps to avoid which is the sole and most important
plagiarism. constraint of presentations of this sort.

GENERAL TIPS

1. ROUGH OUTLINE
Prepare a rough outline of the slide on a rough page to know how your slide will look. This will help you to
organize your thoughts and prevent you from forgetting important points.

2. BACKGROUND
ugh Outlin
o
Use a white background to make your presentation look more professional in style. Moreover, white
provides a neutral base that allows the reader to focus completely on the information and arguments
R

presented on the slide.

3. COLOR SCHEME

Make use of the same color scheme as that of the company being referred to. Doing so creates a sense of
cohesiveness and professionalism. It shows that you have paid attention to detail and have tried to
present your ideas in a way that complements the company's image.

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 8.
PRESENTATION MAKING TIPS

STORYBOARDING

1
DRAFT STORYLINE
Draft a rough storyline and a flow of the presentation containing just the headings. This gives you
a clear vision of the content that has to be presented on the slide.

2
CLARITY AND FLOW
Use arrows to indicate flow in the PPT, and light dotted lines to demarcate zones and spaces in
the PPT.

3
HEADINGS AND TITLES
Storytelling is to be done through titles and subheadings, as headings break down complex
information into easily understandable points, which helps the audience to quickly grasp the main
ideas and follow the overall flow.

4
CONTENT
The description of the content must be to the point; time and content constraints must be kept
in mind. It must also be very professional. Proof of concepts must be included wherever
necessary, and quantification must be done wherever possible.

FORMATTING

USE WHITESPACES

1 Avoid making slides text-heavy and focus more on the backend research.
Making use of whitespace separates text and visuals, preventing clutter and providing a balanced
look to the audience. This makes your slides easier to read and absorb for the audience.

2
PROFESSIONAL
Keep the typography and graphic representation as professional as possible.

USE PROPER PAGE NUMBERING

3 Proper page numbers are essential for referencing information within a document or from other
sources. This allows readers to easily locate specific sections of text.

CONTENT FORMATTING

4 Keep the size of the font uniform throughout. Bold important information to make this text
stand out from the rest of the slide. This helps to grab the audience's attention towards the main
points and helps them remember the core takeaways of your presentation. But do not bold
unnecessary information.

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 8.
OVERALL PRESENTATION DESIGN

VISUALS & GRAPHICS

GENERAL TIPS

1 Font and size must be consistent throughout.

Some preferred fonts are Calibri, Verdana,
and Helvetica.
5 Ensure that slide number, sources, and
team logo are present on every slide.

2 Alignment of text must be proper and easy to

understand. 6 Minimize the use of animations.

3 It is always helpful to use brand colours.

7 Graphs and icons are essential.

4 If you are using a light background, you must

use a dark font (and vice versa). 8 Ensure that a flow is created through the PPT.

THE IDEAL
FLOW:

CONTEXT

Graphs and icons ANALYSIS

are essential
DATA

SUPPORT

SOLUTION

RISKS

VISUALS & GRAPHICS

VISUALS AND GRAPHICS
Add breadcrumbs:

Breadcrumbs refer to a chronological

representation of all the topics at the
bottom of the screen. This should be
mentioned on every slide with the point
that the slide is related to highlighted so
that it catches the audience’s eye.

Put the logo of the company on the right.

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 8.
OVERALL PRESENTATION DESIGN
Identify the right visual tools:
Identifying the right kind of tools to be used, e.g., to make dynamic visualization effects, make use of
Power BI, make markups of products, and become well-versed with Adobe is very important to add
polish and professionalism to the content.

Optimize the limited space:

Include marketing visuals, videos on product samples, and hyperlinks referring to everything, and be
sure to cite them. To include a hyperlink, you first have to follow the following format:

Type the number ‘1’ in square brackets to insert the first hyperlink, like - [1]
Select the number along with brackets and click on the link symbol displayed on the home tab.
The final hyperlink would appear in the following format - [1]

If your PPT has to be submitted and the same has to be presented, you can include a reference
CRAFTING A SINGLE
document with more content that enables the reader to know more. You must then hyperlink this
document and include it in the appendix.

SLIDECRAFTING A SINGLE SLIDE

Now, let us look into the art of crafting a single slide. Here, it is important to apply fundamental
storytelling principles.

In the 1960s, Barbara Minto, a former McKinsey consultant, developed the Pyramid Principle to
effectively disseminate business information. This revolutionized the presentation of information in the
corporate world.

According to the principle, information should be presented in the following logical order:

Essentially, the most important

idea that the storyteller wants to
communicate must be at the top of
the pyramid.

Below this, supporting details are

mentioned to help understand why
that assertion was made in the first
place.

Following this, more specific information is mentioned at the bottom.

This technique is highly useful because it enables us to catch attention fast with the most important message
in the slide. The information is presented in a concise manner, the conclusion is highlighted, and the focus is
on the key takeaway.

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 8.
OVERALL PRESENTATION DESIGN
In order to write the Perfect Action Title for your slide, you must ensure the following:

1 Information has been conveyed in a clear and concise manner. The description must always be
specific, concise, and insightful.

2 In case there are two charts, one message must be written per chart. This allows the reader to
digest the information gradually.

3
The title should highlight the salient features of the chart. This reduces readers’ effort to look for
inferences. For example, if there is a decline in the graph, the title must indicate that. This will
further be evident in the graph and hence allow for clear takeaways.

In essence, the action title must mention the key takeaway given by the data, why you are using

4 that graph, and what the purpose of the graph is in the slide or the deck. These features allow the
action title to provide complete context.

BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO THE PERFECT SLIDE

Ensure that your slide The action title must Considering humans’
does not contain too aptly describe the key short attention spans,
much text. If this occurs, takeaway from that placing the most
you will not be able to slide, and the subtitles important takeaways at
effectively draw the must support the claim the top or left to ensure
reader's attention to the you made in the title. that they are noticed first
main points. would be effective.

The pyramid principle, All charts must have a Finally, you must use clear
which involves presenting description to help graphs, highlight relevant
the key takeaway followed explain it. insights, and ensure that the
by supporting points, must slide flows from left to right.
be followed for a clear Alignment must be proper,
overall flow and margins must be
to the slide. maintained.

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HOW TO PITCH
Effective document pitching and presentation demands a perfect combination of clarity,
engagement, and preparedness. This is a step-by-step approach to assist you in making an
engaging presentation and elevate your chances of winning:

CRAFT A CLEAR STRUCTURE

Arrange your slides so that they make sense and flow from one to the
next. For ease of reading comprehension, use headings, bullet points, or
numbered lists in your writing. Understanding and maintaining focus is
made easier with a well-defined structure.

INCORPORATE A PROFESSIONAL TONE

This implies that your presentation must possess a degree of
professionalism in terms of its style and format. Your body language
should be formal too. Application of proper grammar must be ensured.
Use of slang or informal language should be prohibited.

START WITH A STRONG INTRODUCTION

Make a strong first impression to grab the attention of your audience.
You could use an interesting anecdote, a small yet engaging skit
highlighting the case, or a startling statistic. This will bring a spark of
creativity to your pitch.

GIVE CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND

Make sure the people reading your paper have a prior understanding
and context they need to comprehend the importance of it. Explain the
topic's significance, relevance, or reliability, along with any relevant
industry or historical context.

Refer all your solutions to some existing theory or example that a company has already done.
Compare instead of explain.

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HOW TO PITCH

HIGHLIGHT NECESSARY POINTS

Do not read the entire slides. Focus on the key information and try
emphasizing more on the important points during your pitch. Try to pitch
in a story-like format and emphasize the key points of the problem
statement first. Reiterate them as part of the solution to show how
effectively you’re addressing them.

EMPLOY PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES

To persuade your audience to act in a specific way or adopt a particular
opinion, employ persuasive strategies like social proof, emotional
appeals, and narrative to strengthen your argument. This will magnetize
the audience’s opinions towards yours.

FINISH WITH A STRONG CONCLUSION

In your concluding statement, highlight the most important lessons
learned from your presentation and restate your primary arguments.
Give your audience a clear call to action or a thought-provoking lesson
that motivates them to act or think more deeply.

EXUDE CONFIDENCE
Rightly quoted by Marcus Garvey “With confidence, you have won
before you have started.” Exhibit a sense of confidence in your speech
and body language. Project your voice with clarity. Maintain eye contact
with the judges and remember to rehearse multiple times to build that
confidence in your delivery.

After the competition is over, ensure that you make the extra effort to approach the judges
and ask for feedback. Competitions can also be a great time to network, so if you find a
particular pitch that appeals to you or something you would like to refer to, don’t hesitate to
go and talk to other participants. The real win lies in knowledge sharing.

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 HOW TO DEAL WITH Q&A’S
Participating in case competitions requires more than just making a strong pitch; managing Q&As well is
also crucial. Here's an elaborate approach:

1. LISTEN ATTENTIVELY
Pay attention to the details of the question asked, the segment of the presentation from which it is
asked, and why the question could have popped up in the first place. Do not hesitate to seek
clarification on the question asked in case you fail to comprehend it initially.

2. BE CONCISE AND FOCUSED

Address each question with a precise, succinct response. Remain focused and refrain from going off
on tangents. Judges value clarity and conciseness.

3. BRIDGE YOUR STRENGTHS

Take advantage of the chance to emphasize the advantages of your proposal or presentation by
using questions. Display your skills, knowledge, and creative ideas.

4. EFFECTIVE ADDRESSAL OF CONCERNS

If a question requires you to answer a legitimate concern of the judges, then you should make sure
you demonstrate your ability to consider all aspects of the proposal while answering. Ensure that you
also support your claims with relevant evidence.

5. GIVE A REFERENCE POINT

Present a particular slide as and when the question related to that topic is asked. Keep your
reference document handy to cite any references made, or to show how you arrived at a particular
quantitative figure/solution.

6. BE HONEST
Do not sound overconfident. If you’re unsure about knowing the answer to a question, admit it rather
than beating around the bush. Besides, you can offer to follow up with additional information if
needed, that you were not able to cover during your presentation. You can also highlight your zeal to
learn more about the topic that would bring you into the good books.

7. RESPECT THE TIME CONSTRAINTS

Keep your responses clear yet concise. Ensure that you keep enough room for more discussions,
deliberations, and questions.

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