Turn my analysis into clear strategic choices
Converts research and analysis into a few distinct strategic options, what would have to be true for each, and a recommended direction.
The prompt
Help me turn my analysis into a small set of real strategic choices.
The strategic question: [WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DECIDE]
My analysis so far: [PASTE FINDINGS - market data, customer research, SWOT, financials, competitor notes]
Our goals and constraints: [AMBITION, BUDGET, CAPABILITIES, TIMING]
Who decides: [e.g. leadership team, board]
Steps:
1. Pull out the 4-6 findings that matter most for the decision.
2. Build 3-4 distinct strategic choices. Each must be a genuine choice, not a variation of the same thing, and each should answer: where we will play (customers, markets, products) and how we will win there. Include the status quo as a reference point.
3. For each choice, list what would have to be true for it to succeed (about customers, competitors, our capabilities, and economics), and which of those conditions we're least sure of.
4. Note what we'd have to stop doing or give up for each choice.
5. Suggest the tests or analysis that would tell us most, fastest, about the doubtful conditions.
6. Give a recommended direction with your reasoning, and the main risk.
Return:
1. Key findings.
2. A table: Choice | Where to play | How to win | What would have to be true | Least certain condition | What we give up.
3. Tests to run.
4. Recommendation (one paragraph).
5. The question to put to the decision-makers.
Rules: use only facts from my analysis; mark any assumption or figure you add as [ASSUMPTION] or [ADD DATA]. The decision stays with the leadership team.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Business Strategy & Startups prompts
What to fill in
- WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DECIDE
- AMBITION, BUDGET, CAPABILITIES, TIMING
- e.g. leadership team, board
- ASSUMPTION
- ADD DATA
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RTF structure (Role, Task, Format). RTF tells the model who to be, what to do and what shape the answer should take. It is the quickest structure that still gives noticeably better results than a bare request.
Related prompts
- Research a company in depthA company profile: business model, financials, strategy, leadership, risks, and recent news.
- Do a SWOT analysis that leads to actionStrengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats — plus the strategies that follow from them.
- Write a strategic planVision, priorities, goals, initiatives, and measures for a company, team, or nonprofit.
- Screen a company I might acquire for strategic fitA structured first-pass screen of an acquisition target covering rationale, fit, valuation logic, integration risk, and deal-breakers.