Custom ROI Calculator to Justify Investment
Return on investment calculator template for proposals and closing meetings.
Build an ROI calculator that salespeople fill with prospect data to mathematically prove the investment pays for itself, removing price objections.
At a glance
Access
Free prompt
Open to copy — no account or payment needed.
Prompt objective
Build an ROI calculator that salespeople fill with prospect data to mathematically prove the investment pays for itself, removing price objections.
Real use case
AutomatizeRPA (RPA process automation) sells projects worth $16K–$50K but prospects always say 'it's too expensive.' The team needs a tool that shows $30K invested generates $8K/month in savings—4-month payback.
Customize these fields first
Replace the placeholders with your own context before you run the prompt. That usually improves the first output more than adding more instructions later.
Prompt
Create an ROI calculator for [COMPANY NAME], which sells [PRODUCT/SERVICE] to [TARGET SEGMENT] with average investment of $[AMOUNT].
**1) Input Variables (what to ask the prospect):**
Current cost (without the solution):
- [VARIABLE 1]: e.g., Hours/month spent on manual process → $[hourly cost × hours]
- [VARIABLE 2]: e.g., Errors causing rework → $[average cost per error × frequency]
- [VARIABLE 3]: e.g., Revenue lost to inefficiency → $[missed opportunities/month]
- [VARIABLE 4]: e.g., Turnover caused by frustration → $[replacement cost]
- [VARIABLE 5]: e.g., Regulatory fines from process failures → $[annualized risk]
Define 5–8 specific variables for [SOLUTION TYPE].
**2) Calculation Formulas:**
- Total Current Cost (TCC) = sum of all monthly variables × 12
- Projected Savings = TCC × [% expected reduction per variable]
- Total Investment = license + implementation + training + year 1 support
- ROI = (Projected Savings - Total Investment) / Total Investment × 100
- Payback (months) = Total Investment / Projected Monthly Savings
- NPV (3 years) = net present value with [X]% discount rate
**3) Scenarios (conservative / realistic / optimistic):**
For each scenario, adjust assumptions by:
- Conservative: 60% of estimated impact
- Realistic: 80% of estimated impact
- Optimistic: 100% of estimated impact
**4) Visual Presentation:**
- Summary table (investment vs. return at 12/24/36 months)
- Payback chart (month by month, break-even point)
- Comparison: cost of acting vs. cost of not acting
**5) Calculator Presentation Script:**
- How to introduce in the meeting ("Let's run the numbers together?")
- How to fill in prospect data in real time
- How to handle when prospect doesn't have exact figures (estimations)
- Impact phrase to close: "In [X] months, the investment pays for itself"
**6) Disclaimer:**
- Legal text about projections (not guarantees)
- Listed assumptions and conditions
Provide the complete calculator structure in spreadsheet format with formulas.Open directly in an AI — the text is pre-filled:
How to use this prompt
- 1Replace the key placeholders first: COMPANY NAME, PRODUCT/SERVICE, TARGET SEGMENT, AMOUNT.
- 2Replace any bracketed placeholders like [this] with your own context.
- 3Add extra background information when you want more tailored results.
- 4Combine multiple prompts in one conversation when you need a richer output.
- 5Save your best-performing prompts so they are easy to reuse later.
Next best step
Open the guide first, then branch only if you still need more.
A guide for sales teams that want better prospecting, follow-up, qualification, and pipeline support with AI.
If this prompt is close but not quite right, generate variants next. If the job is recurring, move into the course library after the guide.
Related prompts
View allHigh-Converting B2B Commercial Proposal Template
Professional commercial proposal structure focused on value, not features.
Best for
Create a B2B commercial proposal template that tells a compelling story from pain to solution, positions investment as return, and facilitates the buyer's decision.
Value-Based Pricing Strategy for Professional Services
Framework for pricing services based on value delivered, not hours worked.
Best for
Migrate from hourly pricing to value-based pricing for professional services, increasing average deal size and margins without losing competitiveness.
Commercial Presentation Slides for Closing Meeting
Presentation script with strategic slide deck for the decisive closing meeting.
Best for
Structure a 30-minute commercial presentation that guides the prospect from problem awareness to purchase commitment, using visual storytelling.
Scope Definition and SLA Framework for Recurring Service Contracts
Framework for defining scope, SLAs, and terms in monthly or annual service agreements.
Best for
Create a clear scope and SLA structure that protects your company from scope creep, sets realistic expectations, and formalizes deliverables in recurring contracts.
Explore other prompt categories
Move sideways into adjacent libraries when the current category is not the full answer.
Every prompt here is free. The course teaches the thinking behind them.
Copy as many prompts as you like. When you want to move from single prompts to a repeatable AI workflow, Learn AI in 30 Days walks through it, one day at a time.
Buy the course once ($15/$20 by length), or go all-access for $10/mo with a verifiable certificate.