Saturday, November 18, 2017

The Executive Summary: A Call-to-Action

How To Write An Executive Summary - Think Call-to-Action Button

1-3 pages which summarizes the overall business plan/proposal and the vision of your company. Clear and concise it encapsulates the reasons for being and pre-sells the whole idea of your venture/proposal: this is the Executive Summary.

It's not a summary at all, but a marketing tool to sell you business to the client (investor). It needs to be persuasive, specific, focused.  Not descriptive but purposeful. Having the just right graphics and detailing solutions to problems. It is a Call-to-Action to lure the reader into wanting to delve further into your proposal.

When to Compose? First or Last

Write the Executive Summary first to organize thoughts and use it as a Guide as you and others prepare the plan/proposal. Acts as an idea filter and develops best way to pitch the Summary to client/investor.

Write the Executive Summary last, after you have conceived the entire plan/proposal and pull out the best parts for summation.

There is no right or wrong time to compose the Summary. Some people prefer to compose/compile it before writing the body of the plan/proposal. While others prefer waiting until the plan is completed and then writing the Summary. Either way, it's your choice but just make it good.

How the Executive Summary should be structured:

- Opener: The Why of your vision.
- Need: Talk about the 'what's in it for them'.  Show you understand there perspective and how they       benefit - the positive outcomes.
- Solution: Why your plan/proposal will work. No details, just enough to entice further reading
- Evidence: Why your company. What qualifies you vs. the competition. What differentiates you.
- Call-to-Action: Close the deal. The whole summary is a CTA. Why they want to invest in your             venture and how everyone will share in its success.

Do's and Don'ts 

- Keep it short. No more than three pages.
- Use straight-forward language not buzz-words
- Don't use too much technical jargon/lingo
- Focus on Client/Investor. What do they want to know.  How can you help them.
- Mention the Client's company name several times, if possible.

This is the Executive Summary as Call-to-Action. Follows the advice above and it will work for you.

Stay in touch,
Jim Lavorato




No comments:

Post a Comment