How can you create an executive summary that stands out in your business plan?

1 Know your audience

Before you start writing your executive summary, you need to identify your target audience and their needs, expectations, and pain points. This will help you tailor your message and tone to suit their interests and preferences. For example, if you are seeking funding from venture capitalists, you may want to emphasize your market opportunity, competitive advantage, and financial projections. If you are pitching to potential customers, you may want to focus on your value proposition, benefits, and testimonials.

2 Highlight your main points

Your executive summary should summarize the key points of your business plan, such as your mission, vision, objectives, strategies, products or services, market analysis, competitive landscape, and financial plan. However, you should not include every detail or data point, as this will make your executive summary too long and dense. Instead, you should select the most relevant and compelling information that supports your main argument and showcases your unique selling proposition. You should also use clear and concise language, avoid jargon and technical terms , and use headings and bullet points to organize your content.

3 Provide a call to action

Your executive summary should not only inform your audience about your business, but also persuade them to take action. Therefore, you should end your executive summary with a clear and specific call to action that tells your audience what you want them to do next. For example, you may ask them to read your full business plan, schedule a meeting with you, sign up for a free trial, or invest in your company. You should also provide your contact information and website address, so that they can easily reach out to you or learn more about your business.

4 Proofread and edit

Your executive summary is often the first impression that your audience has of your business, so you want to make sure that it is error-free and professional. Therefore, you should proofread and edit your executive summary carefully, checking for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting mistakes. You should also ask someone else to review your executive summary, preferably someone who is familiar with your industry or target market, and get their feedback on your content, structure, and tone. You may also want to use online tools or services that can help you improve your writing quality and readability.

5 Test and refine

Your executive summary is not a static document that you write once and forget. Instead, you should treat it as a dynamic tool that you can test and refine based on your audience's response and feedback. You may want to create different versions of your executive summary for different purposes or segments, and measure their effectiveness using metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, or engagement rates. You may also want to update your executive summary regularly, as your business evolves and grows, and incorporate new information or achievements that can enhance your credibility and appeal.