Creating An Effective Executive Summary
An Executive summary is generally a standalone section at the front of a proposal. The main purpose executive summary is to sell your solution to the client’s problem. It must be clear and persuasive, outlining why the client should
choose your company. It should be specific and focus on results.
Why do you need an Executive summary?
Helps evaluators understand the key messages in your proposal
Improves your probability of winning
Demonstrates that you have a clear grasp of the customer’s vision
Highlights your understanding of the customer’s explicit and implied needs
Showcases your solution to meet the customer’s needs
Gives you a chance to present how much value you offer in comparison with your competitors
Steps to build an effective Executive Summary
An executive summary is non-negotiable
It helps you connect your solution to the customer’s vision. It allows you to identify the customer’s needs and clearly state how you can meet them and what solutions you have for them. It allows you to provide proof for your claims and how you are worthier than
your competitors. Allows you to summarize what is sometimes a lengthy and technical proposal.
An executive summary should always be customer-focused
An executive summary should follow the main customer focus principles.
An executive summary always use your existing sales strategy
This ensures that you avoid the risk mixing your message with your customer.
Organize the content to be clear and persuasive
The four-box template is one of the best methods to organize content clearly and effectively and make sure that your customer is delivered a successful and concise message.
Take the four-box method and expand it into a multi-page or single-page draft
The four-box method can be expanded either into a single-page or multi-page draft, depending on how important it is to the customer.
Always formulate your executive summary using proven methods.
Always choose executive summary methods which have been cultivated through decades of consulting and organization experience.
Things like customer focus, draft reviews with customer coach and visual techniques are tried, tested and successful techniques.
Always follow the accepted, abbreviated practice when preparing the executive summary on short notice
Use the abbreviated procedure when forced to draft an executive summary on short notice.
