An executive summary is a short document that describes your business plan. It’s typically one to two pages long and includes a brief description of your business, its goals and objectives, its financial projections, and its marketing and sales strategy.
A good executive summary will attract investors’ attention and increase your chances of getting funding. Here are some tips on how to write an effective one:
An executive summary should be short – no more than two pages – and clear and concise. It should also be written in plain English so that anyone can understand it.
If you’re writing an executive summary for a non-profit organization or small business, one page should suffice (although two pages are better). For larger companies with more complex proposals, two pages may be necessary; however, three pages may be pushing it if you have a lot of text on each page.
In one or two sentences, describe what your company does and why it’s different than any other company in its industry.
Outline your company’s key strengths and weaknesses first. Then introduce the main ideas in chronological order. This helps readers follow along as they read through your plan.
Explain how you intend to grow your company by using the information provided in the body of the document (the rest of this article). Highlight key points such as market opportunity and unique selling proposition (USP). These are critical factors that make investors want to invest in your company and differentiate it from competitors’ offerings.