The Most Common Executive Summary Misconception
There are few proposal sections more talked about than the Executive Summary.
We get questions every week on this topic:
How do I write an executive summary? When do I include one? Do people even read it?
There are countless articles and videos out there sharing conflicting information about the Executive Summary, but there’s still one misconception that many people hold when they start drafting.
It’s this: that an Executive Summary should summarize your proposal and/or your company for the buyer.
Contrary to what the name says, an Executive Summary is NOT a summary of your proposal.
If you write your Executive Summary as a shortened version of your proposal, why would the buyer continue to read the rest of the document? Also, let’s say your proposal is 100 pages answering detailed questions from an RFP. How do you summarize all of that information into a short, 1-page document?
The short answer: you don’t.
Instead, your Executive Summary should focus on summarizing a few key points that are important to the buyer. This will often be your key differentiators or win themes, not all of the technical details of your solution.
When you structure your Executive Summary this way, you start your proposal with a strong sales pitch for why your company is the best choice for the buyer. They then read through your proposal with this in mind, looking for items that support the summary at the beginning. If you simply summarize your proposal, they will spend the time reading to understand why you are the best choice (a conclusion they may never reach).
So next time you write an Executive Summary, make it easier on the buyer and use that space to highlight anything unique or compelling about your solution that aligns with their goals. It will make it easier for buyers to evaluate your proposal, and, ultimately, better position you to score higher and win the contract.
If you want more details on how to update your Executive Summary, check out our one-hour Executive Summary Masterclass that breaks down the 3-part structure and provides examples of this approach in action.