executive summary business plan template free

Download Free Executive Summary Templates

By Kate Eby | April 2, 2018 (updated April 18, 2024)

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This article includes a comprehensive collection of free executive summary templates, all of which are easy to download, share, edit, and print. 

Included on this page, you’ll find a simple executive summary template , a business executive summary template , a executive summary slide template , an project executive summary template , and a research report executive summary template , among others. Plus, check out our list of helpful tips for completing these executive summary templates .

Simple Executive Summary Template

Download Simple Executive Summary Template Microsoft Word | Microsoft PowerPoint | Google Docs  

Make a positive impact with this dynamic, simple executive summary template — before you submit your report or business proposal. In the Overview section, give a brief rundown of what your proposal will entail. In the Problem Summary section, define your target market and the problem(s) they face; in The Solution section, explain to your readers how your project or product will solve your target audience’s problem. 

For helpful examples of executive summaries, see this collection of executive summary examples . 

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Business Executive Summary Template

Download Business Executive Summary Template Microsoft Word | Microsoft PowerPoint | Adobe PDF  

Fill out this business executive summary template to ensure that your business report is influential, and that your project or product proposal receives approval. Write a high-level overview of what your project or product will entail (an elevator pitch ). Briefly describe the problem that your project or product will solve and your target market, and include brief analytical data to support your claims and your proposed next steps. 

Learn more about how to write an effective executive summary .

Executive Summary Slide Template

Download Executive Summary Slide Template Microsoft PowerPoint | Google Slides  

 Use this free template to outline your next big presentation or keep it updated as a live meeting record that documents your evolving internal business plans or funding needs. The customizable PowerPoint slides feature an executive summary template and an outline that you can turn into the separate sections of your presentation. The customizable slides are formatted to outline the important elements of a formal business plan summary.

One-Page Executive Summary Template

Download One-Page Executive Summary Template Microsoft Excel  |  Microsoft Word  | Adobe PDF

This template is designed to fit your executive  project status update on one page. Take advantage of the short sections and bullet points to keep it concise and hook the reader with the most attention-grabbing information. Organize and emphasize the most important information by customizing the subheadings based on your document’s purpose.

Find more free Microsoft Word executive summary templates for any project here .

Executive Summary Checklist Template

Download Executive Summary Checklist Template – Microsoft Word  

In your project report or proposal, the executive summary is the first thing that your audience reads, so it’s important to make a positive impression in the limited space that you have. Use this executive summary checklist template to make sure that your executive summary is as clear and dynamic as possible and to increase the likelihood that your project receives approval. By doing so, you can ensure that all sponsors, team members, and other stakeholders know, at a glance, the project’s goals and the results they can expect from implementation.

Executive Summary Outline Template

Download Executive Summary Outline Template – Microsoft Word  

This template is the perfect tool for organizations that want to present all project proposal details in an easy-to-read outline format. Provide a brief project overview (your elevator pitch), a broad-strokes summary of your project’s goals and purpose, and the metrics you’ll use in assessing project success after launch. The template helps ensure that you consider all aspects of your proposed project, including competitive analyses, risks, key milestones, project costs, and resource estimates.  

For tips and resources, see this comprehensive list of free executive project status templates .

Startup Executive Summary Template

Download Startup Executive Summary Template Microsoft Excel  | Microsoft Word  | Adobe PDF  | Smartsheet

Startups seeking funding online on platforms like AngelList and Gust use investor profiles to spark interest and earn social proof for their venture. This template acts as a one-page pitch that serves as your company profile on these platforms. You can repurpose this template and save it as a customized PDF summary memo to land your next meeting with investors.

Executive Summary Proposal Template

Download Proposal Executive Summary Template Microsoft Word  | Adobe PDF

Project proposals outline the required resources and project objectives, and summarize key information from the main body of content. This template highlights the specific purpose for your proposal and the compelling points the proposal introduces. Use the executive summary to kickstart your project planning.

Research Report Executive Summary Template

Download Research Report Executive Summary Template Microsoft Word  | Adobe PDF

Use this template as a synopsis of the research results for reports. This executive summary is formatted to accommodate in-depth reports that need space to use charts and tables to illustrate research data. The template is designed to summarize technical information in a concise manner, and features clear subheadings that communicate key findings to readers of various expertise and interest.

Project Executive Summary Template

Download Project Executive Summary Template Microsoft Excel  | Microsoft Word  | Adobe PDF

Keep all of the project stakeholders in the loop with this project management summary template. You’ll find space to highlight project milestones, monitor new requests, and provide brief status overviews. 

For more specialized use cases, check out our roundup of free executive project status templates .

Business Plan Executive Summary Template

Download Business Plan Executive Summary Template Microsoft Word | Microsoft PowerPoint | Google Slides

This executive summary template is designed to get your business plan noticed and reviewed. This document helps you present key information to an external audience and ensure you include more attention to detail than a standard business plan document. Use bullet points and clear, formal language to guide the reader to the most important information about your company.

One-Page Business Plan Executive Summary Template

Download Business Plan Executive Summary Template – Microsoft Word

Perfect for small businesses and large organizations alike, this business plan executive summary template provides the perfect framework for companies to outline their mission, vision, company structure, and relevant history, all on a single page in Microsoft Word. Use the template’s Products and Services section to describe your offerings, the unique value of your proposal, and your competitive advantage. Under the Market Analysis section, state the market opportunity that your proposal addresses, the target market, and why your proposed solution is superior to that of your competitors.

Marketing Plan Executive Summary Template

Download Marketing Plan Executive Summary Template – Microsoft Word  

Marketing professionals, advertisers, and brand managers can all use this template to communicate a marketing plan to stakeholders and make it clear what the target audience is, what the strategy and objectives are, and how the product will have a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Use this template as an outline to ensure that you account for all aspects of your proposed marketing plan, including the target audience’s spending habits, relationship to your product, and how your marketing campaign will result in increased foot traffic and sales.

Construction Project Executive Summary Template

Download Construction Project Executive Summary Template Microsoft Excel  | Microsoft Word  | Adobe PDF

This template summarizes the construction project plan and highlights the important schedule milestones, budget data, bid estimates, and timeline details. Use this executive summary to report on the essential detail from the construction plan and keep all of the various stakeholders informed on the critical project information.

Learn more about construction project management by reading “ Construction Project Management 101 .”

What Is an Executive Summary Template?

An executive summary is a brief document that precedes a longer report or proposal as an abbreviated, high-level version of it. A template prompts you to explain the target audience’s problem, and how your proposed solution will solve it. 

While executive summary templates can vary, they typically include the following sections, each of which should be no more than five sentences: 

• Overview: Briefly describe what your report or business proposal will entail, and why it’s necessary. You should be able to describe your proposed project or product in a few sentences to management, key stakeholders, and potential investors.  
• The Problem: Describe your target audience. What problem are they facing? What issue needs a solution that your proposal will address? This is a great opportunity to identify your target audience and the challenges they face, so that it’s clear how your proposed solution is positioned to fulfill that business opportunity. 
• Why should a client or end-user choose what you have to offer over competitors’ offerings? 
• How does your target audience benefit from your solution, in particular?  
• What is your proposed strategy? 
• What resources are required? 
• What is the proposed business-proposal timeline? 
• What evidence do you have to support your proposal?
• Proposed Steps: Describe what is required to implement your solution. What, in particular, would your company or client have to enact to produce the desired solution?

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Free Executive Summary Template — Word, PDF, Gdoc

Impress investors, lenders, and other stakeholders with quick access to critical information about your business..

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Available formats:

Downloads: 1,115

Our executive summary template includes:

Detailed instructions

Examples and in-depth walkthroughs to help you write every section.

Fast and easy

Structured how investors and lenders expect so you can spend less time formatting.

Works with your business plan

Covers key information from your full plan and is built to work with our free business plan template.

It's shareable

Instantly provide a snapshot of your business and convince stakeholders to read the rest of your plan.

All 100% free. We're here to help you succeed in business, no strings attached.

Write your executive summary today

Whether you're trying to grab the attention of lenders or investors, or just want to create an accurate snapshot of your business — our template will help you craft an engaging executive summary.

5 Tips for a great executive summary

Watch this quick video for exclusive tips to help you write a captivating executive summary.

Executive summary FAQ

What is in an executive summary template?

This executive summary template includes a pre-designed outline, step-by-step instructions, fill-in-the-blanks document, and an exclusive offer for LivePlan.

What should an executive summary include?

An executive summary should include a business overview, problem statement, solution description, target market, competition analysis, team overview, financial summary, funding requirements, and milestones and traction.

How long should your executive summary be?

The executive summary should be as brief as possible—ideally under two pages.

How do you start an executive summary?

tart your executive summary with a compelling introduction that captures the reader's attention, outlining your organization, the problem you solve, your skills, and why you're best suited to address the problem​.

Related Resources

How to Write an Executive Summary

4 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Executive Summary

Adapt Your Executive Summary for Specific Audiences

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10 Free Executive Summary Templates in Word, Slides, & ClickUp

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

February 14, 2024

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Executive summaries are a key part of any business plan and there’s a lot riding on their success!

Despite being a small piece of a larger proposal, executive summaries serve a big purpose in project management and will be read by every stakeholder, higher-up, or investor you hope to impress. So they must be handled with care.

Your executive summary should be short and sweet, but it also needs to pack a punch. Different than an abstract, the executive summary provides a condensed variation of what your project proposal explains in length. Think of it as the highlight reel or SparkNotes version of your more-detailed project documents .

The thing is, executive summaries are all about strategy. They may be brief, but they’re intentional! And there’s a secret to nailing the perfect summary for your proposal every time—templates. 🙂

Executive summary templates are the only surefire way to guarantee you’re hitting the most impactful points, every time. Plus, they help you save time writing them and make the overall process significantly less stressful and more formulaic.

Follow along to learn more about executive summary templates and the must-have features to look for before you download. Even access 10 of the best free executive summary templates for any type of proposal! Whether you use ClickUp, Word, PowerPoint, or the like, we’ve got a template to make your summaries significantly easier. 🙌🏼

What is an Executive Summary Template?

Top features to look for in executive summary templates, 1. clickup executive summary doc template, 2. clickup whiteboard executive summary template, 3. clickup executive memo template, 4. clickup program summary template, 5. clickup payroll summary report template, 6. clickup executive board report template, 7. clickup executive project status report template, 8. microsoft word executive summary template, 9. powerpoint executive summary template, 10. executive summary google slides template, who benefits from using an executive summary template, in summary, choose an executive summary template by clickup.

First things first— what is an executive summary?

An executive summary boils down the key points from a larger report or proposal into a brief and easily digestible document. This summary will give the reader a solid grasp on what’s to come and will cover the main takeaways from the larger body including the project plan , the problem it aims to solve, the project scope , cost breakdowns, OKRs , and more.

The length of your summary will vary depending on the complexity of your project, but a good rule of thumb is to think of it as a “section” rather than a full-length document of its own.

When it comes to executive summaries in project management, here are the five major points to cover in your executive summary:

• Project description : This is how you’re going to hook your reader! Stick to two or three sentences that summarize the project and its purpose.
• The problem you’re solving : Why are you making this product? Use this opportunity to dive into the reasons why people need this solution.
• Market analysis : This includes your target audience, any research you’ve done, and data that helps support why your product will succeed.
• The process : Without going too deep into the workflow, what will it take to get this project off the ground? Describe the resources, budget, people, and time needed to make your project possible.
• Future projections and next steps: What’s in it for the reader? How will this project create profit for those involved and what do the next steps look like to reach the project’s goal ?

That sounds like a lot to remember, right?

So take some of the pressure off of your summary process by investing your time more productively—in a customizable executive summary template that guarantees results! Think of your executive summary template as training wheels on a bike or bumpers at the bowling alley—except everyone uses them, even the most seasoned project managers in the game!

Like other project management templates , these pre-built documents will guide you in the right direction, no matter your budget or project type! The best templates will be easy to use, share, and complement your project management software . That way, your project proposal, summary, workflow, and progress can all exist on the same platform. This not only helps you save time but is crucial for streamlining processes and keeping your management team on the same page.

But what else should you look for in your executive summary template?

We’ve covered the five big sections of every successful executive summary, but what features should you look for in the actual template?

Highly visual : When people think of summaries, it’s easy to think of a blank page. Instead, you should think of your summary as a presentation aid. The more visual, engaging, and interesting your summary looks, the easier it will be for stakeholders to grasp it. Next time you go to open a new document, try looking at digital whiteboard software to take your summary further.

Collaboration tools : Live editing, comments, @mentions, and screen sharing are huge assets for your template. The summary will only get stronger with more eyes on the draft, and collaboration features will help the team work together and present alongside each other without overlap!

Sharing and permissions : Make sure your executive summary is accessible! Not everyone will use the same project management software as your team, but custom sharing and permission options will give you the power to choose who can edit, view, and distribute your work.

Integrations : More integrations will give you the ability to add more context to your summary and make it more valuable in the long run. Embedding, especially! Adding in important data, media, charts, and links will make your summary mean so much more than a simple document.

10 Free Executive Summary Templates You Have to Try

Executive summaries are deceptively short tasks!

While they may be brief in length, a lot of work, strategy, and thought goes into ensuring their success. And since the summary will be viewed by everyone involved and sometimes be the first thing they see, it’s crucial that it’s done correctly every time.

So before you spend another second sweating in front of your multi-page proposal, turn to one of these 10 free executive summary examples to kickstart your strategic messaging.

Here’s the ClickUp Executive Summary Doc Template to help you write a compelling teaser for your project proposal. You’ll know exactly what to add with the help of a guiding question at the top of each section. Once you’re finished, delete the questions for a cleaner document! 🤩

You can explain the value proposition of your proposal to your audience (like potential investors) with this template’s interactive features. Provide details about your business plan or project proposal, including the company’s mission statement, goals, project objectives , products, and target market.

The document breaks down key topics into sections, so you won’t have to spend extra time formatting! Template highlights include:

• Project Overview : A brief description of your proposed project
• Focused Issue : The customer feedback or problem the project aims to solve
• Project Highlights : Market analysis results and project strengths
• Finance : Financial projections and requirements

Pro tip : Customize your executive summary template with your branding and basic information. Then, save and apply it to future executive summaries so you’ll always have access to pre-filled documents at a moment’s notice!

ClickUp’s Whiteboard Executive Summary Template  is a perfect tool for project managers who want their executive summary to be an interactive experience that keeps the reader’s attention throughout your pitch.

With a digital whiteboard, you can communicate your ideas visually and make a lasting impression on your audience. You’ll also need a set of productivity tools to organize your thoughts, create charts, annotate images, and assign actionable tasks. 🎯

Enter: ClickUp Whiteboards !

Using ClickUp’s Whiteboard as an executive summary tool, your content can double as a working canvas and an engaging presentation from start to finish.

ClickUp Whiteboards offer embedding, rich text editing, resource linking, and more to make designing executive summaries easier. In its basic form, Whiteboards are made of these powerful elements:

• ClickUp Cards (tasks) you can add to the Whiteboard as you work through your ideas
• Objects (shapes, sticky notes, images)
• Connectors (arrows, lines)

Not sure what steps to take first on your Whiteboard? We got you covered with a Getting Started guide in the template!

Like executive summaries, executive  memos  are short-form documents containing the latest project information for key stakeholders. The purpose of an executive memo is to communicate important information to the intended audience, such as the status of a project, policies, or cross-functional procedures and processes in the company.

Depending on how often your audience expects an executive memo to arrive in their inbox, you should start building a central wiki where all of your memos will be stored for record-keeping purposes.

The reality is that schedules, deliverables, stakeholders, and collaborators for any given project are likely to change at some point. In some cases, we get so bogged down in work that we neglect to update documentation for days or weeks. 🗓

ClickUp Docs seamlessly integrate into your tasks and projects. You are only a few clicks away from retrieving any documentation to reference or update within the platform.

Try it for free today! Connect the ClickUp Executive Memo Template to workflows by creating nested subpages for each memo in the template and linking the subpages to the memos. Your stakeholders will appreciate the digital trail!

The length of time it takes to complete a program may vary from months to even years. Unlike projects, they’re about the benefits, transformation, and change of the organization. For this proposal type, we can’t use a basic executive summary template!

ClickUp’s Program Summary Template offers you a one-stop shop for creating a high-level overview of the programs you run in the organization. ⚡️

Your program summary document should include the following sections to make it as effective as possible:

• Program name and purpose : Clearly state the name and provide a brief description of its purpose and objectives
• Target audience or beneficiaries : Identify the target audience or beneficiaries of the program or initiative (and any relevant demographic information)
• Key activities and project milestones : Provide an overview of the timeline, including the start and end dates, and major phases
• Measurable outcomes and impact : Identify the measurable outcomes or impact the program is expected to achieve and how it will be evaluated
• Funding and partners : Give information on the funding source and any partners or collaborators involved in the program or initiative

Check out our detailed program management guide for tips, examples, and features for a successful program!

An employee payroll summary report is usually prepared for HR or Finance personnel responsible for processing payrolls. In this report, payroll expenses are summarized for the period of time specified, for example, a month or quarter in the past.

During a payroll review, management will ensure compliance with labor laws and consider the payroll expenses against the budget. There are several uses for the payroll report, including identifying any discrepancies or errors that might occur in the payroll process and tracking the progress of payroll-related projects or initiatives. 📊

You can collaborate with your cross-functional partners with ClickUp’s Payroll Summary Report Template and save the extra time of sending back-and-forth emails! Simply highlight any text to add a comment, or @mention members to call out action items.

Throughout the template, you’ll find organized tables similar to those on a spreadsheet within a ClickUp Doc. Once you have finished editing the template, you will be able to update the Doc’s settings to protect the content and share it with your team.

An executive board report is a document that gives an overview of an organization’s progress, performance, strategies, and health. Typically, it contains information about the company’s finances, operations, and goals. The company’s staff and operations are also included if any major changes have been or are about to occur. 🔮

In this ClickUp Executive Board Report Template , you’ll find guiding prompts along with powerful visuals that will help you create a professional report:

• Key Areas of Focus : Project goals that were set at the beginning of the year and a breakdown of month-over-month updates
• Critical Success Factors : Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) relevant and critical to the board
• Financials : Update on the company’s financial health and a breakdown of month-over-month numbers
• Challenges and Action Plans : Tasks in progress to resolve challenges

Download project charter templates to establish your project’s scope!

Here’s the ClickUp Executive Project Status Report Template if your executives like to visualize project performance!

By using visualization, complex data and information can be made easier to comprehend and accessible. This is relevant for senior management who may not be actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the project.🛠

The template includes different task views (List, Kanban board, Timeline, and Table) to compare project performance against goals or benchmarks. The results? Better-informed decisions and hours saved from building short-lived reports!

Pro tip : Add a Gantt view to your template and view multiple projects in one place!

The simple outline in this Word document will help you write an executive summary. It includes sections on business objectives, target audiences, competition, risks, and opportunities, which will guide you in the process of creating your document.

Visuals like charts, diagrams, and graphics engage your audience better than any other type of content, so don’t forget to include them in your document. 🎨

We know building visuals in Word is a time-consuming task, so here are a few guides to help you get the most out of your visual content!

• How to Make a Flowchart in Microsoft Word
• How to Make a Timeline in Microsoft Word
• How to Create a Gantt Chart in Microsoft Word
• How to Make a Mind Map in Word

A list of presentation templates wouldn’t be complete without the PowerPoint Executive Summary Template! It’s a three-list design used for presenting business objectives on a one-page slide.

Executive summaries simplify your project proposal content, but you still want to give as much information to your audience, so they get the big picture.

This template would be perfect to use for investors or stakeholders requesting key information in a single snapshot. 📸

Pro tip : A visual alternative would be #2 on this list—the ClickUp Whiteboard Executive Summary Template. As a presenter with a Whiteboard, you have the freedom to transform your presentation from static to interactive with shapes and images!

Google Slides is a powerful presentation tool offering a wide range of features and capabilities. Collaborate in real-time with others, embed multimedia, and add animations and transitions! It integrates with other Google products, such as Google Drive, making it easy to access and share presentations. 🔗

The Executive Summary Google Slides Template covers a basic outline to develop an executive summary. Use the sections included or make a list of the important points you want to cover during a meeting . This list could be as simple as the company description, products or services, market analysis, competitive advantage , and financial information.

Entrepreneurs: Start-ups and small businesses can utilize an executive summary to attract potential investors, partners, and customers. The executive summary allows them to comprehensively present their business model, strategies, goals, and overall plan without going into the minute details, thus saving time while still attracting interest.

• Start-up Executive Summary
• Small Business Executive Summary
• Entrepreneurs Executive Summary

Investors: An executive summary is a valuable tool for investors to get an understanding of a business or potential investment opportunity with minimal time expenditure. It highlights the key elements of a business proposal or plan, helping them to make efficient, informed decisions.

• Angel Investor Executive Summary
• Investors Executive Summary
• Real Estate Investors Executive Summary Template

Your executive summary should complement your larger business proposal or report—similar to the way your executive summary template should complement your project management software!

Creating your executive summary with a template designed to boost your productivity will take your effort, team, and project further in the long run. Plus, it will save you important time in the planning process.

Using ClickUp Docs , its Kanban-like Board view , and Whiteboards are just a few of the many ways you can bring your executive summary to life—and templates make the experience even smoother! But the best part? You can take your next steps directly from the summary itself, making your entire document more valuable throughout the entire project process.

ClickUp is the only productivity platform powerful enough to bring all of your work together across apps into one centralized hub. With over 15 highly visual ways to build your workflow, a rich set of features , over 1,000 integrations , and hundreds of customizable templates for every use case, ClickUp creates solutions for teams of any size and every pricing plan .

Access ClickUp Docs, Whiteboards, Board view, unlimited tasks, and so much more when you sign up for ClickUp today.

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42+ Free Sample Executive Summary Templates – Word, PDF

A brief overview of a document is known as an executive summary, which highlights the key points and purpose of that specific document. For research reports, project proposals, and business plans, you can customize any of the executive summary templates below to explain the main context of your writing. You can choose what is crucial, and I encourage you to include points to convince capitalists and investors. You can get an idea of what to cut or discord, and help you to grow your business in the long term. 

Table of Contents

It’s a summary of a lengthy document so that everyone can get the main context of the document. Before your long business meeting, make an executive summary highlighting the main points. An executive summary includes key points of your investment proposal, business meeting, or research plan, which helps you to get an idea of the whole content.

Download Free Sample Executive Summary Templates

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What is an executive summary.

The non-technical summarised version of a document that highlights its main points is known as an executive summary. At the beginning of the business plan, business owners and at the beginning of a report, students provide it. Through such summaries, readers can understand what long content entails.

Although writers write such things at the last moment, people read them first to get an idea; most of the time, people don’t read all the details. What do you already have? And what your business is all about? Your business owners want to know about it; you can use our 100% free-to-use executive summary templates in Word or PDF to elaborate such business plans.

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How to write an executive summary.

The executive summary should be well-written to grab readers’ attention; it gives an idea of the main context of your business. It is tricky to write an effective executive summary for a business to hit the pain points of investors. You need to win the trust of your investors by showing them that you have a great idea for them to invest their money in and that they will be happy with it in the future.

You need to convince the what is the unique selling point of your business/company which sets you apart from the rest of the market. Include all the main points, like background information and a complete business overview, for readers to understand everything at one glance. Your summary should be focused, persuasive, and concise to win investors’ trust and persuade them to invest in your business. Consider these points while writing an effective executive summary:

• Focus on Your Pitch: Don’t just tell your investors, sell! Focus on presenting your idea clearly to convince them to take action. You can use a sales-oriented pitch to elaborate on the value of investing in your business. 
• Be Concise: Keep the executive summary short and effective using the least number of words. Cover all the information by highlighting the main points and try to avoid unnecessary jargon.
• Avoid Exaggeration: Don’t use inappropriate vocabulary or superlatives like “the best” or “world-class.” Such words lose meaning and can make investors skeptical. Be persuasive with your vocabulary and tone.
• Focus on Positive Outlook: Write the executive summary last to gain a better understanding. Focus on the main aspects and provide a positive outlook without exaggerating. Show potential positive outcomes of their investment.
• Follow Structure Guidelines: While there’s no set structure for an executive summary, follow expert guidelines to grab attention. Use concise language and bullet points instead of paragraphs. Include important elements such as the company description, the problem, the solution, the relevance, and a brief financial aspect.

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Components of executive summary templates.

Your Administrator Summary template for business should provide information about your financial projections, buyer persona, long and short-term goals, market standing, company mission, and a plan on how you will stand out from your competitors. For CEOs and investors, your executive summary should provide a preview of what to expect from the rest of the report; the summary should include your company’s location, name, and mission, including management, a brief history of your service or product, and advisors, including a description of your business and where your service or product fits in the market. Include the purpose behind your business plan startup funding need; elaborate on how your company helps readers achieve their goals. While the specifics vary, the executive summary templates include the following parts:

• Description of Product or Service: This section highlights what your business offers. It provides a brief yet informative product or service summary and helps readers understand your offering.
• Define Your Target Audience: This part of the summary should identify your target demographic and explain why your product or service is relevant to them.
• Identify Your Competition: This section should give an overview of your main competitors and how your business differentiates itself.
• Outline the Financials: A snapshot of the financial aspects of your business is essential in an executive summary. It provides a glimpse of the current financial status and future financial projections.
• Future Goals: Every business needs a future direction or vision. This section outlines your business’s goals and how you plan to achieve them.

Types of Executive Summary Templates

The types of executive summary templates can vary based on the target audience and specific purpose. Some of the most used are:

• Business Plan Executive Summary: This template gives an overview of the business plan, financial condition, key objectives, and market analysis. It can also include the company mission.
• Project Executive Summary: You can use this template to highlight the project’s main point. It includes the budget, timeline, goals, and expected outcomes of the specific project.
• Marketing Plan Executive Summary: You can give a brief overview of your marketing plan using this template. It includes marketing strategies, target markets, and outcomes.
• Research Report Executive Summary: Summarize the key points of your research report using this template. It includes key findings, objectives, research methods, and implications for the industry.
• Investment Proposal Executive Summary: Give a brief overview of your investment proposal using this template. This entails return on investment (ROI) and risk involved.

Why Use Business Executive Summary Template?

Such templates make large content scannable for your business plan. Short sentences and bullet points make the idea easy to digest. Without a summary, you may forget to mention the main aspects of your business; it helps you have basic ideas of your company on a single paper to show your potential investors. 

The time to grab the attention of the target investor is very important; you should offer a solid pitch to your investors using a concise and effective executive summary. This smart approach results better than using long, detailed content with generic details. Because they don’t have time to read the details, they are interested in “what’s for them,” you have only a few minutes to express your idea.

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• Executive Summary Template

This Page (contents):

How to Write an Executive Summary

• Executive Summary Examples

What is an Executive Summary? An executive summary is a concise summary of a longer report or proposal that highlights the important points, problems, solutions, findings and conclusions. It is generally written for an outside audience or executive in a way that allows the reader to grasp the essentials without having to read all of the materials.

The reason it is called an "executive" summary is that the executive doesn't have the time to read the entire report (which may be tens to hundreds of pages), but does need to understand the results well enough to ask and answer intelligent questions and make decisions about the report or proposal.

An executive summary is used in business plans, investment proposals, grant proposals, project proposals, and also for internal reports. Some types of grants and project proposals have specific formats. Lower on this page, we have listed some resources that can help with writing specific types of proposals.

Our template was designed mainly as a general executive summary example for a business plan or investment proposal.

Executive Summary

License : Private Use (not for distribution or resale)

Authors : Jon Wittwer and Jim Wittwer

Description

This Executive Summary Template is formatted for Word and Google Docs. It breaks down the important information you should include in your summary into sections, each with important questions or tips to help guide you as you write. This template is easy to customize, so don't hesitate to change titles and move things around as needed.

The exact content of the summary will depend on your audience and the information you are trying to summarize. However, there are some general guidelines to follow when writing the summary.

An executive summary is much more than a summary of your plan or proposal. It is an opportunity to engage your readers and sell them on the idea without requiring they read the full plan or proposal. This is especially important if you're seeking funding.

When writing an executive summary, keep these suggestions and tips in mind:

• The best time to write the summary is AFTER you've completed the full plan
• Summarize the most important elements of the full plan or proposal concisely
• Keep things brief and to the point (your readers may have limited time)
• Tailor your content to the people that will be reading the summary

How long should an executive summary be?

Try to keep the length of the executive summary to one or two pages. It's best to keep the executive summary as brief and concise as possible, focusing on the most important highlights and information from the full plan or report.

What is the format of an executive summary?

The format of an executive summary depends greatly on the type of report or proposal. For examples and information about different types of executive summaries, see the references mentioned in the Executive Summary Examples section lower on this page.

Where do you put an executive summary?

An executive summary goes at the beginning or just after the title page if it the entire report is a single document. It can also be included as a separate document or attached with the cover page if the full set of materials consist of many different files or reports.

What to include in an executive summary

The type, purpose and audience of an executive summary can vary greatly. Below are suggested sections and content to include in an executive summary for a business plan or investment proposal.

TIP To make writing your executive summary easier, we've included the following sections and questions within the Executive Summary Template. Feel free to rename and rearrange elements as needed.

Overview - The Quick Pitch

This is a brief section that describes what your business or project is all about. How can you describe your business or project in one compelling sentence?

The Problem

Here is where you describe the problem that you are solving.

• What is the problem and how big is it?
• Who is the target audience, who is this problem affecting?
• Are there currently any solutions to this problem, who is the competition?

The Solution

Here you describe how your business solves the problem for your target audience.

• How does your business solve the problem?
• Is it a simple or complex solution?
• If it is complex, how can you make it simple, or describe it more simply?

Here you can show the most important market analysis and data that captures the potential your solution can have in the marketplace. We recommend pulling the most compelling highlights directly from your plan or proposal. You can also talk about the strengths and advantages of your staff and any partnerships you may have.

Keys to Success

Discuss the main steps necessary for your business to be successful.

• What is your marketing strategy?
• What resources will you need? (partnerships, funding, materials)
• What does your timeline look like?

Financial Highlights

If part of the purpose of your business plan is to seek funding, you may want to dedicate a full section to discuss the funding you currently have and what funding you'll need.

• What is your 3-year earnings projection?
• When will you break even ?
• How will investors be repaid?

Executive Summary Examples, Tips and References

The following websites provide examples and information about writing executive summaries for specific purposes. They were also useful references as we prepared the write up for this page.

Executive Summary for Request for Proposals (RFP)

The executive summary for an RFP is the first impression your readers will have of your proposal. It should be concise and highlight the most compelling aspects of your proposal.

Crafting a Powerful Executive Summary at hbs.edu - Focuses on executive summaries written for RFPs, and gives great advice for how to take your executive summary to the next level.

Executive Summary for Business Plans

An executive summary is the first part of a business plan. Its purpose is to summarize your plan and serve as a quick pitch to sell the idea to your investors.

How to Write an Executive Summary at Bplans.com - A great article and video that explains what should go in an executive summary for a business plan, with additional tips when seeking investment and funding.

Executive Summary for Grant Proposals

The first part of a grant proposal is the executive summary, also referred to as a grant "abstract." Its purpose is to summarize your proposal and intrigue the grant reviewer. The end goal being to stand out from other grant proposals to receive funding.

Example Executive Summary for a Grant Proposal at thebalancesmb.com - Great tips and advice along with a sample grant proposal executive summary.

Executive Summary for Project Proposals

It's vitally important that you make the executive summary the highlight of your project proposal. The initial readers of your proposal may not even read the full proposal before deciding whether or not to pass it along for further consideration.

How to Write an Executive Summary for Your Proposal at proposify.com - An excellent guide for writing along with a sample project proposal executive summary.

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Executive Summary Templates

• February 10, 2023 February 10, 2023

Download these 29 Free Executive Summary Templates to help you prepare your own Executive Summary.

An Executive Summary is typically referred to as a summarized document that represents facts and figures. Usually, it is derived from another extended official report. Executives and Managers don’t have enough time to read a long and exhaustive report. Hence there comes the need of preparing an Executive Overview.

We are going to share these 29 Free Executive Summary Templates here to assist Managers and Executives. With its help, they can quickly create Executive summaries from thorough reports. This way they can spend more time on key information rather than the layout and professional construction.

With simple tips, anyone can write an Executive Summary easily and effectively. After reviewing this variety of samples, one can notice that the basic structure remains always the same. Spend your valuable time finding the key information to help your seniors take decisions.

Executive Summary Guidelines

Here are useful guidelines for writing an Executive Summary document for any purpose.

• The executive summary must not be more than one-tenth of the whole size of the original document. Simply read the initial transcript and note down key points. Then start writing them as per your priority.
• The primary details have to be incorporated into the report in the very first half.
• While mentioning details, try to be as precise as possible. Avoid repeating the same information again and again. In addition, stay away from over-generalizing the summary.
• Ensure that your points remain within the same order given in the primary report. This is something you shall focus on in every executive summary overview.
• For key figures and facts, always mention the reference numbers from the original report for further study.
• Give your recommendation where necessary.
• Finally, don’t alter any figures or data tables from the original report. Just present them as it is.

If you prepare your Executive Summary keeping in view about points, it’s going to be a smooth task for you.

Printable Executive Summary Templates

Here are the previews of our Executive Summary Templates created using MS Word.

A poorly written executive summary is oftentimes the main explanation for the reason why you will not discover people for your needs. No matter how competent your team and you are, in spite of how great the company concept is. All prospective buyers and company consultants, bankers, and other specialists, read the executive summary to achieve a basic view of your online business, your niche as well as your capabilities. The professional summary tells all of them if it is safe to spend or else not. It is in your greatest interest to compose your business plan in a professional, accurate fashion. It is in your very greatest interest to be truthful to yourself as well as your potential business partners or else you’ll fail.

In your executive summary, you need to include all major information about your planned company in a brief and obvious manner. Your readers should comprehend from the contents the primary points of the complete business strategy, without getting forced to see clearly all. Company individuals, especially those working with finances, are busy people. The minute you waste their time with biased information you “win” negative things that will impact their decision to (probably) a bad training course.

Don’t Write Your Professional Summary On Your Own: Write it for your readers. Think about who are those men and women, what their particular academic history is, what information truly matters for them, or what information is most expected to affect a positive choice. Whenever you deal with a very technical business you may want to integrate technical information in your manager summary as well. But are your readers going to comprehend your message without getting obligated to open a slang dictionary? It is in your most significant interest that they do. You will need to use less specialized terms and whenever required, supply an addendum to clarify the slang terms. Think it: the ones truly enthusiastic about the specialized details of your business will review the whole business strategy.

The government summary is a part of the business strategy rather than a different document. It is to be put during the start of the program rather than at the end (yes, this occurs too!). It should never be longer than one page, but the majority of occasions, particularly big companies cannot be satisfied with such a short summary. If you actually require to include that much information, hold your executive summary at two pages tops. Other interested visitors often read this document and it also is generally open when it comes to mass media, as it contains all of the major info about your online business. All within one: the professional summary is a business program “in miniature”. So don’t waste the possibility by giving unimportant details. Include the main tips, the main talents, and facts, what’s truly essential about your company, exactly why is it special or different, explain the reason why it is going to be an effective investment, and if there are any dangers, don’t be afraid to say them (but try not to forget about to consist of the “how you are likely to get over or cope utilizing the dangers” point). And another last tip: the professional summary should always be the final thing you write. It would likely seem like a paradox since the executive summary’s place is at the real beginning of this company program, but this is basically the best training: compose it most likely your ideas are clear, in place and now have a proper structure.

There’s a fine line in writing proposals for small companies. You must write sufficiently to ensure that you have thoroughly covered the topic. You need to ensure that it stays short enough that you do not say even more than necessary. That’s why Free Executive Summary Format can be so useful.

Executive summaries provide many consumers with all the information they require. You can easily establish the crucial points without elaboration (unless there is a particular point you ought to elaborate on). An administrator summary completely establishes what the proposition is created to achieve, based on what the client has advised you. It details “major events” that will happen and whenever. And it also offers proof of performance (deliverable); this really is exactly what and when you can easily anticipate. It also offers the general cost of the project and the routine of payments. It can have a short account of whom can be active in the project.

The best and most Free Executive Summary Format perhaps does not go into a mass of information. If you’ve completed your job properly, those details are going to be available to the customer, if necessary, in the body of the proposal or in Appendices. Some clients would you like to start to see the comprehensive information that led them to the conclusion. Numerous don’t, particularly if they currently understand both you and the quality of work you are doing.

The task entrusted to the professional summary is to give clients sufficient information in order to help them in making a choice. Busy people do not want to just take time for you to wade through a lot of details. If the administrator summary is obvious and concise, that includes appropriate conclusions and recommendations, that’s all they require. Many little companies don’t have to go through layers of management to determine tips after that. In the event that info is right, they’re ready to go.

What should be in an executive summary? Right here are the essential types:

• Explains the present circumstance so the client gets sure that you understand it.
• Explains what the customer wishes to happen.
• Summarizes any study and also the conclusions that should be drawn.
• Lays out the option and its implementation.
• Covers budget and timelines.
• Says what must happen when it comes to the business proposition to proceed.

If you cover these things, you’ve completed all of what most clients anticipate from you. They’ll not require additional info. And that is the point associated with the executive summary. Provide the client with adequate details and opinions to make a choice. Maybe not much more. Perhaps not much less. Keep in mind – men and women only wish to review a great deal. If it is superfluous, like you’re completing up an area, forget it. Be succinct. The client will thank you. Here are some executive summary templates which you can utilize.

Creating a shifting routine could be an extremely time-consuming and monotonous job – particularly if you are nevertheless scheduling with paper and pen or a spreadsheet. You can conserve time scheduling your staff by utilizing Time Scheduling Templates. It can conserve your time scheduling shifts with software as it will allow you to designate a number of shifts at the same time, assign split changes, and content change rotations. To arrange a number of changes to a worker at once, you can find that employee’s name in your change scheduling software, highlight the times you want to assign to that employee, and select the required shift from a listing.

By using split shifts where one worker is scheduled to two various shifts on one day, you will have to establish your Time Scheduling Templates to allow for split shifts, as usually, it would attempt to avoid you mistakenly arranging an employee twice a day. To schedule a worker to function in a split shift, select your day additionally the employee, and duplicate the procedure by picking a moment shift. If the changes overlap, a note will display notifying you of a scheduling conflict. Another time-saving tip is additionally the simplest. Once you have assigned a changing pattern to an employee, it’s effortless to copy that pattern as far into the long term as you would like. Turning schedules does perhaps not have to be a hard and time-consuming task.

Making use of Time Scheduling Templates, you can duplicate shift patterns by picking the times you want to copy. If you desire, you are able to enter the day from which you want to start copying from additionally the wide range of times you want to copy. Next, select the name(s) associated with the employee(s) you need to copy or select all staff members to duplicate a routine pattern. The final step is to select the target date(s) you would like to copy the schedule info. For instance, if you’ve got a 14-day shift design that begins on March first, you can easily select to duplicate it to March 15th, March 29th, April 12th, April 26th, May 10th, and so forth. Only select how much you wish to copy a rotation ahead.

You could duplicate smaller change patterns to a specified block of time. For instance, you can duplicate a five-day shift pattern to a two-week block of time. This could be done by making use of a brief and simple copy-and-paste purpose.

As you are able to see, there are numerous simple means by which you can save time that you would utilize in Time Scheduling Templates to schedule your employees. Scheduling several shifts at a time, assigning split shifts, and copying shift habits can be simple and efficient.

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Free Executive Summary Templates

Updated on December 10, 2022 By admin Comments Off on Free Executive Summary Templates

Please download these Free Executive Summary Templates prepared by our staff using MS Word to assist you.

It is no surprise that many business owners and managers are finding that they need to write an executive summary for their business plans so frequently. After all, if you spend even a few minutes browsing through the many different types of executive summary templates that are out there, you will quickly find that there are all sorts of different formats, styles, formats, and ingredients that go into making the most effective and concise executive summaries. There is also the option of choosing from several different types of formats as well. For instance, you can choose from a summarized version that is simply held inside of an attractive table format, or you can choose to use an executive summary PDF that is formatted in a way that is not only attractive but readable as well.

Types of Executive Summary Templates

When you need to learn how to write the executive summary for your business plans, you should look for a number of different types of executive summary templates. One of the simplest and easiest types of templates that you can find is the simplified one-page template. This is a very simple form that is easy to understand and which makes it very easy for you to summarize all the important points that you want to cover in the executive summary for your business plans. There are a lot of people who use simplified one-page executive summary templates to help them with writing their own executive summary report and they love it!

Another type of executive summary template is the clear and bold executive summary template. These types of templates make it very easy for you to understand what you are trying to say and they also make it very easy to get the point across to your intended audience. Now, there are some people who may not like having a clear and bold executive summary template. They feel that a blunt statement of what they think needs to be said might be too direct and might seem to be trying too hard. However, it is actually the exact opposite and if you think about it, that blunt statement is what you would be delivered to your intended audience if you were on the spot with your report and you needed to really make a good impression.

Here you can preview and download several of these Free Executive Summary Templates in order to study and prepare your own Executive Summary for any purpose.

Here is the download button for this Free Executive Summary Template.

Importance of Executive Summary Templates

The most important thing to keep in mind when you are looking over the different templates is how closely the summary matches up with the rest of the document. After all, you want to highlight the most important points and then use other tools and tactics to further draw the attention of your intended audience. You want to be able to get the gist of what your full business plan or strategy is all about without having to spend a great deal of time doing a great deal of extra work. That is why it is so important that you take some time before you download the executive summary template to determine just who your intended audience is and what is needed to make your document appealing.

One of the biggest mistakes that many business owners make is that they simply do not take the time to learn about the various types of executive summaries that are available online. If you are going to hire someone or a group of people to create business-relevant executive summaries for you, then you need to make sure that you educate them on the different types of formats that are available. Far too many business owners simply assume that they know enough about each format to pick the right one. They do not realize that there may be better options available to them. In short, if you really want to learn about the various types of executive summaries that are available to you, then you will have to spend the necessary time to learn about them in depth.

How to write an Executive Summary for a Restaurant Business?

A Restaurant Business plan is a formal statement that will describe your business goals and it mostly covers your business policies, financial forecast, sales, and marketing. Writing an executive summary for your business will help you in clarifying your business idea, setting out your goals, identify potential problems, and measuring your business progress. A well-written business plan will attract customers and potential investors. This article will discuss preparing an executive summary for Restaurant Business.

Name of Restaurant

This section will show the name of the restaurant, its mission, and its vision. You can also add your restaurant goals and objectives here and the action plan towards achieving those goals. The slogan can also be added in this section.

Products and Services

In this section, you will describe the products and services offered by the restaurant. You can describe different meals on the restaurant menu, their price, quality, and any other services that the restaurant is offering to its customers in short.

Market Analysis

This section will consist of collecting the most important facts into a brief document. The market analysis section will help you achieve a successful marketing plan for your business. It will help you understand your market potential and be able to know how your key competitors are promoting and selling their products.

Restaurant Business Plan Implementation

After conducting a successful market analysis for your Restaurant Business, you can now develop marketing strategies that will help achieve your Restaurant Business goals. To achieve these goals means you need the best marketing process that will include special deals, pricing, and how you can promote your products. Then you can define your Restaurant Business plan and the implantation process.

For you to achieve your business goals and a successful Restaurant Business, you will need to clearly outline your business management tactics which need to be included in the executive summary for your business plan. Business management is the key foundation of any successful business plan and must be included in an executive summary.

Financial Plan

This section of the executive summary for the Restaurant Business will show the funds that are required in the business and how they will be used. A financial plan should show all the income, expenditure, and profits made by the restaurant in every financial year. Clearly outlining your financial plan will help you identify if the business will yield profits or losses. This is also a great way to attract investors to join you and invest in the business. A strong financial plan will ensure that the restaurant will be attractive and successful.

Related Posts:

Free Executive Summary Template [PDF + Masterful Examples]

Use these templates to craft an effective executive summary for your business or project.

According to Time Magazine, 55% of people only read a piece of content for 15 seconds. Attention spans across the board are at an all-time low —  including those of potential investors and project stakeholders. If you want to capture and hold interest, then you need to craft an engaging executive summary that can effectively hold someone’s focus.

Before you dive into the details of your business plan or project proposal,  your first step should be an executive summary that captures the attention of those in a position to give buy-in.

Think of the executive summary as the back cover of your book. It convinces readers to purchase a copy because the storyline is worth their time. An investor or C-level executive with limited time probably won’t feel motivated to read a full business or product plan without a compelling executive summary.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to write a captivating executive summary, what to include in the document, and jumpstart yours with customizable templates.

What is an executive summary? 

An executive summary is a brief synopsis of a larger document such as a report or business plan. It provides a quick overview of your business plan with details like a description of your company, financial information, and market analysis.

The executive summary is made for lenders, investors, and busy executives who don’t have time to read the full proposal.

Done right, it zeroes in on what your prospective investor or project sponsor wants to hear and clearly communicates the value of your business or plan. Many investors or stakeholders will only read the executive summary during the first contact with your business, so all the information they need should be included. 

The goals of an executive summary include:

• Grab the reader’s attention
• Tell them what to expect in the business plan so they are motivated to keep reading
• Provide a high-level overview of your company, your short-term and long-term goals
• Acts as an elevator pitch

What is an executive summary in a business plan?

An executive summary in a business plan is a concise overview that provides a snapshot of the key elements of the plan as it pertains to the business overall. It outlines the business concept, objectives, market analysis, financial projections, and other essential information. The executive summary serves as a summary and introduction to the entire business plan, allowing lenders, investors, and decision-makers to quickly grasp the main points and make informed decisions.

What is an executive summary in project management?

An executive summary in project management is a summary of the most critical information of your project proposal. It’s everything that management needs to know when they land on your project before they review your project plan .

An executive summary in project management shouldn’t be confused with a project overview. While they have similar elements, an executive summary can stand alone as a document, while a project overview needs to be attached to your project.

Executive summary vs abstract

An abstract summarizes a document like a journal article while an executive summary sums up a longer document.

An abstract is mostly used in academia as a requirement when submitting conference papers, book proposals, or applying for a research grant. The abstract is not an excerpt but an original document that is self-sufficient.

An executive summary is aimed at a business audience. It contains information to help executives make funding decisions. Where the language in an abstract is technical, the language of an executive summary is non-technical. An executive summary is written as a condensed version of a project plan to secure buy-in while an abstract is written for orientation.

Executive summary vs introduction

The introduction is the first part of your project plan or business plan. It explains what the project is about and the goals you want to achieve. On the other hand, the executive summary is a standalone document condensed into a few paragraphs. It is thorough and high-level. Decision-makers can choose to read only the executive summary and still get the gist of the entire project proposal.

Think of the introduction as the first few pages of a long book with many chapters and an executive summary like a short book with only one chapter. You can understand both context and storyline when you read a short book. 

What should an executive summary include? 

For a project .

What is the problem you’re going to solve? What product plan, customer feedback, or insight led to this project? Why should it happen now ? These are questions to lead with in the opening paragraph of your executive summary.

What steps or methods are you taking to solve the problems you’ve listed in the opening paragraph? What are the goals and objectives you’ll achieve at the end of the project? Detail the answers in this section.

Value proposition

This is an important section where you briefly explain the value of the outcome. What is the ROI of the solution you’ve proposed? How will it improve service delivery and customer experience?

In a few sentences reiterate why it’s important to solve the problem now and the next steps or actions you want the reader to take.

For a business plan 

Introduction  .

For a business plan, the introduction is an opening statement that explains the purpose of the document. Your goal is to grab and hold the reader’s attention by clearly communicating the value of the business and the desired outcome. 

Company description

Include the following details in the company description:

• Business name and location
• Contact information
• Description of the purpose
• Leadership, founders, and current investors at your company
• The team responsible for the project

Products and services

Briefly explain the problem you’re going to solve. If you’ve conducted research that shows a need for the proposal, include your findings here. Also, explain how you’ll accomplish the project goals and what you’ll need for success.

Market analysis

A few questions to answer in this section include:

• Is there a market opportunity for the problem? 
• How do you plan to grow your customer base and expand your market share? 
• What is the five-year growth plan for this product/service? 
• What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned about your target audience that the reader should know?

Competitive analysis

Questions to answer as part of your competitive analysis include:

• Who are your competitors?
• What are the present and future opportunities?
• What is the unique value proposition of the product or service?
• Do you have experience with competitors?
• What are the risks particular to this niche or line of product?
• What roadblocks do you expect to address?

Funding request and use

Use this section to sweeten the pot for investors. How much will you need to fund your business? What is the profitability of your business? How will investors benefit?

Financial projections 

Include financial data that supports your research such as:

• The budget baseline for your business plan
• Your projected revenue for the first three years
• Your plan to manage finances
• Your current and future business finances

Conclusion  

The conclusion is a recap of the problem and the solution. Ask about the decision you want the reader to take. The outcomes should be obvious but leave room for intrigue so they feel compelled to read the rest of the business proposal.

Executive summary examples 

Executive summary presentation.

Often, executive summaries are presented to stakeholders in addition to the document. Get the templates below to snag these PowerPoint executive summary presentation templates.

One-page executive summary template  

A one-page executive summary is a short document with a big impact. You’ll present it as a mini version of a project plan during a meeting with decision-makers or as a business plan when pitching investors.

A few details to include in a one-page executive summary:

• Business name
• Financial information
• Use of funding
• Management team
• Business model
• Unique value proposition
• Competitive advantage
• Go-to-market strategy

Startup executive summary template

Your startup executive summary could be the difference between getting a pitch meeting or not. Venture capitalists and investors and overwhelmed with pitches from startups looking for a partnership. 

An executive summary is the fastest way for them to learn about your company and evaluate its potential. It’s usually a one-page document that is concise, yet detailed and engaging. Before writing your startup executive summary, determine the goal and ensure it matches what potential investors want to see.

Details to include in your startup executive summary:

• A description of your product or service
• The value proposition
• Market analysis showing the merit of the project
• Your current business model and future plans
• An explanation of your market and customer base
• Financial projections and funding request
• Other special information that could sway a decision in your favor

Business plan executive summary template

The business plan executive summary shouldn’t exceed two pages. Make sure you’ve tailored it to your audience to show why the opportunity is special. An executive summary for a business plan should include:

• Mission statement
• Company information with details about your services or product
• Business highlights describing how you’ve grown over the years. Include details of revenue increase, number of customers, profitability, revenue increase, and market share
• Future goals
• Financial summary
• A closing sentence that reassures the value of the plan

Project executive summary template

The goal of a project executive summary is to show what life will look like after you’ve executed the project. Your executive summary should tell a story that helps the reader visualize the solution and inspire them to choose you.

The executive summary should be written as the final step of your project proposal template. This way, you save time revising the content.

Details to include in a project executive summary:

• Summary of the challenge the client wants to solve
• Description of how you’ll solve the pain point
• Overview explaining how you’ve solved similar problems in the past
• Unique value that competitors don’t offer

Marketing plan executive summary template

An executive summary for a marketing plan offers an overview of how you’ll reach your intended audience and drive conversions.

Details to include in a marketing plan executive summary:

• Introduction
• Brief description of your company and key leaders
• Project goals and objectives
• Your product or services and the major features and benefits
• Description of market factors and trends affecting them
• Who is your audience and how will you reach them?
• Financial projections

Healthcare executive summary template

A healthcare executive summary template is used in formal communications for hospitals, government health agencies, and nonprofits. The template accommodates longer-research proposal plans targeted at a wider audience of the general public, external investors, and management.

Details to include in healthcare executive summary:

• Project topic
• Overview of the organization
• Two to three key problems that have a profound impact on quality care, operations, or regulatory compliance
• A proposed solution to each identified problem
• Obstacles and opportunities
• Policy changes and program proposal
• Vision and recommendation

Executive summary report template

An executive summary for a research or analyst report offers an overview of key points from the research.

Details to include in a report executive summary report:

• Brief description of your company
• Analysis findings
• Why these findings matter

Here's an example: 

How to write an executive summary

1. write a problem-based introduction.

Use the opening paragraph to explain why your project matters. Outline the problem with supporting research or customer feedback to strengthen your claim. The reader should understand why it’s important to solve the problem now and the relevance to your customer base. 

A powerful way to grab attention is to open with a customer quote or thought-provoking statistic that forces the reader to sit up and listen.

For example:

“I wish this camera had a longer battery life span so I could record an entire football game on 4K without switching to full HD when the battery is low .” - Customer review

In a recent survey, 70% of our customers expressed a desire for a camera with a longer battery life that could last up to six hours while recording in 4k. 80% said they wouldn’t mind paying more for the convenience of not having to log extra battery packs when going out. To serve our existing clientele and improve our market share, we need to create a camcorder that performs at optimal levels while using fewer resources on battery life.

2. Tell your story

Use storytelling to explain the mission statement of your organization. Explain how you’ll use your skill and experience to solve the problem you’ve highlighted in the introduction. Storytelling sets the tone and gets the reader excited about reading the project plan.

3. Make sure you’ve done the research 

While an executive summary is short, it’s loaded with research. Research shows that you know your competitors, understand your target audience, and have a plan for capturing a significant market share.

Think of your executive summary like an elevator pitch. If an investor only read your executive summary without making it to the project proposal or business plan, what would you want them to know?

4. Outline the solution

After telling the reader the pain points and explaining your business credentials, use a bullet list to outline the solution. Your goal is to convince the reader that your solution is the best fit. Save deliverables and milestones for the project proposal. Instead, describe what will happen during the project so the user can picture the outcome working for them.

5. Show the value of the solution 

This is where you get into more details about the impact of the solution. Explain how the results provide relief and improve ROI for the company. include potential risks that may arise and relevant financial information such as income projections.

6. Formal or informal tone?

While an executive summary usually has a formal tone, your decisions should be based on your audience. 

Presenting to your C-level executives in your company? What language do they respond to? Don’t be afraid to break the mold if it gets the desired results. However, avoid clichés as they rub readers the wrong way.

If you’re presenting to investors, use language that resonates with your audience. Use personal pronouns like “I”, “you” and “we” over impersonal pronouns like “they” or “the company.

7. Make sure the summary can stand alone 

If you follow the clearly defined structure we’ve listed above, your executive summary can stand on its own merit. Keep revising the document until you’ve achieved this goal. The introduction, problem, solution, and conclusion should be detailed, yet concise. 

After writing, take a second look and read from the viewpoint of the decision-maker. Is there any section where more context is needed to clear confusion and help the reader understand the summary? Consider linking to a relevant section in the project proposal or explaining briefly in the summary.

8. Be concise

Every word in your executive summary must have an impact. The executive summary is not the place to brainstorm new ideas as it could jeopardize the project plan. 

Avoid using jargon words. Readers without prior knowledge of your company or niche should understand key findings by reading the executive summary alone.

 When you find yourself going deep into details, pull back and ask yourself if this belongs in the project proposal or executive summary. The goal is to keep the executive summary engaging and actionable.

9. Proofread for errors 

Before sending it off to executives or potential investors, read through the document three times in order to catch errors. It also helps to send it to a colleague to review with a fresh pair of eyes in case you missed a typo here and there.

10. Write the executive summary last

It takes longer to write an executive summary when you haven’t yet written the project proposal or business plan. Instead, wait to create a summary until you’ve written the full document, then pull details. This ensures that your executive summary captures the information you’ve detailed in the project plan.

Manage your executive summary templates with Guru

An executive summary is a quick and easy way to bring stakeholders up to speed on your project proposal. In a few paragraphs, you can communicate the problem, why it matters now and the key information they need to make a decision.

Rather than creating a new executive summary from scratch, these templates will add impact to your report and speed up the process. Use Guru’s knowledge management software to store your templates, collaborate remotely, and work efficiently on projects.

FAQ for executive summaries

Where does an executive summary go in a report.

Place the executive summary before the table of contents and after the title page. Include a page break before and after the executive summary.

How long should an executive summary be?

Most executive summaries are 5-10% of the length of the project proposal. Ideally, aim for one page for a 20-page project proposal.

Who is the audience of an executive summary?

The audience of an executive summary can include:

• Project stakeholders
• Management personnel who make decisions on funding
• Venture capitalists
• C-level executives

What is included in an executive summary?

Elements to include in an executive summary are:

• A summary of the key points of the project proposal report
• Major points of the report you want the reader to remember
• The goal of the report
• Results and recommendations from the report
• Other details that enable the executive summary to function as a standalone document