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Executive Summary Example Make Writing Your Executive Summary Easier with This Executive Summary Example By Susan

Ward, About.com Guide See More About: * how to write an executive summary * writing a business plan * business plan example * starting a business Its always easier to write something if you can read an example first, so heres an executive summary example that you can use as a model for your own business plans executive summary. Please note that Pet Grandma is a fictional business invented for this executive summary sample. For instructions and tips on how to write an executive summary for your own business plan, see Writing the Executive Summary of the Business Plan, part of my Writing a Business Plan series. Pet Grandma Executive Summary Example Pet Grandma offers on-site pet sitting services for dogs and cats, providing the personal loving pet care that the owners themselves would provide if they were there. Our clients are dog and cat owners who choose to leave their pets at home when they travel or who want their pets to have company when their owners are at work. Pet Grandma offers a variety of pet care services from day visits through 24 hour care over a period of weeks all in the pets home environment. Across Canada the pet care business has seen an explosion of growth over the last three years. West Vancouver is an affluent area with a high pet density. Our market research has shown that 9 out of 10 pet owners polled in West Vancouver would prefer to have their pets cared for in their own homes when they travel rather than be kenneled and 6 out of 10 would consider having a pet sitter provide company for their dog when they were at work. While there are currently eight businesses offering pet sitting in West Vancouver, only three of these offer on-site pet care and none offers pet visit services for working pet owners. Pet Grandmas marketing strategy is to emphasize the quality of pet care we provide (a Grandma for your pet!) and the availability of our services. Dog owners who work, for instance, will come home to find happy, friendly companions who have already been exercised and walked rather than demanding whiny animals. All pet services will be provided by staff trained in animal care. On start up we will have six trained staff to provide pet services and expect to hire four more this year once financing is secured. To begin with, co-owner Pat Simpson will be scheduling appointments and coordinating services, but we plan to hire a full-time receptionist this year as well. The management of Pet Grandma consists of co-owners Pat Simpson and Terry Estelle. Pat has extensive experience in animal care while Terry has worked in sales and marketing for 15 years. Both partners will be taking hands-on management roles in the company. In addition, we have assembled a board of advisors to provide management expertise. The advisors are: Juliette LeCroix, partner at LeCroix Accounting, Carey Boniface, veterinarian and partner at Little Tree Animal Care Clinic, John Toms, president of Toms Communications Ltd. Based on the size of our market and our defined market area, our sales projections for the first

year are $340,000. The salary for each of the co-owners will be $40,000. We are seeking an operating line of $150,000 to finance our first year growth. Together, the coowners have invested $62,000 to meet working capital requirements. Already we have service commitments from over 40 clients and plan to aggressively build our client base through newspaper, local television and direct mail advertising. The loving on-site professional care that Pet Grandma will provide is sure to appeal to cat and dog owners throughout the West Vancouver area. Executive Summary This report provides an analysis and evaluation of the current and prospective profitability, liquidity and financial stability of Outdoor Equipment Ltd. Methods of analysis include trend, horizontal and vertical analyses as well as ratios such as Debt, Current and Quick ratios. Other calculations include rates of return on Shareholders Equity and Total Assets and earnings per share to name a few. All calculations can be found in the appendices. Results of data analysed show that all ratios are below industry averages. In particular, comparative performance is poor in the areas of profit margins, liquidity, credit control, and inventory management. The report finds the prospects of the company in its current position are not positive. The major areas of weakness require further investigation and remedial action by management. Recommendations discussed include: key-bullet improving the average collection period for accounts receivable key-bullet improving/increasing inventory turnover key-bullet reducing prepayments and perhaps increasing inventory levels The report also investigates the fact that the analysis conducted has limitations. Some of the limitations include: forecasting figures are not provided nature and type of company is not known nor the current economic conditions data limitations as not enough information is provided or enough detail i.e. monthly details not known results are based on past performances not present

Executive Summary During my internship project for Chamdelphia Corporation, I investigated opportunities where nanotechnology could be effectively used. If a technology strategically fit the companys technological and business objectives, I recommended ways to integrate and commercialize it. The technologies I investigated were at various stages of development: Some are available today, but others are one to two years away from being commercially available. This report describes new and evolving technologies that can enhance the performance of existing tools or aid in the development of a new generation of tools at Chamdelphia. Aerogel The Aerogel is a nanoporous insulating material that was evaluated as a thermal insulator. It is in the second stage of the Project Development and Management (PDM) stage gating process. Results from the tests I performed were promising and the aerogel is being evaluated for use on several projects. Nanostructured Metals Severe plastic deformation (SPD) of metals and alloys refines grain sizes and introduces nanoscale features that offer the prospect of enhancing metal properties to levels not otherwise attainable with current technologies. Virtually all metal and alloy properties, particularly strength,

can be enhanced without a significant degradation of other properties such as ductility. These materials are more expensive, but the benefits may outweigh the cost in the final analysis. Chemical Analyzers That Use SETs A disposable array based on ultra-sensitive single electron transistors (SETs) can be created in a microarray test chip. These chips, sometimes referred to as lab-on-a chip technology, can be used for chemical composition and concentration analysis with a portable computer. Most of the research in this area is focused on medical industry applications. However, this technology differs primarily because it is based on SETs, which are solid state devices and can more easily be adapted for use on nonbiological specimens. Actions Needed Now to Reap Benefits Some technological hurdles must be overcome before any of these technologies can come to fruition. However, most or all of the basic research has been completed and with a minimal financial investment. All of these technologies can be successfully integrated into many of the existing tools. Nanotechnology has many potential applications at Chamdelphia. I recommend that Chamdelphia aggressively pursue the research and development of aerogels, nanostructured metals, and the lab-on-a-chip technologies. My findings are supported by the preliminary research I conducted during my internship. However, additional research, development, and business evaluations will be required to confirm my assertions. The true benefits of Nanotechnology can only be realized by staying current with all the relevant research and development work. This is a new and exciting area of study with unprecedented benefits if the opportunities are identified and pursued.

Executive Summaries Provide the Essence Executive summaries complete the report, whether an analytical report memo or whatever. Executive summaries are the parts of the reports that are read first. Readers may not even get to the detail in your report. They read the executive summaries to see if the rest of the report is worth reading. Executive Summaries Are Called Different Names Executive summaries go by so many different names. Sometimes the executive summary is called an Abstract. You usually find that designation in scientific papers and academic efforts. You can also call the Executive Summary simply a Summary. If you call the Executive Summary a precis, you are probably misnaming it. A precis is usually a sentence summary. Abstracts Differ from Executive Summaries Abstracts differ from executive summaries, because abstracts are usually written for a scientific or academic purpose. You see abstracts related to scientific lab reports. You see abstracts related to databases, where a summary or abstract of the article is given. Abstracts, according to Janis Ramey in "How to Write a Useful Abstract," fall into this kind of structure: * First, prepare a topic sentence that encompasses the entire article or whatever you are summarizing. * Next, prepare two or three subordinate sentences that support your main idea or topic sentence. * Then, tie everything together with transition and logic. That is a well-written abstract. You say what you have to say, and stop. Executive Summaries Briefly Cover Every Main Section

In this class we are going to include the Introduction (Issue, Purpose, Scope and Limitations, and Alternatives), Significant Considerations, Analysis and Decisions in the executive summary. The executive summary will probably be one or one and one-half pages by the time you finish writing. The executive summary will appear after the transmittal memo and just before the first page of the analytical report memo. In the executive summary you will probably want to put the Issue (Problem) and Purpose in the first paragraph. The Scope and Limitations as well as the Alternatives (Procedures) will go in the next paragraphs. The Significant Considerations, Analysis, and Decisions will comprise the final paragraphs. Normally, your executive summary (with double spacing) will run about one to one-half pages of copy. You should make sure you only put in significant Considerations, Analysis, and Decisions. Proportionate Spacing Is Devoted to Executive Summaries Business writing students often ask this question about executive summaries: How long should they be? Here, you have to think about proportion of the summary to rest of the report or document. For example, in a five-page analytical report memo, you probably would devote one to one and one-half pages to the summary. In the 9/11 Commission Report, a 30-page executive summary was conceived. Think of the length of this two-year prepared report: 428 pages and with the 1,700 footnotes and appendices, 567 pages. Thomas H. Kean and Lee Hamilton (cochairpersons of the 9/11 Commission) in their book, Without Precedent: The Inside Story of the 9/11 Commission remarked about their need for an executive summary and its wordiness: "Because of the word limit imposed on our report, we had to condense all of our work into a digestible 30-page executive summary that could stand out on its own as a separately published document. This document would prove essential in the days and weeks after our report came out, as it was often the reference point for members of Congress and their staff during hearings on our recommendations." (p. 296) The next time you have to deal with length, always think of proportion. If I have a 10-page report, how long should the executive summary be? You are probably saying: please show me an executive summary. With that thought, I will provide you such a document: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Work demands and family responsibility have increasingly come in conflict as mothers have become a large part of the workforce, and fathers have begun to share in the caregiving responsibilities. Working parents at B. Insurance Agency need to care for their children. What benefits can be obtained from the employer and employees by encouraging B Insurance Agency to provide a daycare center during working hours? Child care programs can benefit employers by decreasing absenteeism, providing higher productivity, and having a lower turnover rate. Developing a program at work can make it easier for parents to balance their work and family responsibilities at B Insurance Agency. This report involves Thousand Oaks, possible child care, and an insurance company called B. Insurance Agency. Surveys are given to employees, and three interviews occur with a working parent and two managers. The 19 completed surveys indicated if employees have child care needs and what these needs are. The survey also specified how the company is affected. Nine employees (47 percent) missed a full day during the past six months because of child care difficulties or because the child was sick. Ten (53 percent) employees had a minor problem with the ability to do the job well and the

level of stress experienced. Over half of the employees (n=14) have children under the age of 12 and usually needed child care during the work hours. Twelve employees (63 percent) think one of the most important requirements is the need for more employees than ever before to handle child care while they work. Unscheduled absenteeism reported to supervisors as being caused by illness or personal problems, in some cases, caused the underlying difficulty with child care. Difficulty with child care is considered to be the third largest cause of absenteeism in the company. Tardiness provided sufficient cause for nine employees from commuting delays because child care is inconveniently located. For this selected sample, respondents support and prefer care to be located at or near work. Child care programs can be an effective management tool that serves the goals of both the company and the program participants as well. Company centers are one of the more expensive options for employers, but these centers represent the greatest potential for solving a wide variety of child care needs if properly designed. Setting up a daycare program on site at B. Insurance Company can be accomplished as a nonprofit organization with a board of directors consisting of parent and company representatives. Comments: The previous executive summary is well written, but it has some flaws that should be noted. In the Analysis ("For this selected sample . . .") the point should be more strongly driven home about parental involvement. That will further make the Decisions or Recommendations ("Setting up . . .") stand out. Of course, many sentences that have "is" and "are" need power verbs. For example, the sentence starting "The scope of this report is . . .," could read: "This report concerns B. Insurance Agency located in Thousand Oaks and its attempts to establish a daycare center. Notice how the writer has cleverly mentioned over half by saying in parentheses, n=14. Did you note that the executive summary did not start with the question? It started with the theme and perspective to prepare the reader for the problem question. Did you read how strongly worded and clearly stated was the problem question? The problem question still remains the heart of the report, including the executive summary. All main sections of the report were covered in the previous executive summary. Only the major percentages of significance were included in this executive summary. The reader can look at this executive summary without even reading the report. Strong Beginnings Encourage Good Reading Executive summaries demand special attention. The first sentence must grab and keep the reader. You cannot afford to start your executive summary with one of the following approaches: * The purpose of the report * The problem question * All kinds of background to the report. The executive summary demands your best thinking. Four Major Points Emphasize Summarizing When you complete your executive summary, you have one more summary to write. You start with an introductory sentence, such as: The following points are ascertained from this report: You are now faced with what to write. You can have only four major points of your entire

executive summary. I would urge you to write the following: o one major conclusions or analysis o one major recommendation or decision o something about the problem and what you studied o one major consideration. No matter how much we talk about the bulleted items, you need to see an actual example from a former students's report: The following major points can be ascertained from the report: o Stronger tutorial programs can benefit students by increasing their confidence in math, providing an environment that will stimulate learning. o Providing students with extensive study groups will help students pass remedial math courses. o Seventy-nine percent of remedial students are able to complete requirements in a year. o Minority students are considerably affected by Executive Order 665. Note: Do you see how the writer has tried to place major recommendations and considerations in the four bulleted points? Did you notice how the writer effectively used an introductory sentence? Did you notice how the writer wrote a "summary" within a summary with the use of bullets? Now, take the following example and tell how the writing could have been improved. . . .With current personnel and five days of awareness meetings on the importance of collections as well as monthly updates, the campus newspaper can certainly achieve a fail-proof collections department. o Quick growing service industry o Proper collections prove to increase cash flow. o Eliminating customer loopholes o Five days with monthly update seminars in-house By setting up the proper correction at minimal cost to the company, past-due collections can be virtually eliminated. You now have told the essence of the report. You have written a summary within a summary. You have told the essence of your report in case the reader never reads every word of the summary. You bullet the main points to make them stand out. You indent them for the same reason. Now, your executive summary has punch and verve. You have given your reader something to think about. How-To Involves Careful Writing When you face writing an executive summary, how do you go about the task. You read over the entire report several times. You carry out some of these activities: o You mark in the margins of the report. o You underline key passages. o You think how the report will look on paper. Now, you have the daunting task of writing the actual executive summary. You think of your first sentence. It must be the best sentence you have ever written in your life. You must grab the reader to peruse the entire executive summary. Ask yourself these questions: o Did I pinpoint the essence of the message?

o Did I understand the problem, the real problem? o Did I state the idea as a symptom and as a purpose? o Was I sure I grasped what the reader must find in the entire report? It is not unwise to group items together in paragraphs. For example, the first paragraph of your executive summary can have the problem and the purpose. In the second paragraph you can explain the scope, limitations, and the procedures. You may want to devote a separate paragraph to the procedures. When you write the Considerations or Findings, concentrate on the major findings. Make sure you stress just numbers and no conclusions or generalizations as you are writing. Force yourself to only think of the data. Make sure you cover every major part of the Considerations so the report has cohesion. When you reach the Analysis or Conclusions, concentrate on the generalizations. Take apart the message. Look carefully at each bullet or number and say: Is that important? Upon reaching the Decisions or Recommendations, talk about specifics. Tell what you want the company to do, based on the data. Tell what you want individuals to do. Then, ask yourself: Have I written the report in miniature? Could someone look at this report and tell the essence of the message? Could someone read this summary and not read the report? Has the message been distilled? Executive Summaries Remain Old One always thinks reports and report writing are a relatively new phenomenon. History teaches us a different lesson. During the Manchu Dynasty (called by the Chinese, Qing Dynasty)in 1729-30, an incident of treasonous consequences happened. It started with a treasonous letter and built to three secret reports written by General Yue (pronounced Yu-a) in Hunan. The Emperor, Yongzheng, who ruled from Beijing, received these secret reports by special military messenger and in special boxes. These reports conformed to a certain format. Thus, begins our story. General Yue was approached one day while riding in his sedan chair by a mysterious messenger. The messenger handed General Yue a letter; the messenger was promptly detained. General Yue became bothered as he read the contents in his office by the signature of Summer Calm, the Leaderless Wanderer of the Seven Seas. You think about e-mail signed now with emoticons and pseudonyms? You think about chat lines with made-up aliases. Who was this Summer Calm? The messenger was interrogated, first politely and then with torture. The messenger was interrogated, because the letter contained libelous comments against the Emperor and accused the Emperor of not caring about the people. General Yue began to make out his first secret report to the Emperor. In the secret report the General followed this format: o introductory title to show the content o main points sequentially arranged o termination with general conclusions and suggestions for action. Doesn't that sound like a form of executive summary? The Emperor requested considerable white space be left around the document. The Emperor wanted to write in the margins and at the bottom of the document. The paper appeared standard with each sheet 10 inches high and around two feet broad. The Emperor could unfold the document in a concertina fashion, similar to a road map you might purchase in a gas station. The Emperor could read each folded section, one section at a time. The document was prepared in beautiful, black calligraphy. The lines were spaced far enough apart to allow the Emperor to make red notations. General Yue chose for his introductory title, "A Secret Report, Blunderingly Written, Which the Emperor Is Implored to Read with Compassion." We certainly shorten our titles these days, don't we? Please see Dr. Jonathan Spence's Treason by the Book for more details of these remarkable secret reports. After the thorough interrogation, General Yue sent two more secret reports to the Emperor. These reports followed the first messenger, and General Yue was concerned about the other

reports reaching the Emperor Yongzheng in time. These reports named five conspirators and, eventually, 13 conspirators. General Yue cleverly used a friend disguised as someone sympathetic to the messenger to extract more information. The messenger finally told General Yue his teacher was the sender of the treasonous letter. The Emperor Yongzheng had already carefully read the first report. He suggested to General Yue in the margins to take more diligent steps to interrogate the prisoner. The second report especially caught the Emperor's eyes. In that report General Yue confessed to swearing a terrible oath to convince the messenger of a necessary confession from the messenger. Emperor Yongzheng completed his notations and sent a special box with the noted reports back to General Yue. The arrests of the so-called conspirators now began in different Chinese provinces. Jonathan Spence, the Yale University author, considered the plot rather inept. The people who started the plot were "book" people. They were, what we would consider today, research teachers. After receiving the conspirators and main perpetrator in Beijing, the Emperor's first inclination was killing. However, the Emperor Yongzheng thought long and hard about whether discrediting would work better than killing. Therefore, while the main conspirator was in prison, he started carrying on a correspondence with the Emperor. You have to realize the main conspirator, Zeng Jing, was considered a lowly teacher who had barely passed the lowest level of teaching exams. That conspirator was from a farming family. He had dreams of glory, but they were never realized. To this conspirator's credit before his arrest, he had assembled in secret some of the finest Chinese writings, many of them critical of the Manchus. The year was now 1729, and the Emperor submitted to the main conspirator, Zeng Jing, a series of questions and answers, accusations and counter accusations. In time, the main conspirator, Zeng Jing, began to see the error of his ways. The main conspirator, according to Dr. Spence, was guilty of gullibility. What happened to the main conspirator? He was pardoned. Emperor Yongheng rejected the pleas of his ministers about killing the main conspirator. The issue became one of powerful people (namely, the Emperor) thinking through complexity and various thought patterns. What is the message for business communications? Executive summaries are much older than we first thought. Second, it often takes people thrust into unusual circumstances to make wise decisions. Finally, our words live long after us. As a footnote, the original of the treasonous letter was never found.

Report writing - example of an executive summary


The purpose of this report was to examine the implications on university teaching raised in the article by Joe Gelonesi in the Education Supplement of The Age (27/2/02). Research for this report included a review of current literature on web-based tuition and interviews with three experienced academics. The major findings indicate that while there is a
Purpose

Methodology

Findings

need for some caution, e-learning should be seen as a way of enriching the teaching and learning currently being offered in universities. While it is clear that student needs will vary, this report recommends that Beacon University continue to develop and implement its e-learning approach if it wishes to continue providing quality education for traditional on-campus students as well as those who for work, family, geographic location or other reasons choose to study through distance education.

Conclusion & Recommendations

Instructions Things You'll Need: * Word-processing Software * Printer Paper * Computers * Printers * Thesauri * Report Covers * Dictionaries 1. 1 Plan to create a summary each time you write a business report exceeding four pages. Write the summary after you write the main report, and make sure it is no more than 1/10 the length of the main report. 2. 2 List the main points the summary will cover in the same order they appear in the main report 3. 3 Write a simple declarative sentence for each of the main points. 4. 4 Add supporting or explanatory sentences as needed, avoiding unnecessary technical material and jargon. 5. 5 Read the summary slowly and critically, making sure it conveys your purpose, message and key recommendations. You want readers to be able to skim the summary without missing the point of the main report. 6.

6 Check for errors of style, spelling, grammar and punctuation. Ask a fellow writer to proofread and edit the document. 7. 7 Ask a nontechnical person - for example, your parents or your spouse - to read the document. If it confuses or bores them, the summary probably will have the same effect on other nontechnical readers. Tips & Warnings * Keep your main points in mind as you write the summary. You do not need to include every point in the summary, but ensure that the major ideas are covered succinctly.

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Executive Summary Example "Here's An Actual Sample Executive Summary Sample That You Can Use To Help Kick Start Your Business Plan" I'm the type of person who has to actually see something before I do it. If I can't see it in my head, it takes me forever to do it. I guess you can say that I'm a very visual person. Business plans are no different. If you would have asked me what a business plan or executive summary was when I was just coming out of university, I would have told you something right out of a text book. Today, I know better. After years of looking at business plans (And doing them), this is something you just can't learn from a text book. Experience is the key here and what I will outline to you, is a sample executive summary so you can understand what is required. However, you will have to use your experience and judgement. I've decided to use a fictional company called Terra Engineering for my business planning examples. This following executive summary example will show you how to structure your executive summary. Terra Engineering is a fictional company who's main product is environmental consulting. Remember that this is only an executive summary example and should be used as a guide. Here's an executive summary example: Terra Engineering Executive Summary Terra Engineering

Terra Engineering is a new company that will provide high quality technical and environmental engineering services to its clients. Terra Engineering is scheduled to begin operations on July 16, 2004. Terra Engineering will be a partnership, owned and operated by Norm Johnson and Rupert Smith. Terra Engineering will provide a wide array of environmental consulting services to its market which includes: Site Specific Environmental Services; Permitting; Strategic Planning; Project Design and Management; Technical Third Party Services; Environmental Policy Development and Liaison Services. Terra Engineering will target small to medium sized companies and government organizations within the Southern part of Michigan including Detroit and surrounding areas as well as Southern Ontario. Terra Engineering will seek major contracts with medium sized firms. Those contracts will be serviced with the assistance of strategic alliances, both with other engineering companies such as Randolf and Associates and Barnard and Barry Environmental, as well as other professional groups. The environmental industry in Southern Michigan and Southern Ontario is an evolving sector which is comprised of companies and organizations that provide environmental technologies or goods and services which: Reduce human health risks and ecological damage; Improve eco-efficiencies and cost-effectiveness in processes; and Address environmental issues and problems. In total, the environmental industry is represented by over 9,500 firms which range from one person operations to large multi-national firms. Presently, environmental firms average over 25 employees, with a total of average revenues over $3.9 million. This industry is a large employer of a highly skilled and productive workforce. It is estimated that approximately 221,000 workers are employed within this industry which is 1.6% of total state employment. The environmental market in Michigan and Southern Ontario is valued at an approximate $25.8 billion. Key leading sectors within the environmental industry include environmental consulting/engineering like Terra Engineering; waste management; water supply and purification and waste water treatment. Overall, the environmental industry and Southern Michigan and Southern Ontario is a growing one. Market drivers in the environmental industry include such pressures as: pollution prevention and eco-efficiency; performance in managing complex environmental issues and human health. Today, citizens, governments, businesses, lenders, investors, and organizations are becoming more aware of and placing more pressure on the importance of a healthy environment. As a result, there is a growing demand for environmentally sound processes and solutions to possible present and future problems. The entire market has identified the increasing demand for environmental services since similar driving forces as the mainstream market have taken effect. This is due to a number of key factors such as: Increasing number of business start ups and expansions in all industry sectors including primary industry; Municipalities are more aware and demand tightened environmental safe policies and

procedures for the governments, businesses and organizations; Major funding programs in Southern Michigan and Southern Ontario require environmental assessments and or third party reviews in order to meet federal/state legal requirements and program criteria before funding is disbursed. The company's knowledge and awareness of the driving forces behind the increasing demand for environmental services like Terra Engineering by it's municipal and community markets will remain invaluable. Presently, the need for environmentally specialized firms and businesses to fulfill this need is apparent and has become increasingly large. Terra Engineering will differentiate its company in the marketplace in 3 specific ways; the owners, Norm Johnson and Rupert Smith have been employed in the environmental industry for over 20 years and have unmatchable skills and knowledge of the industry; centralized location to the company's target market allows for full market reach and serviceability and a vision of growth for the company's market that will enable the application of contemporary tools to determine solutions for the surrounding areas. Terra Engineering's sales strategy is three tiered. First, the company will plan on achieving first year direct sales of $82,000 in the target market. Secondly, the company will plan to achieve a more profitable level of sales equal to or better than $92,250 in years two and $102,500 in year three. Thirdly, the company plans to aggressively promote its services with a higher profit margins to allow for maximized profits. It the first year of operations, Terra Engineering plans on breaking even. In years two and three the company will become more profitable as contracts and clientele increase and as the company learns to become more efficient in operations. The initial start up expense for Terra Engineering include: capital $75,000, marketing $25,000, and business support $5,000. Capital funds will be used to purchase building improvements, specialized field equipment software, and technical field equipment. Marketing funds will be used for trade show booth design, trade show attendance, company apparel and various print materials and advertisements. Business support funds will be utilized to hire an accountant. In order to properly fund the start up of Terra Engineering, the financing package consists of personal equity, federal assistance and traditional borrowing. Mr. Smith and Mr. Johnson will contribute a total of $30,000 or 30% of the project's total capital costs. Federal Environmental will be approached to invest $30,000 or 30% of the project's capital costs. The remaining balance of $15,000 or 20% will be financed by a commercial bank over a four year term.

In this page, you will find: 1. the terms abstract vs executive summary defined; 2. the main differences between abstract vs executive summary presented side-by-side; 3. tips on how to write an executive summary revealed; 4. top books discoursing about the place of the executive summary in writing persuasive business proposals referenced; and, finally 5. "Give me a place to stand and a long enough lever, and I will move the Earth".

- Archimedes some uncommon web resources recommended. My 100% guaranty: Here are both the place and the lever allowing you to move your world. So, you won't leave this page without new ideas, enthusiasm, and eagerness to start writing your own executive summary. Abstract vs Executive Summary, Definitions Abstract Definition An Abstract is an abbreviated summary of a research article, thesis, review, conference proceeding or any in-depth analysis of a particular subject or discipline, and is often used to help the reader quickly ascertain the paper's purpose. When used, an abstract always appears at the beginning of a manuscript, acting as the point-ofentry for any given scientific paper or patent application. (Wikipedia) Executive Summary Definition An Executive Summary is, basically, anything but a product presentation, and nothing but a persuasive sales pitch. Far more than an abstract merely presenting the rest of the document, it's your unique opportunity to convince the reader that your proposal provides the best value proposition: the best benefit at the lowest cost. The more technical your proposal, the more critical the executive summary is likely to be, because, unlike the abstract, the executive summary forbids technicalities to instead concentrate on substantiating the benefits for the customer. Common misspellings: excutive summary, exective summary, execitive summary, eccutive summary, managment summary, executive sumary, executive summry, or eecutive summary. Question: Are executive summary and abstract the same? Answer: If you think so, you have just lost your chance to persuade first hand. Advice: Make your unique selling point (USP) from your executive summary. Abstract vs Executive Summary: The Dilemma This is the "executive summary vs abstract summary" battle. All so-called experts say that you should write the executive summary when the rest of your proposal is written. Because this part is called the summary of the whole document, logic dictates that you should write the document first in order to be able to summarize it. There is a significant difference between an executive summary and an abstract. You said Executive Summary, not Abstract And that's exactly the pitfall to avoid when writing an executive summary for your proposal: the executive summary is not an abstract. We may even say, paradoxically, that the executive summary, unlike the abstract, is not a summary, it's your value proposition, your best, unique opportunity to sell your solution! Abstract vs Executive Summary, Differences These are the differences between Abstract vs Executive Summary:

Abstract Executive Summary Nature Abbreviated summary. Unique selling point (USP). Audience Specialized (researchers), or mere readers. Decision makers, e.g. corporate managers. Scope Informational, academic, administrative, and other general documents (thesis, articles, patents). Solicited or unsolicited sales proposals and bids (P&B). Job rsums fit in this case! Purpose Give information. Ascertain the purpose of the whole document, give an overview or preview of its content. Call for action. Persuade readers to buy on the recommended solution addressing the problem, namely, make your unique selling point (USP). Content Mainly technical: 1. Present the problem and scope; 2. Expose the used methodology; 3. Report observations and results; 4. Draw conclusions and recommendations. Mainly managerial (The 4 rules of persuasion): 1. State outcomes and benefits; 2. Substantiate benefits with proofs of concept; 3. Apply benefits to the reader's particular; context (win themes); 4. Recommend a solution to address the problem. Length Short. Shorter than the executive summary. Short. Longer than the abstract. Style Technical, static, and more academic. Managerial, dynamic, and more enthusiastic. Shhh...I'll tell you a secret. You'll never believe me. Since I have advised all my friends, relatives, and other acquaintances to write their rsum and, most importantly, their rsum cover letter like if it were an executive summary, this led, so far, in 93% of the cases to a phone call from the employer. Amazing! As revealed by the side-by-side comparison above, the key difference between an abstract and an executive summary resides on their antipodal purpose, and consequently on the format used to achieve this goal. Indeed, while the abstract aims at convincing the reader to go through the whole document in order to quash his thirst of information, the executive summary, at the opposite, aims at persuading the reader, who is supposed to be a decision maker, to take of forgo an action, whether usually buying a product, or approving another action. How to Write an Executive Summary? Having understood the differences between abstract vs executive summary, you now want to write your executive summary. To do so, read the discussion How to write an Executive Summary that will help you identify the needed information for laying down your value proposition through the use of win themes. You can write your own executive summary following the proven S.P.A. rule, which is unveiled in the executive summary template. Abstract vs Executive Summary, Top Books 1. Persuasive Business Proposals by Tom Sant 224 pages

ISBN: 0814471536 Abstract: In a business climate marked by increased competition, tight budgets and stiffer regulations, your prospective clients are more intent than ever on making smart vendor choices. Before they'll give you that contract, you've got to prove to them that your firm represents their best, or only option. Abstract vs executive summary: There is a section dedicated to the executive summary, which addresses the abstract vs executive summary dilemma by providing differences between abstract vs executive summary, between research abstract, abstract in proposals for grant and executive summary. Indeed, discover how the abstract for research proposals is roughly the equivalent of the executive summary in sales proposals. Checklists, questions, and directions are provided on how to write an executive summary. Plus, at the end of the book, a whole section is dedicated to style, grammar, and common errors, which is invaluable to better write an executive summary. Read more about:Persuasive Business Proposals 2. The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing: How to Satisfy Your Clients and Double Your Income by Herman Holtz 320 pages ISBN: 0471249173 Abstract: When clients make the decision to hire you, they are putting more than money on the line. They are also putting their company's future and its reputation in your hands. That's why your success depends on your ability to gain prospective clients' complete confidence, not only in the solutions you offer, but in you -your capabilities and character. Abstract vs executive summary: The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing dedicates 7% of the total pages to the executive summary: * What is an Executive Summary? * Uses of an executive Summary * Relevant principles in writing an executive summary * An executive summary case history * How long should an executive summary be? * How to write tight executive summaries * Executive summary in a letter proposal The book does not present the differences between abstract vs executive summary but is a very valuable resource on how to write an executive summary. Read more about: The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing 3. Handbook For Writing Proposals by L. Sue Baugh, Robert J. Hamper 224 pages ISBN: 0844232742 Abstract: In this easy-to-use, concise, and thorough handbook, two veteran business professionals guide you through the entire proposal-writing process, from the initial contact through completion

and follow-up. You'll benefit from the authors' expertise and insight on: * Which jobs to target-and which to pass up * Setting up a strong proposal team * Evaluating potential projects * Preparing schedules and identifying tasks * Writing and producing a first-rate proposal * Delivering a show-stopping client presentation Abstract vs executive summary: Unlike other books, there are 20 pages dedicated to the executive summary, that is 10% of the book, which gives more information to address the abstract vs executive summary dilemma: * Who reads the executive summary? * Executive summary outline * Differences between abstract vs executive summary * Time/cost analysis and executive summary * The corporate profile in the executive summary * Common errors and how to write an executive summary * Executive summary checklist Lots of tips are provided on how to write an executive summary.

Executive Summary Template and Sample Also known as: proposal executive summary template and sample, executive synopsis template and sample, business executive summary, executive abstract template, RFP executive summary template and sample, management synopsis template, executive value proposition template and sample, management summary template, abstract template, executive summary, winning theme, proposal executive summary template and sample, business executive summary template and sample, RFP executive summary, perfect executive summary template and sample, letter proposal executive summary template and sample, formal proposal executive summary template and sample, RFP response executive summary template and sample, proposal executive summary and sample, win theme, business executive summary, bid executive summary template and sample, executive overview, RFP executive summary template and sample, or Request for Proposal executive summary template and sample. Use the executive summary template and sample provided in your FREE RFP Letters Toolkit to create your own executive summary from a template. What this page can help you do: * understand what an executive summary is -and what it is not; * discover techniques in order to write an executive summary that stands above the competition; * learn common pitfalls that make people write an abstract instead of an executive summary; * leverage your free executive summary template and sample; and * read the best books and web references about the perfect executive summary. Executive Summary: Definition

Executive Summary Definition An Executive Summary has basically nothing to do with product presentation, and everything to do with a persuasive sales pitch. It is far more than an abstract which merely presents the rest of the document -it's your unique opportunity to convince the reader that your solution provides the best value proposition: the best benefit at the lowest cost. The more technical your proposal, the more important the executive summary is likely to be. Unlike the abstract, the executive summary steers clear of technicalities to instead concentrate on substantiating the benefits for the customer. Also known as: business executive summary, management summary, or executive management summary. Common misspellings: excutive summary, exective summary, execitive summary, eccutive summary, managment summary, executive sumary, executive summry, or eecutive summary. How to Write an Executive Summary Executive Summary First By writing your Executive Summary first, you ensure that the rest of your proposal will be aligned with the persuasive message you want to deliver. Executive Summary Content Your executive summary should contain your value proposition, which should be seized right away by your reader. Read the discussion How to write an Executive Summary that will help you identify the needed information for laying down your value proposition through the use of win themes. It is highly recommended that you to read the suggestions below in order to properly and successfully use the executive summary template and sample. When you write your value proposition, use representation instead of marketing puffery or commercial fluff. 1. Use the executive summary template and sample provided in your FREE RFP Letters Toolkit to create your own executive summary from a template. 2. First, there are 3 critical items -no more, no less- that your executive summary must present. You will find these 3 most important items in your executive summary template. 3. To give credibility to your executive summary, these important items have to be presented in a simple, declarative, and persuasive manner by applying the S.P.A. rule to your value proposition. Learn what is the S.P.A. rule and how to use it by requesting your FREE executive summary template. 4. Finally, to put all odds on your side, your executive summary must, in its conclusion, highlight the most important point of your value proposition. Discover the most efficient closing statement in your executive summary template. 5. Final tips. Use action verbs in your value proposition to show the path of enlightenment to your customer. Write your executive summary for the best readability, meaning the lowest grade level possible. This way, you ensure that no barrier hampers your reader's full understanding of your point. Correct, edit, and revise your executive summary -but only when you're finished writing it. 6. Use the executive summary template and sample provided in your FREE RFP Letters Toolkit to create your own executive summary from a template. 7. Since things sometimes get a little more complicated than usual, remember to consult a lawyer for further information before considering your executive summary as definitive.

By following this executive summary format as an executive summary template for your proposal, you ensure that your writing will be as persuasive as possible. Question: Are executive summary and abstract the same? Answer: If you think so, you have just lost your chance to persuade first hand. Abstract vs. Executive Summary: The Key Differences In most people's mind, if abstract and executive summary are not usually designating the same written material, these two words are, at least, the source of uncertainty and confusion. To know exactly what are the differences between abstract and executive summary, and, thus, to stand out from your competitors, read Abstract vs. Executive Summary: Discover The Main Differences. FREE Executive Summary Template and Sample Also known as: abstract/executive summary template and sample. Use the executive summary template and sample provided in your FREE RFP Letters Toolkit to create your own executive summary from a template, or any other letter or document template related to the solicitation and selection process. Both executive summary template and sample follow the S.P.A. rule. About the executive summary sample The executive summary sample provided is about a fictive company offering a training program to hospitals and medical centers. The executive summary template provides also advices on how to customize your writing for a more academic audience (e.g. grant proposal for scientific research). You just need to change the content while keeping the form to make it yours. About the executive summary template More generally, the executive summary template can be applied to any content (e.g. formal solicitation, unsolicited proposal, formal business proposal, grant application for scientific research) to any organization (e.g. government or federal agencies, public or private for-profit organization, non-profit organization, small and medium businesses [SMB]) in any socioeconomic area. Use the executive summary template and sample provided in your FREE RFP Letters Toolkit to create your own executive summary from a template. Executive Summary Tips, Dos, and Don'ts Here are some tips on how to write your executive summary, whether for a formal, informal, solicited, or unsolicited proposal or RFP. Do's and Don'ts of the perfect Executive Summary: * Be persuasive (your executive summary format should follow the SPA rule, unveiled in your FREE Executive Summary Template) * Don't be demonstrative (don't focus on features) * Write your executive summary with active-voice sentences * Keep a strong, enthusiastic, and proactive language * Convert passive-voice sentences as much as possible * Write simple, short sentences intended to be read by an executive

* Keep your executive summary short (1 page for every 20-50 pages) * Write your executive summary from an executive summary template and sample * Don't provide unnecessary, technical details, remember, an executive should be able to read it * Avoid excessive jargon, and write the definition first * Correct spelling, punctuation, style, and grammar errors * Write primarily for your customer, not for yourself (use their organization's name more often than yours), so don't start with a description of your organization * Write primarily about your customer (benefits), not about you or your product (features) Executive Summary Template and Sample: Top Books 1. Persuasive Business Proposals by Tom Sant 224 pages ISBN: 0814471536 Abstract: In a business climate marked by increased competition, tight budgets and stiffer regulations, your prospective clients are more intent than ever on making smart vendor choices. Before they'll give you that contract, you've got to prove to them that your firm represents their best, or only option. Executive summary: There is a section dedicated to the executive summary template and sample, which addresses the abstract vs. executive summary dilemma by providing differences between abstract vs. executive summary, scientific research abstract or abstract in proposals for grant and executive summary. Indeed, discover how the abstract for scientific research proposals is roughly the equivalent of the executive summary in sales proposals. Checklists, questions, and directions are provided on how to write an executive summary. Plus, at the end of the book, a whole section is dedicated to style, grammar, and common errors, which is an invaluable aid to helping you better write an executive summary. One of the best on the way towards the perfect executive summary. Read more about:Persuasive Business Proposals 2. The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing: How to Satisfy Your Clients and Double Your Income by Herman Holtz 320 pages ISBN: 0471249173 Abstract: When clients make the decision to hire you, they are putting more than money on the line. They are also putting their company's future and its reputation in your hands. That's why your success depends on your ability to gain prospective clients' complete confidence -not only in the solutions you offer, but in your capabilities, and character. Executive summary: The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing dedicates 7% of the total pages to the executive summary template and sample: * What is an Executive Summary? * Uses of an executive Summary * Relevant principles in writing an executive summary

* An executive summary case history * How long should an executive summary be? * How to write tight executive summaries * Executive summary in a letter proposal

How to write an Executive Summary? FREE RFP Letters Toolkit, 2010 EditionAlso known as: executive synopsis, management synopsis, executive abstract, executive value proposition, management summary, abstract, versus executive summary, winning theme, proposal executive summary, win theme, executive summary versus abstract summary, vs. executive summary, letter proposal executive summary, RFP response executive summary, abstract vs. executive summary, Request for Proposal executive summary, or RFP executive summary. What is an Executive Summary? Executive Summary definition: An Executive Summary is, basically, anything but a product presentation, and nothing but a sales pitch. Far more than an abstract merely presenting the rest of the proposal, it's your unique opportunity to convince the reader that your proposal provides the best value proposition: the best benefit at the lowest cost. The more technical your proposal, the more critical the executive summary is likely to be. Given the proposal cover letter is not part of the proposal per se, the executive summary remains the most important section of your proposal. Keep in mind the executive summary is the only part of your proposal that will be read by each and any member of the decision panel, if any. More important, experience tells you in reality that it's the only part that an executive, a person who has the definitive power over the final decision, will read from your proposal. Common misspellings: exective summary, execitive summary, eccutive summary, managment summary, excutive summary, executive sumary, executive summry, or eecutive summary. Writing an Executive Summary By writing your Executive Summary first, you ensure the rest of your proposal to be aligned with the persuasive message you want to deliver. Use the executive summary template and sample provided in your FREE RFP Letters Toolkit to create your own executive summary from a template. You said Executive Summary, not abstract This is the "executive summary vs. abstract summary" battle. All so-called experts say that you should write the executive summary like an abstract, that is, when the rest of your proposal is written. Because this part is called the summary of the whole document, logic dictates that you should write the document first in order to be able to summarize it. And that's exactly the pitfall to avoid when writing an executive summary for your proposal: the executive summary is not an abstract. We may even say, paradoxically, that the executive summary, unlike the abstract, is not a summary, it's your value proposition, your best, unique opportunity to sell your solution! To stand out from your competitors, read Abstract vs. Executive Summary: Discover The Main Differences. You've said executive summary as a value proposition Indeed, by doing so, you give an opportunity to people, particularly technical, who will write the

rest of the document not to be aligned with your initial objective which is to focus on benefits (to be persuasive) instead of features (to be demonstrative). At the contrary, we highly recommend you to write the executive summary first. Don't you think a well-written value proposition should be done first? Indeed, it will act as guidance for other people for writing the rest of the document and ensure a consistent winning theme. Furthermore, to be executive, the summary should be readable by non-technical people and, therefore, should not overwhelm the reader with too much technical information, if any, or too many details. By keeping your executive summary concise and precise, you will enable the reader to seize your point quickly. An amazing consequence is that, following the rule of electricity saying that current takes the path presenting the least resistance, evaluators and decision makers, guided by their human nature advising them to save resources for later, will pick up the shortest or lightest proposal first. If it's yours, it will serve as a metric for the rest of the evaluation process. Should your message be persuasive, the reader won't find a better proposition. What is a winning theme? Have you ever heard about Continuous Business Alignment (CBA)? It's a not-that-well-known management discipline that makes sure an organization, as a whole, is aligned to its customers' needs. More specifically, it ensures, in fact, that all services and work forces, namely employees, are focused on proper, continuous, circular alignment of processes with both their strategy (organization's mission statement) and their tactics (business goals and objectives). Use win themes as CBA tools to stay on the right track, and thus be able to hit your target. So, a winning theme, also called win theme, is acting as a CBA tool to ensure the rest of the proposal is aligned to the strategy and tactics defined in order to better persuade the evaluation team that the proposed solution fits all, and sometimes exceeds the requirements set forth in the Request for Proposals (RFP), Invitation to Bid (ITB), or Invitation for Bids (IFB). How to decide on a winning theme? Winning themes ensure your writing to be aligned with both your strategy and tactics. Several win themes can and should support and substantiate your overall strategy within the same proposal. For instance, if your overall strategy is cost reduction, win themes could non exhaustively be: * faster delivery, same job but less time; * lower risk, lowered probability of loss; * higher return of investment (ROI), accrued benefits; * better environmental impacts, lowered toll to Mother Nature; * outsourcing, mitigation of operations coping with fluctuant costs; * faster completion of tasks, increased productivity; * rationalization of operations, chopping extra, worthless processes; * and so on... As we said, you should use several of them, the ones that reflect the most your strategy. Executive summary, executive summary, executive summary, ... Think about executive summary as executive, then summary, as follows: 1. Executive first. Intended for managers. Focus on value proposition, i.e. expected value, utility, associated costs, and total cost of ownership (TCO). Write it first, it will serve as guidelines for the rest of the proposal, and then 2. Summary last. When the proposal is written or almost, make sure no important idea or information is buried and, therefore, missing in the executive summary. It's like a Q&A process. The only tradeoff you should be willing to make to this rule is: write the executive summary first,

and, eventually and with parsimony, rewrite it when the proposal is done. The Executive Summary Format Understanding how to better write your executive summary Your executive summary should contain your value proposition, which should be seized right away by your reader. It is highly recommended that you to read the suggestions below in order to write a proper and successful executive summary. When you write your value proposition, use representation instead of marketing puffery or commercial fluff. 1. Use the executive summary template and sample provided in your FREE RFP Letters Toolkit to create your own executive summary from a template. 2. First, there are 3 critical items -no more, no less- that your executive summary must present. You will find these 3 most important items in your executive summary template. 3. To give credibility to your executive summary, these important items have to be presented in a simple, declarative, and persuasive manner by applying the S.P.A. rule to your value proposition. Learn what is the S.P.A. rule and how to use it by requesting your FREE executive summary template. 4. Finally, to put all odds on your side, your executive summary must, in its conclusion, highlight the most important point of your value proposition. Discover the most efficient closing statement in your executive summary template. 5. Final tips. Use action verbs in your value proposition to show the path of enlightenment to your customer. Write your executive summary for the best readability, meaning the lowest grade level possible. This way, you ensure that no barrier hampers your reader's full understanding of your point. Correct, edit, and revise your executive summary -but only when you're finished writing it. 6. Use the executive summary template and sample provided in your FREE RFP Letters Toolkit to create your own executive summary from a template. 7. Since things sometimes get a little more complicated than usual, remember to consult a lawyer for further information before considering your executive summary as definitive. By following this executive summary format as an executive summary template for your proposal, you ensure your writing to be as persuasive as possible. Tips about writing an Executive Summary Here are some tips on how to write your executive summary, and how not to write it. Do's and Don'ts of Executive Summary: * Be persuasive (follow the executive summary format: state, prove, apply) * Don't be demonstrative (don't focus on features) * Write your executive summary with active-voice sentences * Keep a strong, enthusiastic, and proactive language * Convert passive-voice sentences as much as possible * Write simple, short sentences intended to be read by an executive * Keep your executive summary short (1 page for every 20-50 pages) * Don't provide unnecessary, technical details, remember, an executive should be able to read it * Avoid excessive jargon, and write the definition first * Correct spelling, punctuation, style, and grammar errors

* Write primarily for your customer, not for yourself (use their organization's name more often than yours), so don't start with a description of your organization * Write primarily about your customer (benefits), not about you or your product (features) Best Executive Summary Books 1. Persuasive Business Proposals by Tom Sant 224 pages ISBN: 0814471536 Book abstract: In a business climate marked by increased competition, tight budgets and stiffer regulations, your prospective clients are more intent than ever on making smart vendor choices. Before they'll give you that contract, you've got to prove to them that your firm represents their best, or only option. This new edition of Persuasive Business Proposals is the key to presenting your firm's strategic value to any potential client. Tom Sant's frank and practical approach has already helped thousands of firms make sure that the quality of their proposals reflects well on the work they provide. In this second edition you'll find new strategies for enhancing results by making proposal writing a core business function - not simply an offshoot of someone's 'real' job. You'll also learn how to align your solutions directly with the customer's business needs and objectives. This crucial B2B tool includes dozens of fully updated techniques that will help you: * Develop, write, and deliver an individually tailored, client-focused message every time * Establish your credibility through convincing, concrete evidence * Structure letters and formal proposals you write to present a Winning Value Proposition that presents your firm as the ideal solution to clients' needs * Follow up your proposal submission, analyze the client's decision, and incorporate lessons learned to take better advantage of future opportunities Persuasive Business Proposals also gives you valuable tools for maximizing the clarity of your writing, editing your proposal for optimal impact, and avoiding the six traps that can undermine even the strongest proposals -for example relying on clichs and hype instead of highlighting your core strengths and track record. Read more about:Persuasive Business Proposals 2. The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing: How to Satisfy Your Clients and Double Your Income by Herman Holtz 320 pages ISBN: 0471249173 Book abstract: When clients make the decision to hire you, they are putting more than money on the line. They are also putting their company's future and its reputation in your hands. That's why your success depends on your ability to gain prospective clients' complete confidence, not only in the solutions you offer, but in you -your capabilities and character. In this latest edition of his bestselling guide, Herman Holtz-the "Consultant's Consultant"shows that the most effective means of doing this is with a strategic, well-written proposal. But that's only part of the picture. He also shows you why and how a winning proposal, when correctly used, is an indispensable tool for forging lasting relationships with clients and increasing income.

The first book devoted exclusively to this critical consulting skill, The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing takes you through all of the steps involved in researching, planning, designing, writing, and presenting winning proposals. Drawing upon nearly three decades of experience as a successful consultant to both government and Fortune 500 companies, Herman Holtz shares everything he knows about what clients really want to see in a proposal and how to give it to them. He also provides valuable tips on effective language and design, what information to include and what to leave out, how not to undersell or oversell yourself, and how to generate interest in additional and future services. This Third Edition has been thoroughly updated to cover all of the important technological advances that have occurred since the last edition, as well as important new trends in the consulting markets themselves. You'll find a new chapter on how to market yourself in cyberspace via Web sites, e-mail, and other online resources, plus a new section on the latest in desktop publishing technology and how to make the most of it. This edition also features guidance for the growing numbers of consultants specializing in proposal writing, and for professional writers who would like to add proposal writing to the services they offer clients. The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing, Third Edition gives you everything you need to know to simplify one of the most difficult consulting jobs-winning clients. From America's foremost expert on consulting, a complete guide to developing winning proposals A winning proposal is more than just a statement of proposed consulting services. An effective, well-crafted proposal is a valuable marketing tool that can: * Win new clients * Generate new business from established ones * As much as double your income! In this updated Third Edition of America's #1 consultant's guide to proposal writing, Herman Holtz -the "Consultant's Consultant" -tells you everything you need to know to research, design, write, present, and get the most out of winning proposals. He tells you what clients are really looking for in proposals and how to give it to them. And he shows you how to: * Get the most out of the latest desktop publishing technology * Market yourself via the Web, e-mail, and other online vehicles * Find and tap key online research sources * Discover the keys to creativity when you write * Avoid common errors in proposals you write * Safeguard your proposal against piracy * Solve the problem of page-limited proposals * Develop cost, technical, presentation, and competitor strategies * Write and sell to the government * Make the bid vs. no-bid analysis and decision, decide when to write Read more about: The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing 3. Handbook For Writing Proposals by L. Sue Baugh, Robert J. Hamper 224 pages ISBN: 0844232742 Book abstract: In this easy-to-use, concise, and thorough handbook, two veteran business professionals guide you through the entire proposal-writing process, from the initial contact through completion and follow-up. You'll benefit from the authors' expertise and insight on: * Which jobs to target-and which to pass up

* Setting up a strong proposal team * Evaluating potential projects * Preparing schedules and identifying tasks * Writing and producing a first-rate proposal * Delivering a show-stopping client presentation In their unique nine-step proposal-writing process, the authors demonstrate how even a firsttime proposal writer can create a winning proposal. Throughout the book, you'll follow a case study of a proposal-writing team in action, and chapter checklists, summaries, and samples will keep you on time, on track, and on budget. If you want to profit from every proposal you write, the Handbook for Writing Proposals will show you how. In nine easy steps, you can produce and deliver professional, polished, and profitable proposals every time.

Executive Summary Report Example The best way to write an executive report for your summary is to have a look at an executive summary report example. The following article provides a brief outline of such a sample executive summary report. To know more, read on Executive Summary Report Example Employees of a particular company are always bestowed with the responsibility of reporting the progress of their work or a particular project, to their superiors. The reports are usually quite long and it becomes almost impossible and illogical to circulate the entire report to many people. There is also a possibility that all the people would not read the entire report. Hence, the via media that the writer of the report can adopt is preparing an executive summary of the report. Before reading the executive summary report example, you can have a look at the definition and meaning of an executive summary report. What is an Executive Summary Report? The executive summary is quite a generic term. This summary is basically attached to the report, marketing plan or a business plan. Executive summaries do not necessarily accompany a report and they can be presented as a summarized statement that provides an update to immediate superiors and management. The practice and need of the preparation of such a summary lies in the fact that every superior or a member of the management does not have the appropriate time or the knowledge and expertize to review the entire report that gives an in-depth insight of the project. Instead, these people would prefer to refer the executive summary and the part of the report that concerns them. For example, an executive report by the research and development department will depict countless aspects about one of their projects. However, the finance director of the company will prefer to only read the executive summary, and only the budgetary part of the actual report. In any sample executive summary report, you will also notice that the financial, marketing and production aspect as well as the revenue are separately specified. Though executive summary does not have a restricted and uniform format, it is necessary to mention some important facts and factors in the report. An executive summary example might probably give you the best idea. Here is a small list of such items: * Need of the project operation, sale, etc. * Objective * Operational details * Research and initiation * Details of manpower and man hours

* Key persons involved * Budget * Revenue * Conclusion You can also add and subtract the number of factors. The basic feature of any executive summary is that it is short but comprehensive. Moving on to executive summary report example. Executive Summary Report Example 'How to write an executive summary report' is quite a common question, and many people would refer to a lot of theory and definitions. But the best way to know how write the report is to have a look at an executive summary report example. So here goes Executive Summary for Opening for the London Store Bret's and Parker's Breweries and Wineries, 30 Plaza, Berlin. In the recent past, according to the market research organized and conducted by Mr. Charles Chum of the department of marketing, it was observed that more than 800 customers visited the retailers of Bret's and Parkers in the city of London, daily. Approximately 43 shops within the city of London, retail the beers, wine and alcohol manufactured by the company. In accordance with the directives issued by the management, the Promotions department had opened a shop cum pub in London, on an experimental basis for three months starting from February 2010. The overwhelming response resulted into an average net revenue of 70,000 Euros per week. This has promoted the company to establish a permanent place of business in London. The store is to handle both wholesale and retail operations in London and Wales. The total expenditure and budget that was involved in the process was 420,000 Euros. The store which is also backed by a go-down is capable of storing approximately 5 million barrels at a time though the capacity that is currently used is just 70,000 barrels. The establishment employs 33 people and is aided by a refrigeration facility and fleet of 8 trucks. The expected annual turnover, sales and other aspects have been disclosed along with the particulars of establishment. SK Cooper HOD, Overseas Operations Block, Partner and Creditor It must be noted that facts presented are fictitious. If you prefer a more summarized executive summary report, then the same facts can be presented in a more brief manner, here is a sample executive summary report. Executive Summary for Opening for the London Store Bret's and Parker's Breweries and Wineries, 30 Plaza, Berlin. Market Research by: Mr. Charles Chum, Department of Marketing Market Demand: 800 customers daily Current Suppliers: 43 shops, London

Revenue of Experimental Establishment: 70,000 Euros per week. Experimental Period: 3 months (February to April) Total Expenditure and Budget: 420,000 Euros. Current Capacity: 5 million barrels Capacity in Use: 70,000 barrels Employees: 33 Facilities: 1 refrigeration unit, 8 trucks The expected annual turnover, sales and other aspects have been disclosed along with the particulars of establishment. SK Cooper HOD, Overseas Operations Block, Partner and Creditor In these executive summary report examples, you must have observed that all facts are disclosed sequentially and are quite brief. The actual report does the job of the detailed explanation. I hope that the executive summary report example proves to be of benefit. If you want, you can also lay hands on sample executive summary report, which are included in the the annual report of a company. Executive Summary Format Looking for how to write an executive summary? Here's an article on the executive summary format to help you do the same. Executive Summary Format What is an executive summary? And what is the proper executive summary format? Perhaps this article will help you understand how to write an executive summary better. What is an Executive Summary Not all people can start-up a business solely with their own money. People need financial support from lenders to leverage their businesses. And while you may be convinced about the feasibility of your business plans and be confident in your ability to run the business well enough. It is understandable that a lender, who doesn't know much about either, will be a little wary in parting with his money. This is where the executive summary comes in. The format of the business summary is a document briefly explains the purpose of the business, the business model, the way the businessman intends to run it, the sales and the revenue he expects to generate, and more importantly from the point of view of the lender, the ability and the plan of the businessman as to how he intends to return all the cash given to him. Then what is the difference between a business plan and an executive summary? The latter is a summary of the detailed business plan. While a detailed business plan gives you the exact details about the way the business is going to be run and the expected inflow of revenue, the executive summary only gives the basics about the business model. If the lender believes that business model as given in the executive summary is a sound business model, then he can choose to go on to the detailed plan. If at the outset, the plan looks ludicrous and unfeasible, then the lender is saved of having to read a more complex and detailed fact book that is your business plan. Read on for more on persuasive writing and business writing. Executive Summary Format The executive format ought to include all the details given below in that particular order. Writing

the executive summary format this way looks a lot more logical to the reader and hence is also easy to understand. Introduction The introduction includes the name of the business and in brief the activities it has to carry out. If you're writing an executive summary for an existing company, list out its best known, best reviewed products, the awards the company has won and a bit about the history of the company. Products/Services Offering The next thing you need to include in your executive summary format is what you intend to sell. Whether it is a product or a service that you're looking to sell in the market, you need to justify in your executive summary why you think this product will do well, and what makes you think that a relatively new product will be able to beat out its competitors. Target Market This section will tell the reader of the executive summary just who the products/services are targeted at. The explanation also needs to be given as to why the businessman feels that this is the correct targeted market for his offering and how he intends to make it a hit with his targeted group. The Ex Factor Why will someone buy your product? What does your product have that similar products of other companies don't? What makes you think that you're product will survive the competition given to it by the existing players? In short, what's your 'ex' factor? Goals and Objectives The goals and objectives lay down the short and long term expectations of this business plan. This part of the format of an executive summary lays down the revenues you expect through the sale of these products/services in the short term and the long term. Management Team Is there anyone else who is with you on this project? The lender would also like to know who else is on your team and their exact functions. So at the end of the executive summary format, you need to write down the names of all those senior management personnel attached to this project. Read on for more on executive summary examples. * Executive Summary Template * Executive Summary Example So this was all about the executive summary format. I will conclude this article with a few writing tips. First, the executive summary should not be too long, 4 pages is said to be the ideal length of the executive summary. Second, at every point it has to be persuasive and enticing from the point of view of the reader. The reader should be able to get a glimpse of what you do, in order to finance the project. And third, format it well. Do not sensationalize it since it is a formal document!

How to Write an Executive Summary You should write an Executive Summary to articulate what you want the reader to conclude after reading the rest of your proposal. An Executive Summary is the most important part of your proposal. An Executive Summary may not actually be a summary. When you write an Executive Summary, the evaluator should know why to select you without having to read anything else. An

Executive Summary should focus on the conclusion you want the evaluator to reach and not on summarizing everything in your proposal. Questions to Answer when you write an Executive Summary Proposal writing often starts with an Executive Summary. Find out what to say when you're trying to keep it short. The Three Uses of an Executive Summary Knowing how to write an Executive Summary has many benefits. When a proposal effort is floundering and far behind schedule, whats needed immediately is a rapid assessment of where the proposal effort IS, in relation to where it SHOULD be. In these circumstances, I ask: "Where is the Executive Summary? How to Write a Better Proposal Introduction While it may be easy to describe yourself, it's the wrong way to start your proposal or Executive Summary. Read this article for a better way to write your proposal introductions. Why should the customer select you? Enhance your proposal writing with persuasive statements that give the customer a reason to select you. Who Are You And Why Should I Care? How would you answer a prospective customer who asked, "Who are you and why should I care?" If you were the prospect, would that answer increase or decrease the desire to do business with you? 101 Win Themes For All Occasions Here's a list of 101 Themes that I've probably written a million times. Use it for inspiration. Use it like a checklist. Just make sure you add details about your customer and offering to make them specific to your proposal. Should You Write the Executive Summary First or Last? Should you write the Executive Summary first and build your proposal to support it, or should you write the Executive Summary last, as a summary of all the material developed in writing the proposal? There are good reasons for taking either approach, but which is best for you will depend on your circumstances and goals.

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