The premise behind any business is instrumental in whether it will be successful or not. Therefore the business plans executive summary is an integral and important part of the business plan. In the executive summary the key points of the business are summed up including the focus of the business as well as information from all the remaining portions of the business plan.
Although it may not seem to be as important a section of the overall plan as the financial or marketing sections it should never be viewed that way. The executive summary is the first thing anyone viewing your business plan will see. Many investors attest to the fact that the only part of the business plan they actually refer to is the executive summary. In cases where the summary is poorly written or improperly executed, a business owner may loose the chance to capture the investor's attention at all.
When writing an executive summary for your business plan keep in mind that it should never be more than two pages in total. This may seem to be a daunting proposition as most business owners have a great deal of pertinent information they want to share in the executive summary. However being succinct and outlining the main points is much better than droning on about details no one is interested in.
Key to the business plans executive summary is information relating to the main focus of the business. This should really be considered the most relevant part of the summary and therefore should be placed at the beginning. A detailed and honest description of what the business is focused on and what the main product or service is goes here.
If you don't already have a mission statement, you'll want to write one that can be included in your business plans executive summary. This mission statement should be well prepared and shouldn't simply reiterate the premise that your business will always serve the customer with a smile. It should instead be original and capture the essence of not only the business but its owners as well.
In addition to these items you'll want to include the names and vitals of the prominent members of the company's management team. Showcasing the talent behind the idea is a great way to show investors who they will be relying on. Any relevant experience that the individuals have had that relates to the proposed business idea should be highlighted here. It's also good to list any special consultants who are helping launch the business.
Next you'll want to touch briefly on the marketing and sales angles you plan on employing as well as who you view your biggest competition to be. Although you'll delve into many more details in the marketing section of your business plan, outlining it here helps investors to see your vision.
The last parts of the executive summary to work on are the financial stats. In the financial section of your business plan you'll be giving hard facts about where you see the company going in terms of finances. Here you'll simply suggest what type of growth you are looking forward to.
Preparing an effective and impressive executive summary certainly takes time and effort but when you realize that it can make or break an investor's decision it's easy to see why it's so important.
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Maximize your business success... only $99.95!
Business Plan Pro Software
Business Plan Pro 11.0 includes more than 500 sample plans and is the easiest, fastest and most efficient way to create a winning business plan.
Produce a professional business plan quickly and easily
For the entrepreneur who is starting a new company, launching new products, or seeking funding or partners, Business Plan Pro 2007 is software that produces professional business plans quickly and easily. More entrepreneurs have chosen Business Plan Pro than any other software. Unlike other business planning software, Business Plan Pro 2007 empowers you to efficiently accomplish your goals with an impressive plan proven to get results.
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