How to Write an Executive Summary in 7 Steps (Free Templates)

If you are looking to write an executive summary, we have a straightforward 7-step guide.

When it comes to writing a summary, most writers struggle to find a way that can help them recap a 50-page file. On top of that, they also fear that if the summary fails in its purpose, the project will also go awry.

But you don’t have to stare at a blank page anymore, as this article is going to address exactly these concerns. Here, you will learn all the nuances that will help you write a solid executive summary. In this guide, we will discuss:

• The basics of an executive summary, including the placement and ideal word count
• Its 6 core components
• A simple-to-follow writing guide
• Mistakes that you should avoid to craft the ideal summary draft

And obviously, some pre-built templates that you can follow to prepare a summary in no time. Let’s see more on this topic below.

Quick Answer

Short on time? Here are 5 points that quickly summarize the entire article for you:

• An executive summary is a standalone document condensing a long report into its primary business argument.
• Top leaders require a summary for bottom-line answers to approve budgets without reading 50 pages of methodology.
• You can write a summary by finishing the main document first. Then, take a break and understand your readers first. Identify the single core point. Frame the problem and provide the solution. Finally, ask for a specific decision via a CTA.
• In summary, include a hook, a problem statement, a proposed solution, supporting evidence, financial impact, and a clear CTA.
• An executive summary is not an introduction, an academic abstract, or a collection of sentences copied from the main report.

What Is an Executive Summary and Its Purpose?

An executive summary is a brief overview of a long business document. As per the University of Maryland Global Campus, an executive summary is a brief document typically directed at top-level managers who sometimes make decisions based on a reading of the summary alone. Because of that, it must present in summary form all major sections of the main report: purpose, problem, methods of analyzing the problem, results of analysis, and recommendations.

Due to its importance, the summary is often included at the top of the document. The National Laboratory of the Rockies says that the summary usually comes right before the table of contents. But you can also put it directly after the title.

Target word count for an executive summary

A summary is the heart of the document, so it should thoroughly encapsulate the entire report. To ensure conciseness, it is recommended to keep its overall length around 5% to 10% of the document. Let’s say that a file is 10 pages; its summary will be 1 page.

A golden rule of thumb is that the shorter the summary is, the better it is for top-level and time-constrained people.

For less formal documentation or standard business reports, you can keep the word length of the summary around 200-250 words. The word count varies, but it should never exceed 10% of the overall length of the document to ensure that it doesn’t bore the reader.

Where Is an Executive Summary Used?

Executive summaries are used in almost every business vertical. They appear in internal budget requests, external sales proposals, strategic policy reports, and business case documents that need approval from leadership.

You can also use a summary in business plans, proposals, feasibility studies, marketing plans, and investment proposals, but they are not limited to them.

Does an Executive Summary Follow the Same Logic as a Full Report?

No, an executive summary should not follow the same logic as a full report. It often uses an inverted approach, leading with the conclusion first, followed by the problem or opportunity.

However, the summary should have the same core elements (purpose, findings, conclusion, or recommendations) as a full report. In this way, if someone has to read the report too, they won’t suffer from fatigue.

What to Include in an Executive Summary?

According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, time is the scarcest resource for leaders and CEOs. In fact, most investors take less than 3 minutes to review a pitch deck. Hence, you can only include hyper-relevant parts in your summary. That said, the following parts below form the backbone of a persuasive document. Explore them:

Opening

The opening statement needs to state the purpose and the stakes immediately. The writer must lead with the outcome or the decision that the reader has to make. Most writers make the mistake of starting the summary with a generic statement. This will instantly scare away your readers. A good opening hook will be something like “This strategy requires $70,000 to generate 400 new qualified leads by December.”

The problem or opportunity

Right next to your hook, discuss the most critical problem or opportunity. Be hyper-specific here. Your readers should feel an urgency here before they read the solution.

A pro tip is that the writer must quantify the problem. A vague warning fails to create urgency. Talk about points like

• What’s the business problem?
• What gap in the market?
• What’s the cost of not acting?

Key findings

Once your problem section hits the nail on the head, capitalize on the momentum with solid key findings and solutions. Remember, a reader is now hooked and is more interested in this section than the rest of the summary.

Supporting data

After reading the solutions, the reader will think, Why this solution? The key finding, powered by supporting evidence, adds fuel to the fire, making your overall summary a convincing solution. As per your niche, try to include numbers as they are more convincing.

The financial impact or resource ask

This is the section most often softened into uselessness. Writing terms like ‘significant ROI’ and ‘expected cost savings’ is not going to help, as they are generic. Instead, decision-makers want specifics: how much you need, what you’ll spend it on, and what return they can expect in what timeframe.

The call to action

In the end, add a valuable call to action. A golden rule is that the CTA should answer the reader’s possible questions. If you need to book a meeting, state its duration. If you are looking to raise money, talk about something: “Collaborate with us to 2x your assets.” Never include generic calls to action like “book a meeting to talk to our experts,” as these CTAs will have a high chance of not bringing any valuable outcomes.

How to Write an A+ Executive Summary: Step-by-Step Guide

Writing an executive summary is not a rocket science task, as many would think. We have compiled a simple 7-step guide to help you become an expert on writing summaries in just 10 minutes. Read below:

Finish the main document first

Before writing any summary, just finish your main document or report first. Even the NIH guide says that you should always write the abstract last so that it reflects the entire application.

You cannot summarize unwritten thoughts. Hence, drafting the summary before the research is finished is the most common mechanical mistake in the executive summary writing process.

Here is my take: if you write the summary just on the basis of your vague ideas, it will become a table of contents. You will end up writing a page that predicts the entire report, not just actually describing what is in it.

Write it fresh

It is understandable that you must be exhausted after writing a long report. However, we highly recommend that you write the summary when you are fresh.

This is because when you jot down words for a summary right after finishing the file, you might have some bias towards particular points.

Writing fresh ensures that you eliminate that subjective bias as well as combat the curse of knowledge – a cognitive bias where experts unconsciously assume the executive possesses the same deep context they do.

Know what your reader cares about

Your target audience isn’t just fiction readers. They are time-strapped and highly selective about where they focus their attention. For the success of your project or report, you have to reframe the wording in a way that clicks with the psychology of your readers.

Here are a few tips in this regard:

• A technical manager values system stability.
• A sales director values lead generation.
• An investor would like to read the results and how your summary can benefit them.
• A board member might be interested in learning about risk reduction.

To pre-qualify for your audience, the writer should research the objectives of the decision-maker reading the document. And the summary should speak directly to those exact goals.

Identify your single most important point

Once you are done with your 40-page document, identify the crux of the report even before writing a single word of summary. This single point is going to be the soul of your summary. Hence, spend considerable time here.

A quick hack is to ask yourself this question:

If the reader remembers only one thing, what should it be?

Note down the answer for yourself, and you can use that sentence as an anchor for your summary. Try to build outward from that single point. Every subsequent sentence in the summary must support that central claim. In fact, extraneous details are discarded immediately.

Lead with conclusions (then draft the body)

If your draft still opens with context or background, it needs a rewrite. This is what you have been doing in the major report writing. Lead with the final numbers, facts, promises, and results.

This technique of leading with results is called the Minto Pyramid Principle in business communication, and it’s just as useful when you sit down to write a strategic plan. The military also uses a similar approach, called BLUF – Bottom Line Up Front. Consultants call this a top-down approach.

Whatever the terminology says, the core concept stays the same: your reader needs the answer before they’ll invest attention in the reasoning.

Once you have established your top-down conclusion, the rest of the drafting process is easy. Simply flesh out the remaining core components we discussed earlier in this guide. Flow naturally from your conclusion into the specific problem and back it up with your supporting data. Plus, clearly state the financial ask and wrap it all up with a definitive CTA.

Trim to the bone

Next, edit your summary and be ruthless at this stage. Cut every phrase, word, or sentence that doesn’t make sense. Here is a checklist that you can follow while editing to have an idea of what to remove:

• Cut the context, background, history, or methodological fluff. These parts belong to the project, not the summary.
• If you find some sentences that feel repetitive, delete them instantly. Execution-level people find it very irritating to read the same point again.
• Remove vague sentences. Focus on quality instead of quantity when writing the summary. Every single phrase should convey a meaning in the summary.
• Delete technical jargon. Keep your summary focused and to the point.
• Cut down any information that isn’t already discussed in the report.
• Your summary shouldn’t have any personal opinions or subjective remarks.

Make someone else review it

Give your finalized summary to someone who isn’t involved in the project. If they can understand these things at first glance, your summary is good to go:

• Objectives
• Goals
• Problem and solution
• Suggestions
• Recommendations or CTA

If they can’t identify these concepts in the summary, you need to do more work on the draft. Go back and clarify your main points until the message is obvious to a stranger.

Avoid These Mistakes for a More Effective Executive Summary

Let me say one thing with love. You might have spent 40 hours writing a report and a couple more to write this summary. However, if it is unable to convey the message effectively, you have done nothing. To ensure that your hard work gets the attention it deserves, be sure to avoid the following mistakes:

• Lack of a clear structure: A structure lays the foundation for the summary. Make sure you follow an organized articulation to make it presentable.
• Contradicting information: If you have anything in the summary that doesn’t align with the report, remove it. Proofread the summary to catch such issues.
• Missing WIIFM: If your summary just lists facts without highlighting the direct value to the reader, it will be ignored. Always include the “what’s in it for me” angle in your summary. It interests the investors or executives to read the summary.
• Not telling the reader what to do next: A clear and personalized call to action is non-negotiable at the end of the summary. Be sure to add one to provide the next roadmap to the investor.

How Writers Relate to Our Tips About Expert Executive Summary?

Multiple writers on Reddit follow the same approach to write their summaries as we have discussed. A few tips borrowed from these writers are the following:

• The core decision should be on top, and other details should be put below.
• Start by answering what my target audience would like to read if they have less than 30 seconds.
• Answer questions like what it is, what value it brings to me, and how close we are to realizing that value.
• Use the pyramid principle.
• If you are creating something from scratch, you are doing it wrong.
• You have to be very succinct and get to the point ASAP.
• Imagine you are talking to a CEO who is going to the washroom. You have to explain everything in just a few seconds.

3 Free Executive Summary Templates

The fastest way to write a strong executive summary is to start with a structure that already works. We’ve put together a number of templates for you with formats for every major use case. Check them out:

• Free executive summary templates for proposals work best if you are going to apply for a grant, raise funds, or secure an investor for your product. It comes with clear sections, including a plan and next steps at the end to bring clarity for the reader.
• A 2-column executive summary template is great for a board meeting. It clearly outlines the problem sections along with proposed solutions as well as budget requirements.
• For companies looking for an investor, increase your chance of securing an investment with our one-page executive summary template. It discusses the problem upfront, followed by your business strategy and investment highlights, so that the reader can easily get your plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom Line

The TL;DR is that an executive summary is not just a recap of your document. It’s actually a standalone argument for a decision, written for someone who may read nothing else about your project. Its job is to make that decision as easy as possible.

When writing the executive summary, write it last, after the full document is finished. Always open with value or recommendations, not the background. Use the following six-part arc:

• A sharp opening that states the outcome,
• The problem
• The solution
• The evidence
• The financial ask
• A single clear call to action

Then cut anything that isn’t doing work, test it on someone outside the project, and proofread it like it’s the only page that matters.

If you’d rather start from a format that’s already structured correctly, use a ready-made template that works well with your business plans, proposals, research reports, research proposals, or formal submissions.