What are best practices for writing executive summaries?

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) prioritizes clear, brief communication. Key points include starting with the conclusion, using short sentences and active voice, and respecting the reader's time for quick decision-making. It’s versatile, aiding clarity in various fields.

The RFP may contain instructions on the type of information the agency/solicitor wants to see in the executive summary. It may state the need to list company information such as, date when the business was established, address, person authorized to negotiate on behalf of the company, place of incorporation, number of employees etc. While you want to avoid the stale, cookie-cutter approach, it's important to provide the information requested for compliance.

Understand your audience and tailor it to their needs. Be concise and clear, avoiding jargon. Highlight the most critical points, such as the problem, proposed solution, and key benefits. Use strong, persuasive language and ensure the summary can stand alone, providing enough context Finally, review, and proofread to maintain accuracy

Crafting a persuasive executive summary is key: 1. Start strong with a captivating opening. 2. Lead with your best offer, whether it's price or uniqueness. 3. End with a powerful closing, avoiding clichés. 4. Be direct; ask for the business. 5. Use a PS to reinforce your offer. 6. Keep it concise; one page is plenty. Remember, its sole purpose is to sell. Simple, not complex!

Most Executive Summaries, miss the mark in the first sentence as they either thank the client for the opportunity to respond or they repeat the problem/opportunity as written in the RFP. It is important that the bigger picture is addressed and how these fit into the potential clients' wider business strategy. Then make sure one or two examples of where you have carried out similar work are included in the Executive Summary. This is a tangible and demonstrable experience your buyer can rely on to know that you can deliver what they need.

The structure of the Executive summary must follow the structure on your proposal which in turn must follow the structure of the RFP. By doing so you will create a red line and the customer will recognize their own structure when evaluating your proposal. Which will create an assuredness with the customer that this is proper work done.

When creating a winning executive summary: 1) Demonstrate that you understand the customer’s buying vision 2) Emphasize value to the customer Maintain a customer focus throughout—focus on customer issues and motivators 3) Build on your win strategy by emphasizing your strengths 4) Organize and prioritize the content around customer hot buttons 5) Be careful with reuse and boilerplate—tailor each executive summary to the opportunity 6) Follow sound writing guidelines—watch spelling, punctuation, grammar, and word choice

The greatest mistake one can make in writing the executive summary for a proposal is to not wait until the proposal is largely written. This is supposed to be a summary of the proposal, and as such needs to summarize the material for executives who want to see if it is worth their time. I have seen many efforts where they cook-cutter or write upfront this section, failing to communicate the gist of the proposal.

I disagree with William DeVault (and I know and like William). Readers usually see the executive summary first, so it should be the most compelling writing in a proposal, the part that best convinces readers your response is better than all others. It should be written first, then the rest of the proposal should consist of proof points showing what is said in the executive summary is true. Too many proposal writers WRONGLY believe "compliant" is more important than "compelling." The whole reason for compliance is to convince readers that your team can do better at handling their stated (and unstated) requirements (better/faster/cheaper/higher customer satisfaction, etc.) than any other responder. Compliance is just another proof point.

Executive summaries should be written before the rest of your proposal. If you’re unable to do that, you haven’t been selling. You’re just submitting a bid. The summary should act as part of your briefing to your bid team. This is what we’re selling! Too often, ‘sellers’ aggregate all that’s been written in the bid at the end of the writing phase. Don’t think of it as a summary only. How do you want your prospect to react? What emotions should they feel? What do you want them to do as a result of reading it?

Writing an effective executive summary puts your writing skills under a stress test. Every word must be driving the message and not getting in the way. Keep reducing the number of words until every sentence is as lean as possible, while still being readable and comprehendible.

Executive summaries should include limited jargon and acronyms. The goal is to communicate maximum information in minimal time. Some acronyms will be needed, but ensure you are intentional with any technical information included.

The sole purpose of a executive summary is to condence down your proposal into 1-4 pages and make the reader understand what you are delivering. Therefore the text must be on a somewhat clear and conceptulized level without generalize it so much that the solution you are selling is lost, or to infantilize it so the customer gets offended. The general rule when writing these texts is less words is more.

The executive summary is a summary of the proposal--sure. But instead of just being a summary of your solution, I believe it should be a summary of why the customer should choose you. The summary of your solution should be used to support the benefits you claim to provide.

Ask someone outside of the proposal team and group supporting the RFP to review your proposal. An outside perspective is incredibly important because fresh eyes and a new/different perspective is invaluable!

Proofreading and editing are non-negotiable steps in the writing process. Even the most compelling content can be undermined by typos and grammatical errors. Take the time to review your summary multiple times and consider using AI-powered grammar and style checkers to catch mistakes you might miss. Additionally, seek feedback from colleagues to ensure that your summary is polished and professional.

Ein gutes Angebot berücksichtigt viele Perspektiven – genau das macht Generalisten als Reviewer wertvoll. Sie vereinen technisches, kaufmännisches und projektorientiertes Wissen und sind prädestiniert, das große Ganze zu sehen. Besonders im Kontext eines vielseitigen Buying Centers ist diese Fähigkeit entscheidend, um die unterschiedlichen Sichtweisen der Entscheidungsträger einzunehmen. Was jedoch immer gewährleistet sein muss: Die Person, die das Angebot prüft, sollte mit Sorgfalt und einem hohen Qualitätsanspruch vorgehen. Nur so wird sichergestellt, dass die Zusammenfassung inhaltlich korrekt und optisch ansprechend ist.

Always start with " We are pleased to submit"... if you want to turn off your audience before they get to the second page. If you want to capture your reader's attention, avoid the generic pleasantries and incorporate the following best practices: → Don't just know your audience. Your writing should connect how your solutions will solve their pain points or achieve their goals. → Do tell a story, but go one step further. Use a blend of persuasion elements - ethos, logos, and pathos. → Don't state company facts such as "We have XX engineers across 48 states." or "Established in 1631, XYZ is..." unless this matters to your client. Be specific and tailor to the client, including company data/facts.

My biggest advice is to write the Executive Summary first, start before the RFP gets released, and refine it in the first 24 hours after you’ve reviewed the final requirements. The Executive Summary should be the elevator pitch that clearly defines the value you bring to the customer, backed up by your most compelling proof. It should define why the customer should choose you over the competition, the benefits they will experience by choosing you, and the risks if they don’t. All other sections should expand on and tie back to these themes in the executive summary. Use the executive summary like a map to guide writers and reviewers towards tying in your value throughout the rest of the proposal. It will be more compelling and cohesive.

Research for an executive summary can involve: ➡️ Revisiting your capture plan ➡️ Attending the go/no go call ➡️ Conducting online research including client and competitor website and social media accounts, analyst reports, Google Alerts, Freedom of Information requests ➡️ Working with your business development counterparts to gather intel including messaging frameworks, satisfaction survey results, and previous win/loss reviews ➡️ Facilitating a win strategy workshop covering your client (e.g., needs, stakeholders and wider context of the procurement), your organization's capabilities (e.g., approach, tools, people, proof points), and competitor analysis ➡️ Testing and validating your win themes with your client

Besides cover letters, executive summaries are your only chance to make a first impression and grab their attention, so don't waste it. It may be only two pages but these are among the most important in your proposal. Invest the time and iterate to improve it. Use AI to get feedback and work through the details.

Network with colleagues within APMP and other proposal management professionals to learn about their practices. Having intel on what happens outside of your industry can benefit your proposal process in many ways.