You may not consider giving your executive summary too much attention when writing a business proposal. Is anyone even reading it, after all?
If you've asked yourself this question, it may be the reason your offers aren't yielding the desired outcomes. The introduction is the part that customers spend the most time on, according to our analysis of the business proposals distributed via our service.
Having said that, it makes reasonable to devote a little extra time to the first chapter of your proposal. We'll go over the significance of an executive summary, offer some practical writing advice, and more in this blog.
What is an executive summary?
An executive summary or a proposal introduction is the opening chapter of your business proposal. It summarizes the proposal and sets the tone for your client. Since it's at the top of the document, it needs to catch the attention of the reader and provide value without being too long.
It should be the final thing you write in your proposal, even though it comes first. You can only create a compelling synopsis of your solution once you have thoroughly described it. The solution you're offering your client and how it will address the current issue should be described in your executive summary.
The solution, provide time scales, social proof, and pricing section can all be included in the remaining part of the proposal. The purpose of the executive summary is to assist stakeholders, investors, and clients in understanding your solution and deciding whether to proceed with the proposal.
The importance of an executive summary
If the executive summary takes as long to write as the entire proposal, don't be shocked. Clients may be persuaded to read the entire document by your introduction. They may immediately close the proposal if it is difficult to proceed.
Your executive summary shouldn't be longer than a page and you should be careful about the words you use. Our tip is to use your client's words to describe the problem they're facing. It will show them that you've listened to them and understood their point of view.
Naturally, you should conduct a discovery call before you begin working on your proposal. It will assist you in better comprehending the demands and objectives of your client as well as how to formulate your strategy.
After describing the issue in your client's terms, give a brief explanation of your solution and the speed at which you can deliver results and a return on investment.
Elements of an executive summary
Whether you're creating formal or informal business proposals, the information you need to have in the executive summary are:
A greeting customized to your client
A brief overview of your client's issue
A few sentences about your solution
A call to action that encourages your client to keep reading
How to write an executive summary?
As previously said, wait to begin writing your executive summary until you have completed the remainder of the proposal. You won't be able to summarize everything into a brief introduction until then.
Emotion should be the driving force behind your summary. Your readers should be excited by it and desire to do business with you. You will cheapen your proposal and make it difficult for your clients to relate to your solution if you oversell your expertise from the outset.
Rather than providing all the answers right away, the beginning should pique readers' attention and encourage them to read the remainder of your proposal.
Keep it short
Writing a lengthy introduction to your proposal is not necessary. Let your solution do the talking. Your proposal won't succeed if you have to bolster it with meaningless phrases that don't add anything.
A good rule of thumb is to write everything out and then edit out anything that isn't bringing new value or information. Make sure your introduction has enough information, while still being easy to get through.
Your proposal should have a positive, upbeat tone. Maintain a lighthearted tone and win the client over with your desire to support their company.
Know when to talk about yourself
You shouldn't discuss yourself, your business, or your achievements in your executive summary. You will lose your client's interest if you do that. They are not interested in your principles or the background of your company, but rather in how you will assist them in achieving their objectives.
Make them want to collaborate with you by captivating them with your introduction. Recall that you don't need to reiterate what your clients have already learned about you and your business, as they have already met or spoken with you. Rather, discuss your tailored solution and how you investigated the client's business and its rivals.
Rely on AI to speed things up
To speed up your proposal process and not have to create all of them from scratch, you can rely on conversational AI. With Wonit, you can create stunning proposals in minutes by simply having a natural conversation with AI.
You can give simple commands to the AI like "Hey, create a proposal for a SaaS company with $50K budget" and watch it craft the perfect introduction for your proposal. The AI understands context and knows what questions to ask based on your industry and project type.
Since all suggestions are web-based, they are sent as personalized landing pages. This enables you to monitor your clients and proposals with comprehensive analytics. Every time someone opens or forwards your proposal, you'll be notified, and you'll even be able to see how long they took to read each piece.
Ask for help
Make sure to get feedback from your colleagues after you've finished writing the introduction of your proposal. Pay attention to what your teammates have to say, and adjust as necessary. Make sure the executive summary is proofread and concludes with an invitation for the client to continue reading.
Best practices and tips
Now that you know the basics of writing an executive summary, here are some additional tips to make yours even better and avoid common mistakes.
Avoid placing blame
Be careful not to assign blame to anyone. It's simple to begin your executive summary by pointing out how the client's business should have contacted you sooner or how the prior agency performed poorly. You won't get very far with this. A commercial partnership shouldn't begin with negative feelings. You should identify the issue at hand before moving on to your solution.
Choose your words carefully
Consider the words you are using. Buzz words like "streamline," "synergy," "holistic," "alignment," "circle back," "touchpoints," "diversity," and related terms should be avoided. They'll devalue your proposal and give the impression that you're attempting to overpay for a solution that might not live up to their expectations.
Stay true to your brand
Make sure your branding is consistent throughout your proposal, including the synopsis. Throughout the proposal process, you must remain loyal to your identity and style.
Key takeaways
It's difficult to get fresh leads and convert them into customers. You need to make a good first impression, spend time getting to know your potential client, and eventually convince them to ask for a proposal.
You may feel overburdened once your proposal process begins, particularly if you're starting from zero. However, you can both expedite and improve the quality of your process by utilizing useful tools.
With the aid of our tutorial, you will be able to produce outstanding executive summaries that will captivate readers and ensure that they read your proposal in its entirety. Keeping it intimate, concentrating on the client's issues, and letting your solution speak for itself without fluff or overselling are crucial.
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