An Executive Summary is a relatively short piece of pros, why is it then that so many find it so difficult to put pen to paper and craft something creative, compelling, and at the same time, concise. Today, in the digital age, the challenges are comparable, even if the medium is different encompassing the latest multi-media tools and omnichannel delivery.
The purpose of the Executive Summary is to summarise a longer proposal or group of related proposals, ensuring readers can rapidly become acquainted with a large body of material without having to read it all. It is intended to be read by customer decision makers and influencers who, for whatever reason, may not choose to read or see the full proposal. It proves to a customer that your organisation has: a full understanding of their requirements, a grasp of the main the risks and challenges involved, a solution to meet their requirements, a skilled and experienced delivery team, and a full personal and corporate commitment to your customer’s success.
DON’t leave it too late
At Digital Distance, we believe an Executive Summary should be developed early in the sales cycle to at least draft form. At a minimum it should be a series of bullet points This provides a good way of capturing the key win themes as they evolve, as well as your developing value proposition aligned with the high-level customer requirements. Everyone involved in your bid should read it as part of getting up to speed with the opportunity.
The final version of the Executive Summary should be proof-read well before the submission date enabling time for corrections and any improvement. It is recommended that a formal RED review process is used ensuring it is as good as it can be.
THE SHOP WINDOW TO YOUR submission
Digital Distance has extensive experience in completing compelling executive summaries and we have a best practice approach based on many winning bid submissions. We co-create the executive summary with your team over the digital medium of your choice. Our agile approach ensures we can work effectively with input from across your bid team regardless of their location and time-zone.
In our experience, most executive summaries can be written in one to two days. However, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss a custom engagement with you, as the length and complexity of your executive summary will most likely vairy from bid to bid. Please contact us early in your sales cycle for a free consultation to discuss your specific requirements.
Remember, the Executive Summary is a shop window on your submission so making an investment in it is time and money well spent.