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What’s a Business Plan Executive Summary & How to Write It

What is an executive summary in a business plan? It’s what investors use to decide whether to review your business plan or not. Learn how to make it work.

Author Carl Torrence

6 minute read

What is a business plan executive summary

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Short answer

What is an executive summary in a business plan?

An executive summary in a business plan is the opening section of the business plan that distills the essence of your plan into a compelling overview. The purpose of the executive summary is to convince the reader to invest the time required to review your business plan in full.

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What does a business plan executive summary look like?

An executive summary within a business plan is traditionally just text or a table, but modern business plans offer a much more engaging and aesthetic way of doing it, with running numbers, live data, and even videos.

Why not? It’s how we all consume content these days.

Here’s what a modern business plan executive summary looks like:

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Most business plan executive summaries don’t invite further reading

CEOs, investors, and customers are always short on time. That’s why, to put across your case effectively, you’ll need an executive summary that makes them want to invest the time and effort in reviewing your business plan.

A business plan executive summary is like a pretty face - it makes you want to know more and makes it more likely you’ll dedicate the time.

But is your executive summary a pretty face? Most are not. Most are dull and generic.

To grab attention and peak someone’s interest, you’ll need to make your summary into a snappy story that makes a bold promise and invites the reader to learn how it will unfold.

I’ll teach you how.

Now, let’s dive into writing an effective executive summary for your business plan!

What to include in an executive summary of a business plan?

A great business plan executive summary includes key selling points, competitive advantages, and unique aspects of the business model. Let’s get into more detail.


1) Introduction:

Your executive summary should begin with a hook that captures the reader's interest and clearly states the purpose of the business plan.

Tell your story of why it’s important to you, what’s in it for the reader, and why you’re the right person for the job (and do it all in a couple of sentences 🙂 - easy peasy).

But essentially this section should answer the question "What does your business do?" It must help potential investors, partners, and customers understand your business's practical application and potential impact.


2) Market analysis:

Summarize the target market and competitive landscape by highlighting key opportunities and customer needs that the business uniquely addresses.


3) Business model:

This section primarily shares how your product fetches revenue. Include pointers that share your pricing strategy, sales pipeline, and distribution channels.

What’s your pricing strategy? Are you planning a value-based pricing or a competitive pricing?

Further, what’s your plan for streamlining the sales process? Will you be using CPQ software to manage complex sales transactions? Or investing in sales force automation to better identify high-quality leads and improve your close ratios?

NOTE: Any information that shows how your venture will make money should be included in the business model section.

4) Financial summary:

Give a high-level overview of financial projections, funding needs, and future profitability. This will guide the reader through the maze of numbers and data and the venture’s assets and liabilities.

What’s the objective of the business plan executive summary

A business plan executive summary should drive a positive snap judgment of the business plan's viability. It should ensure that the reader grasps the essence of the business idea without getting mired in details.


3 main objectives of the business plan executive summary:


1) Outlining business vision and mission

The executive summary succinctly articulates the core vision and mission of the business. It distills the essence of the business's aim and its underlying ethos, setting the tone for the entire document.


2) Defining the purpose

The purpose of the executive summary is to provide a clear and engaging overview of the business plan. It should grab the reader's attention and offer a compelling snapshot of the business idea, its market potential, and how it plans to succeed.

This section should be informative enough to stand on its own, offering a complete but brief view of the whole plan.


3) Aligning with stakeholders’ interests

Customize the executive summary to stakeholders' interests to help understand their priorities. Investors typically prioritize return on investment, market potential, and management credibility.

Therefore, the executive summary should include details about the business model, operational strategies, and market positioning.

How to write a business plan executive summary

Writing an effective executive summary is both an art and a science that needs a balance of comprehensive detail and persuasive brevity.


1) Get to know your target audience deeply

A target audience is a specific group likely to be interested in a company's products or services. This requires including demographics, behaviors, and preferences to define this group.

Substantial evidence indicates that businesses that fail to effectively identify and understand their target audience fail more often.

For instance, CB Insights reports that one of the top 12 reasons startups fail is a lack of market need, which can often be traced back to not properly defining or understanding the target audience.


2) Tailor the executive summary for specific stakeholders

The executive summary should be tailored to resonate with various stakeholders, including potential investors, partners, and the target audience.

  • For investors, the focus should be on the market size and revenue potential.

  • For partners, emphasize synergy and collaboration opportunities.

Understanding the target group is crucial in highlighting how your product or service uniquely satisfies their needs or solves their problems.


3) Identify the target market and focus on solving their needs

Leverage the insights on your target audience that help sharpen the focus and clarity of your executive summary.

This involves showcasing how your business is uniquely positioned to meet your audience's specific needs and preferences, thereby increasing the relevance and impact of your message.

Identifying and mentioning your audience in the executive summary helps with product development, marketing strategies, and customer engagement.

This paves the path for tailored value propositions that resonate with customers, ensuring customer success and building a community of brand advocates.

Make sure you highlight the most relevant and appealing benefits and outcomes that your product will fetch for each buyer persona.

Secondary business plan summaries

Some business plans could benefit from a secondary summary that focuses on a critical part of the business plan.

This could be a revolutionary but technically complex product, a large and multifaceted project that requires large-scale funding or complex business integrations, etc.


1) Products and services overview

A product executive summary should briefly communicate what your business offers and its unique position in the market, any technical barriers for entry to keep copycats at bay, and any legal protection such as patents.


Highlight unique value propositions and innovations

  • Clearly state your product or service and the problems it solves or needs it fulfills.

  • Emphasize what makes your offering unique. Does a particular feature, technology, or approach set it apart from competitors?

  • Use concise language to describe how your product or service improves upon existing solutions or addresses unmet needs in the market.

  • If your business has proprietary technology or innovative processes, explain briefly how these contribute to the value of your offering.


Outline the roadmap for product development and rollout

  • Ensure your executive summary has a snapshot of your product or service's current development cycle. Is it in the concept stage, under development, or ready to launch?

  • Outline key milestones and plans for your offering, including future versions, expansions, or enhancements.

  • If applicable, mention any beta testing, pilot programs, or early customer feedback that validates your product or service.

  • Keep this section forward-looking but realistic to offer readers a sense of your product’s journey and future potential.


2) Funding and budget allocation overview

The funding and budget allocation summary should directly address the business's financial requirements, its viability, and its strategic planning.

It should demonstrate the immediate financial needs and give insight into how well the business manages its resources and plans for growth.

This information is particularly important for potential investors and stakeholders when faced with a complex and costly endeavor.


Outline financial needs and proposed budget allocation

  • Be specific and realistic: Give specific numbers regarding the capital required to start or expand the business. Try breaking down the fund allocation into key areas such as product development, marketing, operations, etc.

  • Showcase financial planning: Demonstrate how you allocate the budget effectively to achieve your business goals. This includes resources, personnel, marketing, and other operational expenses.

  • Highlight financial projections: Give an overview of your projected revenue, profits, and cash flow for the next few years. Make sure this aligns with your business plan.


Elaborate on funding strategies and ROI expectations

  • Detail your funding strategy: Mention your strategy for securing the necessary funding. This could include seeking investors, loans, grants, or other funding sources.

  • Discuss Return on Investment (ROI): Include a realistic expectation of ROI, explaining how and when investors can expect a return. This should be based on detailed financial projections and market analysis.

  • Link operations to financial performance: Demonstrate how your operational strategies will lead to financial success. Explain how processes and operations have been designed to run the business efficiently and contribute to a strong ROI.

Business plan presentation templates

You can start working on your business plan executive summary right away if you like. Grab one of our interactive business plan presentation templates and give your plan a beautiful form - easy as pie.

Within the templates, you can also enlist the help of our AI writing assistant (based on ChatGPT). Try and see how writing your summary just got a lot easier.

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Carl Torrence

Carl Torrence is a Content Marketer at Marketing Digest. His core expertise lies in developing data-driven content for brands, SaaS businesses, and agencies. In his free time, he enjoys binge-watching time-travel movies and listening to Linkin Park and Coldplay albums.

Table of contents
What is an executive summary in a business plan? What does a business plan executive summary look like? What to include in an executive summary of a business plan? What’s the objective of the business plan executive summary How to write a business plan executive summary Secondary business plan summaries Business plan presentation templates
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