An executive summary review is a summary of the entire document. The purpose of this type of review is to summarize the information so that it is easier to understand, and it also highlights any relevant data.
Executive summaries are brief, general descriptions of a business plan or investment proposal. These summaries are short, concise, and to the point, but they should still provide enough information for readers to understand what they're getting into. While they are concise, they should still provide enough information for readers to understand the document’s content and purpose.
Executive summaries are essential because they allow investors or potential investors to quickly read through your business plan and determine if it's worth their time to read further. If the summary doesn't pique their interest, they won't waste time looking at the entire proposal.
What does an executive summary review include?
When it comes to writing an executive summary, you need to make sure that you're communicating your message effectively. Here's what you should include in your executive summary.
-
Business Purpose
The business purpose is the reason for the business to exist. It is a statement that describes the company's long-term vision, including its goals and objectives.
-
Market Overview
The market overview section is an overview of the market for your product or service, including your competitors and their strengths and weaknesses.
-
Competitive Advantage
The competitive advantage section is where you explain why customers should buy from you instead of your competitors based on what makes you different from them (e.g., lower prices, better customer service).
-
Business Model
The business model section explains how your company will make money by selling products or services; this includes pricing strategy and sales channels (e.g., online vs offline).
-
Key Team Members
This is a list of the top 5-10 people on your team, along with their job titles and contact information. You can include the company's CEO or founder if they're not included in this section. Remember to add key team members who play a crucial role in the company’s operation and success as well.
-
Financial Projections
The financial projections outline how you expect the company to perform in the next year or two, with specific numbers for revenue and expenses.
-
Document Highlights
The document highlights quick explanations of key points from each business plan section. For example, if you're writing about your marketing plan and want to highlight one specific aspect (like a new product feature), you'd write "I'm excited about our new product feature because…" as part of this section.
What are the situations in which the executive summary can be used?
When you're writing the executive summary, you need to be succinct. You don't have a lot of room to make your case, so it's essential to get right to the point.
Here are two situations in which an executive summary can be helpful to:
-
When you're pitching a new idea
The executive summary is a great way to quickly explain your idea or product to an audience and get them excited about it. It's also a great place to put any important information, like the number of employees in your company or how much funding you've raised. This will help people understand what you're trying to accomplish and who you are, which can help build trust.
-
When you want to make a clear case for something
The executive summary is also helpful to ensure your audience understands why something needs to be done. If your boss has asked for an update on how the company is doing financially, for example, an executive summary can help convince him that things aren't as bad as they seem—or show him how badly they need improvement!
208 projects on CC
CC verified
How can a lawyer help you in performing an executive summary review?
If you are looking for an executive summary review, there are many options. But what is the best way to choose a lawyer?
Here are some things to consider:
-
Expertise with the most common executive summary formats
A lawyer specializing in executive summary reviews will be familiar with all the different types of executive summaries and their proper formatting. They'll be able to spot mistakes, inconsistencies, and other issues that might cause your company to fail an audit.
-
Knowledge of legal language and style
An experienced attorney will be able to make sure that your executive summary is written in a legally sound way. They'll also know which words and phrases need to be used in certain situations. For example, if you're writing an executive summary for a healthcare product, you'll want to use phrases like "FDA approved" or "clinical trials."
-
Familiarity with the company's products, services, and industry
An executive summary review is critical to any company's business plan. Typically, it is the first thing you'll read when someone wants to know more about your company, so it should be clear, concise and persuasive. An executive summary provides a high-level overview of a longer report or proposal. If you're not an expert in this field, it's easy to get lost in jargon and technical terms that may not be familiar to your audience. You need an attorney who understands your industry and can provide you with an objective eye for reviewing your executive summary.
-
The clauses of the agreement
A lawyer can help you perform an executive summary review by reviewing the clauses of your contract. This is important because the clauses within a contract set out each party's rights and responsibilities, as well as what they can expect from each other. For example, if one party has to provide something to another party, that will be specified in their contract. While this may be relevant in some cases, an executive summary review it typically focused on the content and effectiveness of the summary itself. Talk to your lawyer about the aspects of your review so you know what is included.
-
The terms of the agreement
A lawyer can help you perform an executive summary review by reviewing the terms of your contract. This is important because it helps ensure that each party understands what they're signing up for. For example, if one party agrees to provide something to another party and agrees on how much they'll get paid for doing so, this will be specified in their contract.
-
Penalties for breaking a clause
A lawyer can help you perform an executive summary review by reviewing penalties for breaking a clause in your contract. This is important because it ensures that both parties know what happens if something goes wrong with their agreement (e.g., if one party doesn't perform their obligations under the contract).
-
The law of the land
A lawyer can offer insight into how laws will be applied if they're violated or broken, which is helpful in making sure that what's written in your executive summary doesn't fall afoul of any legal issues that may arise later down the line.
What are the factors to avoid in an executive summary review?
Here are two things to avoid:
-
Focusing on investment.
If you're trying to get investors interested in your business, it's tempting to write a summary that talks about how much money you need and why that amount will make your company successful. But the truth is, investors don't care about the amount of money you need—they care about whether or not they believe in your vision for success. So focus on what makes your product or service unique, and why people should be excited about it!
-
Claims that sound hollow or exaggerated.
Investors want to know that they can trust you, so they'll be listening closely to what you say in your executive summary review. If your claims are too grandiose or unrealistic sounding, they'll know right away that you're not being honest with them—and they won't invest their money with someone who isn't being honest! So be honest, but also show how much effort and thought went into developing your idea into something great.
Key Terms in An Executive Summary
Here are five key terms you need to know to understand the executive summary:
- Executive Summary
- Concise Mission Statement
- Company Overview
- Market Research
- Financials
Conclusion
The executive summary is a critical part of any business contract. It describes the parties involved, their objectives, and the key terms of the agreement. When done right, it can help you save money, avoid problems with your partners, and even protect you from liability.
But if you're not careful when writing yours, you could find yourself facing severe consequences down the line. That's why we recommend using lawyers from ContractsCounsel to review your executive summary—so that you never have to worry about missing anything important or getting sued for violating someone else's rights.
ContractsCounsel is not a law firm, and this post should not be considered and does not contain legal advice. To ensure the information and advice in this post are correct, sufficient, and appropriate for your situation, please consult a licensed attorney. Also, using or accessing ContractsCounsel's site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and ContractsCounsel.
