Make a Strong Impression with Your Executive Summary

Grab a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Off the top of your head, list 10 points about your business that make it outstanding, unique, innovative, creative, or well planned. Do not continue to read

Congratulations! You've just begun to write your executive summary, and because it's more than boilerplate this summary will capture your readers' attention. It's truly a reflection of your business.

Important Items to Address

The executive summary is the last section of the business plan that you will write, after drafting a more extensive and thorough business plan. Here are some possible items to be addressed in your executive summary and business plan:

• Your mission and vision statements
• The opportunities that the business presents for you and your potential customers
• Date business will commence (or did commence)
• Structure of the business
• Names of founders, the functions they perform, and their areas of expertise
• Structure of board of directors or your management team
• Number of employees
• Location of the business, including the Web site address when applicable
• Products manufactured or services rendered
• Targeted customers
• Marketing plan
• Differentiators
• Competitive overview
• Description of plant or facilities
• Banking relationships and information regarding current investors
• Funding requirements, if any
• Summary of company growth, including any financial or market highlights
• Future plans