Writing an executive summary feels like trying to pack a month's vacation into a carry-on bag. You know the important stuff needs to fit, but deciding what makes the cut can be overwhelming.
The reality is that most decision-makers spend 90 seconds scanning your proposal before making a judgment call. Your executive summary is that critical first impression—the difference between “tell me more” and “not interested.”
But creating a compelling executive summary doesn't require literary genius or years of business school.
What it does take is understanding exactly what busy stakeholders need to know and delivering it in a clear way that respects their time while highlighting your value proposition.
Let's break down how to write an executive summary that captures attention, communicates impact, and moves your proposal to the “approved” pile.
Key takeaways
- An executive summary is a concise opener that gives busy decision-makers the essential points of your proposal in 90 seconds or less, serving as your written elevator pitch.
- The most effective executive summaries include a clear problem statement, proposed solution, business value/ROI metrics, implementation plan, and key recommendations that align with stakeholder priorities.
- When writing an executive summary, focus on storytelling over statistics, emphasize “why now” rather than just “what,” and tailor your message specifically to your audience's role and priorities.
- Supporting claims with concrete evidence and ending with clear next steps transforms your executive summary from an overview into an action-driving document that moves proposals toward approval.
What is an executive summary?
An executive summary is a one-page overview at the start of your sales proposal, reports, or business plans that distills your entire proposal into its most essential points.
Think of it as your elevator pitch in written form—concise, compelling, and designed to spark interest in just a few moments.
An executive summary answers questions like:
- What’s the big opportunity here, like a market gap, emerging trend, or urgent business challenge?
- How does your solution address it?
- Why should they care and what’s at stake if they act (or don’t) now?
Regardless of the type of business proposal you’re creating, a strong summary lets executives quickly understand the key points and decide without reading the full document.
5 key components of an executive summary
Certain elements in an executive summary help convince busy decision-makers to keep reading and ultimately approve your proposal.
These components are the load-bearing walls of your document—each one critical for building a strong, persuasive case that stands up to scrutiny. Here’s how you can structure a proposal’s executive summary.
1. Problem statement
A problem statement highlights the challenge, pain point, or opportunity at the heart of your proposal.
It shows stakeholders you understand their world and the challenges they face. Make it resonate with your reader’s pressing challenges, and clearly show the risks of inaction and the urgency of solving the issue now.
Rather than listing symptoms, the statement diagnoses the root cause that keeps decision-makers up at night. Use data to quantify the cost of inaction.
For example, instead of writing, “Companies need better data security,” in a technology proposal you might say:
“Manufacturing companies lose an average of $300,000 per cyber breach, yet 60% lack robust security protocols for their operational technology. For ABC Manufacturing, this vulnerability jeopardizes $2.4M in annual revenue and could significantly erode customer trust.”
When stakeholders see you grasp both their immediate pain points and long-term objectives, they're more likely to trust your solution.
Also, keep it focused. Multiple problems can muddy the waters. Choose the most pressing issue that aligns with your solution's strengths.
2. Proposed solution
Your proposed solution bridges the gap between the problem and the promised results. Paint a clear picture of your approach without drowning readers in technical details.
Break down your solution into digestible components that connect directly to stakeholder priorities. Focus on outcomes rather than features.
Make it tangible with specific milestones and deliverables. “Our three-phase implementation includes custom workflow design, team training, and data migration—all completed within 90 days.”
Pro tip: Address potential concerns proactively. If decision-makers wonder about implementation time or resource requirements, tackle these head-on.
3. Business value and return on investment (ROI)
Consider leading with business value and ROI in your executive summary. Show decision-makers exactly what their investment yields, both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Lead with concrete numbers like revenue growth, cost savings, efficiency gains, or market share expansion. Then connect these metrics to broader business objectives.
In a SaaS proposal, for example: “Our solution reduces support ticket resolution time by 45%, saving $250,000 annually while improving customer satisfaction scores by 30%.”
Back up claims with relevant case studies or data points and tailor ROI projections to your audience's industry and specific challenges.
P.S. Use Qwilr's interactive ROI calculator to help stakeholders visualize their potential returns directly in the proposal. Rather than static numbers, your decision-makers can adjust variables like team size to see customized savings projections.
4. Implementation plan
Decision-makers need a clear, low-disruption plan that delivers strong results. The implementation section does exactly that by offering a practical roadmap for your solution.
Work with your team to outline realistic phases and timelines. For an SEO proposal, you can write, “Our three-phase implementation approach delivers measurable SEO results:
- Phase 1: Technical Audit and Strategy (2 weeks): We'll analyze your site architecture, identify ranking blockers, and create a roadmap aligned with your growth targets.
- Phase 2: On-Page Optimization (4 weeks): Implement content improvements, enhance metadata, and optimize internal linking for better search visibility.
- Phase 3: Content Strategy and Performance (2 weeks): Develop your content calendar, train your team on SEO best practices, and set up analytics dashboards to track ROI.”
Address resource requirements upfront. Outline what you need from their team, what your team provides, and any additional tools or infrastructure needed.
5. Key recommendations
Key recommendations crystallize your strategic insights into actionable steps. Present them in bullets that guide stakeholders from the current state to desired outcomes.
Structure recommendations in order of priority and impact. Lead with the move that delivers the fastest or highest value return so decision-makers can understand where to focus resources first.
For each recommendation, provide a clear rationale tied to business objectives. Like in an IT services proposal: “Migrating to cloud storage within Q1 reduces infrastructure costs by 40% while enabling remote team collaboration.”
Keep the list focused—three to five major recommendations work best. More than that risks overwhelming readers and diluting the impact of your most critical points.
Link recommendations to specific metrics or KPIs. Linking creates accountability and makes it easier for stakeholders to track success.
How to write an executive summary
Here’s the truth: an executive summary goes beyond condensing your full proposal into a few paragraphs. Think about your audience's priorities, pain points, and decision-making process.
Here are five tips on how to write an executive summary:
Lead with a story, not statistics
It’s tempting to start with market size stats or company credentials, but numbers alone rarely grab attention or build an emotional connection as stories do.
Highlight the core problem or opportunity with a clear, relatable scenario decision-makers can picture.
Zero in on the human side—customer frustrations, operational inefficiencies, or unaddressed risks—and connect them directly to outcomes like profitability, efficiency, or risk mitigation.
Instead of starting with “The cybersecurity market is worth $200B," say: "Three hours of downtime can cost a manufacturer $50,000, making cybersecurity breaches a direct threat to profits.”
Keep your story concise and laser-focused on your audience’s industry or goals, and use it to prime them for the data and recommendations to come.
Focus on “why now” over “what”
The details of “what” your solution offers pale in comparison to the urgency of acting now. Without a clear case for timing, decision-makers may deprioritize even the best ideas.
Your executive summary answers the critical question: Why now?
Highlight:
- Shifting market conditions creating a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
- Rising competitive pressures where hesitation could mean losing your edge
- The tangible cost of delay, such as lost revenue or mounting inefficiencies
- Your organization’s readiness to act, with the right resources and momentum in place
Look past immediate pain points and consider the bigger picture. Are new regulations on the horizon that could disrupt your costs? Are evolving customer behaviors signaling a shift in demand?
Instead of saying, “Our platform optimizes supply chain operations,” show why it’s critical now: “With supply chain disruptions growing more frequent and costly, every month of delay in modernizing operations increases risk exposure by 15%, potentially costing millions in avoidable losses.”
Before writing your next summary, pause and reflect: What external or internal forces make now the perfect time to act—and how can you quantify the cost of waiting to ensure it resonates?
Tailor your message to your audience
Different stakeholders care about different aspects of your proposal.
A CFO evaluating a tech upgrade might prioritize cost savings, while a CTO would focus on smooth integration.
Address the most pressing concerns of your primary decision-makers to ensure your proposal gets traction.
Research your audience before writing. Understand their:
- Role and decision-making authority (e.g., Does this person approve budgets or influence technical strategy?)
- Key performance metrics they’re measured on (e.g., ROI, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction)
- Current priorities and challenges (e.g., Cost control, digital transformation)
- Past experiences with similar initiatives (e.g., Successes, roadblocks, or failures in comparable projects)
Then, align your message and tone accordingly. For a finance-focused reader, use data-driven language to highlight cost savings. For operations leaders, emphasize streamlined workflows with concise, action-oriented phrasing.
For example, the same data security solution might be pitched differently: “30% cost reduction in security operations” for a CFO versus “85% faster threat detection with minimal system overhead” for a CTO.
This targeted approach not only shows respect for their time but also positions your proposal as the ideal solution.
Support claims with evidence
Promises, like guaranteeing cost savings or productivity gains, need proof to convince decision-makers. Ground your executive summary in specific, measurable evidence that stakeholders can trust.
Strong evidence includes:
- Performance metrics: Show measurable success from similar implementations
- Customer success stories: Add relatability and build confidence with tangible outcomes
- Market research: Use trusted sources to prove alignment with industry trends
- Pilot program results: Validate effectiveness with real-world testing
- Independent validation: Enhance credibility with third-party expert endorsements
Choose your proof points wisely—focus on those that directly address your audience’s biggest concerns and reinforce your core message with undeniable impact.
Instead of saying, “Our solution improves productivity,” say: “Three Fortune 500 manufacturers boosted output by 23% in 90 days and cut quality issues by 40%.”
Quantify benefits wherever possible. Highlight outcomes like cost savings, efficiency gains, or risk reduction, but simplify technical details by summarizing only the results that matter most.
End with clear next steps
Close your executive summary with a clear, actionable roadmap that makes it easy for decision-makers to take the next step with confidence.
Good next steps:
- Are crystal-clear and immediately actionable
- Include timelines to create urgency
- Maintain momentum by building on the excitement of the proposal
- Fit within the decision-maker's authority
Avoid vague conclusions like “Let’s discuss next steps,” which can lead to confusion, delays, or loss of momentum.
With Qwilr's interactive feature, your action plan becomes an engaging, interactive roadmap that shows exactly how the project will unfold. Decision-makers can see at a glance how each phase builds toward their goals.
Clear timelines underscore feasibility and urgency and make decision-makers confident in your readiness and commitment to delivering results.
Executive summary structure
Trying to figure out how much or too little to include in your executive summary can be confusing. Build a clear structure that hits all key decision points.
Luckily, Qwilr includes a basic executive summary page in every proposal template. Here's how to customize each section to maximize impact with your stakeholders:
Opening Narrative (2-3 sentences)
[Present the core problem or opportunity through a brief, relatable situation that captures attention and establishes context]
Current Situation (2-3 bullet points)
- [Key market condition or business challenge creating urgency]
- [Specific impact on the organization - use metrics where possible]
- [Cost of inaction or value of opportunity]
Proposed Solution (3-4 sentences)
[Clear description of your recommendation and how it addresses the challenge]
[Unique advantages or differentiators of your approach]
[Evidence of similar successes or validation]
Business Impact (3-4 bullet points)
- Financial Returns: [Specific ROI, cost savings, or revenue impact]
- Operational Benefits: [Efficiency gains, risk reduction, or performance improvements]
- Strategic Value: [Long-term advantages, competitive positioning, or market opportunities]
- Timeline to Value: [When benefits will be realized]
Implementation Overview (2-3 bullet points)
- [High-level approach and key phases]
- [Resource requirements and timeline]
- [Risk mitigation strategies]
Next Steps (2-3 bullet points)
- [Specific action required] by [date]
- [Follow-up milestone] by [date]
- [Decision deadline] by [date]
[Note: Keep total length to one page maximum. Customize sections based on your audience's priorities.]
With Qwilr's built-in analytics, you can track which sections of your executive summary capture stakeholder attention, helping you refine your approach for future proposals. Plus, when decision-makers share your proposal, you'll know exactly who's reviewing it and get instant visibility into the decision-making chain.
Write executive summaries that win approvals
Your executive summary opens the door to every business opportunity. By focusing on what matters most to decision-makers and presenting it clearly, you've already captured their attention in those crucial first 90 seconds.
Start with this framework, adapt it to your audience, and watch your proposals move from pending to approved.
Ready to create executive summaries that consistently deliver results? Start a 14-day free trial to try Qwilr’s executive summary template and analytics tools to understand stakeholder priorities, refine your approach, and secure approvals faster than ever.
About the author
Brendan Connaughton|Head of Growth Marketing
Brendan heads up growth marketing and demand generation at Qwilr, overseeing performance marketing, SEO, and lifecycle initiatives. Brendan has been instrumental in developing go-to-market functions for a number of high-growth startups and challenger brands.