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Critical Marketing Tools for Early-Stage Entrepreneurs: Tips for Writing an Executive Summary That Gets Read

An effective executive summary is a critical tool for entrepreneurs to keep at the ready in their marketing arsenals. The executive summary puts a face to your company for investors, and provides an opportunity to persuade everyone who reads it. Use these tips and polish your executive summary until it shines, so your early-stage company makes the best first impression possible.

"Investors are inundated with business plans from early-stage companies, so many don't read past the first page," said Tiffan Clark, Marketing Vice President of JumpStart Inc., the venture development organization behind IdeaCrossing (https://www.ideacrossing.org), a free online resource that connects entrepreneurs with investors and business mentors. "The executive summary is the most critical part of your business plan, so make sure it's polished, to the point, and packed with substance."

Executive summary nuts and bolts for early-stage companies:

--  The goal of your executive summary is to sell. Keep this in mind as
    your guiding principle while writing and reviewing your summary.
--  Be concise.
--  Lead with your specific solution to a specific problem. What are you
    offering, and to whom?
--  Follow up with benefits to your investors and partners: How can they
    expect to pull in a big profit?
--  Clearly explain your competitive advantage, other than being a "first
    mover." Be sure to avoid clichés in your executive summary.
--  Briefly describe your executive team and key
    relationships/accomplishments.
--  Conclude by stating specifically what your business requires (how much
    money, etc.) to reach the next level of success.
--  A good rule of thumb for length is one page; never go over two or
    three.
    

A well-crafted executive summary is one of the top five marketing tools for early-stage companies; be sure to check out the JumpStart blog for more advice for early-stage companies.

About IdeaCrossing

IdeaCrossing (www.ideacrossing.org) is a free Internet resource available to all individuals and organizations with an interest in supporting and promoting entrepreneurial activity. IdeaCrossing helps entrepreneurs find the assistance and investment capital they need to launch promising new business ventures. Additionally, IdeaCrossing serves the Angel and Venture Capital communities by identifying and screening new investment opportunities. Simply stated, IdeaCrossing is about creating the connections that build businesses.