W RITING P OWERFUL E XECUTIVE S UMMARIES Presented By B EVERLEY S INCLAIR

WWRITINGRITING

PPOWERFULOWERFUL

EEXECUTIVEXECUTIVE

SSUMMARIESUMMARIESPresented By

BBEVERLEYEVERLEY S SINCLAIRINCLAIR

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WRITING POWERFUL EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES

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Sinclair & Associates © 1997-2011

PurposePurpose

To define and describe what an Executive Summary is

To present the key elements that will result in an impressive, powerful and strategic Executive Summary

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How important is the Executive How important is the Executive Summary?Summary?

The Executive Summary can be the most important document in the proposal

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Why Do We Write Proposals?Why Do We Write Proposals?

To inform

To persuade

To establish reputation and credibility

TO WIN BUSINESS!TO WIN BUSINESS!

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Why Are Executive Why Are Executive Summaries So Important?Summaries So Important?

Surveys indicate that the Executive Summary of a proposal can do 90%90% of the selling.

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Writing a proposal Writing a proposal is like applying for is like applying for a job.a job.

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Who Reads Executive Who Reads Executive Summaries?Summaries?

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“I don’t know you. I don’t know your company. I don’t know what you do. I don’t know your product. Now, what is it you’d like to tell me?”

The EvaluatorThe Evaluator

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To Produce a Strategic To Produce a Strategic Executive Summary, You Executive Summary, You Need To First Identify and Need To First Identify and Analyze your Customer . . .Analyze your Customer . . . Create an audience/topic matrix based on who

the clients are and what their information requirements are:

WHO NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT?WHO NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT?

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The Subjective EdgeThe Subjective Edge

Most meaningful evaluation standards are qualitative rather than quantitative

Make it work for you, not against you.

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Tell your customers you can help them and

Tell the customers how you can help them and

Prove to the customers that you can help them and

YOU WILL HAVE THEIR ATTENTIONYOU WILL HAVE THEIR ATTENTION

YOU WILL HAVE THEIR INTERESTYOU WILL HAVE THEIR INTEREST

YOU WILL HAVE THEIR SIGNATUREYOU WILL HAVE THEIR SIGNATURE

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What Does It Take to Write a What Does It Take to Write a Winning Proposal?Winning Proposal? Thorough understanding of the customer’s

requirements

100% compliance

Value added

Demonstration of what separates you from the competition

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Approaches to Writing Approaches to Writing Executive SummariesExecutive Summaries

Summary

or

Strategic?

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A Winning StrategyA Winning Strategy

Identifies issues Identifies discriminators Determines your competitors’ strengths and

weaknesses Devises a strategy to emphasize your

strengths, mitigate your weaknesses, and counter your competitors’ strengths

Identifies the benefits of your features that match the client’s needs and requirements

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Reviewing the DraftReviewing the Draft

For every fact and feature in your proposal, ask yourself the question

SO WHAT??SO WHAT??

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Theme StatementsTheme Statements

Theme statements are sentences or paragraphs that summarize your key features and benefits.

Theme statements reflect your strategy. They convey the features and benefits that you expect will most impress the evaluators.

(cont’d)

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Theme Statement StrategiesTheme Statement Strategies

Answer the questions: “Why are we going to win?” and

“How are we going to win?” What separates you from the

competition? What are your strengths and how

can you emphasize them?

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Theme Statement Strategies Theme Statement Strategies (cont’d)(cont’d)

What are your weaknesses and how can you minimize them?

How can you neutralize your competitors’ strengths?

How can you highlight your competitors’ weaknesses?

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Recipe For a Theme Recipe For a Theme Statement:Statement:

Recipe for a theme statement:

Claim/Feature + Benefit + ProofClaim/Feature + Benefit + Proof

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Designing Your ProposalDesigning Your Proposal

Appearance is often as important as content because a well-designed and easy-to-read proposal makes the reader’s job easier.

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An Impressive Executive An Impressive Executive Summary...Summary...

Summarizes the critical problem(s)/challenge(s) to be solved and your team’s management and technical solution

Demonstrates 100% compliance with all the requirements

(cont’d)

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An Impressive Executive An Impressive Executive Summary...Summary... Demonstrates complete understanding of

customer, the customer’s environment, the constraints under which he/she must operate, and the end user(s)

Demonstrates an awareness of the customer’s key areas of concern

Summarizes all areas of the proposal: management, technical and supporting disciplines

(cont’d)

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An Impressive Executive An Impressive Executive Summary...Summary... Describes the end product and key

deliverables and milestones Introduces the team Demonstrates commitment Proves that you have the right organization

and personnel Presents a realistic schedule and

project/program plan

(cont’d)

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Identifies the key areas of risk and demonstrates how they will be minimized, eliminated and/or managed

Describes corporate experience and capability

Presents the company’s track record

(cont’d)

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Reflects the evaluation criteria

Is clear, concise, attractive and interesting to look at and read

Incorporates many informative graphics

(cont’d)

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Combined With Theme Combined With Theme Statements...Statements... Executive Summaries answer that all-

important question:WHY CHOOSE US?WHY CHOOSE US?

If you can’t convey in writing why your company or team should be selected, you are asking the evaluators to figure it out for themselves.

AND WHY SHOULD THEY?AND WHY SHOULD THEY?

(cont’d)

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““Go on. Make my day. Go on. Make my day. Impress me”. Impress me”.

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W RITING P OWERFUL E XECUTIVE S UMMARIES Presented By B EVERLEY S INCLAIR