There’s a moment that happens after you hit “send” on a proposal. You sit back, close your laptop, and exhale. You’ve outlined the solution, presented the numbers, written an amazing executive summary for your proposal and built what you think is a compelling case.
And then?
Silence.
Maybe it’s a few days, maybe a week. No reply. No feedback. Just a space where you thought a response should be.
If you’ve ever been there, know that all sales teams everywhere relate. We’ve been there too. And we’ve learned, sometimes the hard way, that a business proposal isn’t just a task you check off a list. It’s a process, one that requires thought, precision, and an understanding of how decisions are actually made.
We used to believe that if the proposal itself was good enough, it would speak for itself. That if the numbers made sense, if the logic was solid, the deal would move forward on its own momentum. But we were wrong.
There’s one part of the proposal that determines whether it gets read, whether it resonates, whether it even gets considered.
The executive summary.
A well-crafted executive summary example doesn’t just summarize—it highlights value, captures attention, and sets the stage for success. If you’re wondering how to write an executive summary that drives action, it all starts with understanding its purpose and structure.
What We Learned the Hard Way About Executive Summaries
For the longest time, we treated the executive summary like an introduction. A polite, professional preamble to the real content.
And that was our first mistake.
Because decision-makers don’t read everything.
They skim. They glance at the first page while juggling back-to-back meetings, shifting priorities, and a growing inbox of unread emails. If the summary doesn’t catch them—if it doesn’t make them lean in—they may never make it past the first few sentences.
And if you think an executive summary is just a condensed version of the proposal, that’s mistake number two.
The best ones? They are not written as summaries. They are carefully drafted to be persuasive.
So how do you write one that actually works?
The Only Four Questions an Executive Summary Needs to Answer
We’ve broken this down into the essentials. No fluff, no filler. A great executive summary does just four things:
- It defines the problem. Not in broad terms, not in generic industry talk, but in a way that makes the reader think, Yes, this is exactly what we’re dealing with.
- It introduces the solution. Not a deep dive into features—just a clear, sharp explanation of what you’re offering.
- It explains why this matters. What changes? What improves? What’s different about your approach?
- It tells them what to do next. Because even the best pitch falls flat without a clear next step.
If you get these four things right, you’re presenting a proposal in the right way that meets its purpose. You’re creating momentum.
How to Get the Right Information for a Foolproof Proposal
One of the biggest mistakes we made early on was writing proposals without enough information. We assumed we knew what the client needed, we based our pitch on past experiences, and we guessed when we weren’t sure.
And it showed.
A great proposal is built on real insights gathered from client conversations. If you ask the right questions early, your proposal won’t just look good—it will feel like exactly what the client was looking for.
Key Questions to Ask During Client Interactions
✔ What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing right now?
Every business has problems, but which one is keeping them up at night?
✔ What have you already tried, and why didn’t it work?
This gives insight into past failures and helps you position your solution differently.
✔ What’s at stake if this problem isn’t solved?
Understanding the urgency (or lack of it) will help you frame the impact of your solution.
✔ Who else is involved in this decision?
You need to know who will be reading the proposal—and what matters to them.
✔ What does success look like for you?
Clients may not always care about the technical side of things. They care about outcomes.
The more you dig into these questions, the less generic your proposal will feel. Instead, it will read like something made specifically for them.
How to Write an Executive Summary That Gets Read (and Gets Responses)
1. Start with the Client’s Challenge (Not Your Company)
Most proposals start by talking about themselves.
“We are a leading provider of…”
You’ve already lost them.
Instead, start where they are. Speak to what they’re dealing with, what’s slowing them down, what’s standing in their way.
Ejemplo:
“Scaling an affiliate business is hard when tracking tools don’t provide real-time insights. Slow reporting leads to missed opportunities, wasted ad spend, and decisions made on outdated data.”
Now they’re paying attention.
2. Introduce the Solution—Clearly, Simply
This is where you bridge the gap between their problem and your offer. Not with vague claims, but with a direct statement of how your solution changes things.
Ejemplo:
“Our performance marketing dashboard gives you instant tracking, deep analytics, and AI-driven optimizations—helping brands increase ROI by 35% in the first three months.”
It’s not about features. It’s about what happens when they use it.
3. Make the Benefit Impossible to Ignore
Why you? Why now? What makes this the right choice?
Too often, this section gets cluttered with we are the best at… or our cutting-edge technology… when really, what matters is how this makes their life easier, their work better, their goals more attainable.
Ejemplo:
“Unlike standard tracking tools, we focus specifically on affiliate networks, ensuring accurate multi-touch attribution and fraud detection—without requiring additional development work on your end.”
The value should be undeniable.
4. End with an Invitation, Not an Assumption
The final lines should do one thing: make it easy for them to take the next step.
Not “let us know if you’re interested” (too passive).
Not “feel free to reach out” (too vague).
Ejemplo:
“We’d love to show you how this fits your business. Let’s set up a quick 20-minute call to walk through the details.”
Clear. Simple. Easy to act on.
A Simple Executive Summary Template You Can Use Right Now
We’ve refined this down to a structure that works across industries, across business types. You can tweak the details, but the flow remains the same.
[Client’s Company Name] is facing [main challenge], which is impacting [key area of concern].
Our solution, [your product/service], helps [specific outcome], allowing [client’s company] to [key benefit].
Unlike [competitor/alternative], our approach offers [unique value proposition] while ensuring [another benefit].
We’d love to explore how this could fit into your business. Let’s connect and discuss the best next steps.
It doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, the best ones never are.
An Executive Summary That Made Us Rethink Everything
We’ve seen plenty of proposals. Some forgettable, some good, and a handful that immediately grabbed our attention.
Here’s one that stood out—not because it was flashy, not because it was overly polished, but because it was clear, concise, and completely focused on what mattered to us.
Growing an affiliate business is tough when tracking tools don’t provide real-time insights. Delayed reporting leads to missed opportunities, inefficient ad spend, and slower decision-making.
Our performance marketing dashboard solves this by providing instant tracking, deep analytics, and AI-driven optimizations, helping brands increase ROI by 35% within the first three months.
Unlike standard tracking tools, we focus specifically on affiliate networks, ensuring accurate multi-touch attribution and fraud detection—without requiring additional development work on your end.
We’d love to walk you through how this could work for your team. Let’s set up a quick 20-minute call to explore the details.
Why did this work?
Because it didn’t waste our time. It spoke to a real issue, showed a clear solution, and made it easy to move forward.
The bottom line is: Don’t send a business proposal to merely tick a box. If you really want it to achieve a goal, you must build it piece by piece, with intention, clarity, and a deep understanding of what actually drives decisions.
And if there’s one thing we know for sure?
The executive summary can really get you in the door.
Get this part right, and the rest of the proposal actually has a chance. Get it wrong, and it might never be read at all.
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