subject: Are You Looking For Capital? Executive Summary Tips [print this page] The process of obtaining capital for a startup can be very difficult and time-consuming. To minimize the amount of time and expenses entrepreneurs should follow some steps. The first step is writing a detailed business plan, which includes product or service description, technology used, financial projections, market analysis, advertising strategy, management team details and sales forecast. When the plan is ready, write an executive summary. It is the tool that helps you present your idea, vision and implementation strategy to business investors, revealing whether there are any chances for a high return on investment.
Ideal Length
The executive summary should be maximum two pages long. It should contain only essential information and investors should understand what you do from the very beginning. Leave the details for the business plan, as the aim of the executive summary is to entice readers to read the rest. The presentation is supposed to last no more than ten minutes and ideally be accompanied by a slideshow.
Content and Structure
What do include in the executive summary, since it has to contain essential, concise and interesting information as well? Begin with company name and industry field, a short description of the business, management team, market, product or service and its advantages, as well as target customers. Move on to the execution of the plan , followed by funds required, when, why and how you will use these funds, milestones for each funding round, revenue and, finally, contact information.
Mistakes to Avoid
Some common mistakes inexperienced presenters make: forget about the audience and avoid eye-contact, use a monotonous tone, do not rehearse the speech and sound unnatural, start reading from the slides, use too much technical language, list too many names, fill the slides with text, do not state the essential, forget that simplicity is the easiest way to avoid misunderstandings, do not reveal a realistic connection between funding requirements and the efficient use of the money.
What business investors need to know after listening to the presentation of your executive summary is whether your venture is worth investing in. Whether you appeal to angel investors or to venture capitalists, they will also provide you advice and expertise they have gained by previously working with similar companies in their portfolio. For a successful deal consider investors' stage and industry preference, as well as geographic location. The closer they are to your offices, the more actively implied they can be.
Are You Looking For Capital? Executive Summary Tips
