Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: The basics
• Method 2 of 2: The content
• Tips

The summary is the most important part of a business document. It is the first (and often the only) part that others will read and the last part you should write. It's a brief overview of the entire document, designed to show busy people who will be reading your document at a glance how much to read and what action is likely to be taken.

To step

Method 1 of 2: The basics

1. Understand that a summary is a brief overview of a business piece. "Brief" and "overview" are the words here. The summary is by no means comprehensive, nor is it a substitute for the original piece. A summary should not exceed 10% of the original document. Try to get between 5% and 10%.
   • A summary is different from an excerpt. An excerpt provides the reader with an overview and orientation, while a summary expresses more the gist and provides direction. Extracts are used more often in academic papers, abstracts more for business purposes.
2. Make sure to adhere to the guidelines for style and structure. Most influential summary sources agree that certain style and structure guidelines should be applied. These include:
   • Paragraphs should be short and to the point.
   • Summaries must be understandable without having read the original report.
   • Summaries should be written in a way that suits the audience for which the text is written.
3. Define the problem. A summary should define a clear problem, whether it concerns supply chain management or marketing campaigns abroad. Clear problem definition is especially important in summaries, because the underlying documents are often written by technicians who have little understanding of conceptual matters. Make sure the problem is written in clear, intelligible words.
4. Provide a solution. A problem always needs a solution. To deliver a clear objective (and a reason to fund the cause), you must present the solution in such a way that it effectively resolves the problem. If your problem isn't clearly defined, your solution probably doesn't make sense either.
5. Use images, bullets, headings, if that makes the document easier to navigate. A summary is not an essay; they don't have to be long blocks of text. If they increase understanding, you are on the right track:
   • Statue. A well-presented image that precisely highlights the nature of the customer's problem can clarify the core of a summary. Stimulating the visual is often just as effective as the analysis.
   • Enumerations. Long pieces of information can be broken down into more manageable lists.
   • Heads. If necessary, organize the topics in the summary under headings. This will help the reader stay on track as they begin the summary.
6. Keep the summary fresh and free from jargon. Jargon is the enemy of understanding. It's just quite popular in the business world. Words like "interface", "leverage", "core competencies" and the like are all words that should be avoided. They obscure the true meaning and make the summary vague and unspecified.

Method 2 of 2: The content

1. Start with the original document. Since the summary summarizes another document, you must be familiar with the original piece to be able to compress it into a manageable and informative version. Whether that original document is a report, a business plan, a proposal, a manual or something else, walk through it and find the main points.
2. Write a brief overview What is the purpose of the company supporting the document, or of the original document itself? What is the scope?
   • Example: Women World Wide is a non-profit organization that aims to connect all women in the world through effective solutions to domestic violence and by providing a support network for victims of domestic violence. Operating from its headquarters in Alberta, Canada, referrals have been received from women from 170 countries around the world. ”
3. Provide a sounding entrant. This is probably the most important part of the summary. In one or two sentences you have to make it clear to the reader what is so special about your business. Why is it worth the attention, trade, or collaboration of the people reading the summary?
   • Maybe Michael Jordan is a customer of yours and has touted your product on Twitter for free. Maybe you just entered into a partnership with Google. Maybe you've just been awarded a patent, or maybe you've just landed a large order.
   • Sometimes a short quote or an experience from someone is enough. It's about grabbing your audience's attention, making the case as respectable as possible, and drawing the reader into the rest of the document.
4. Define the bigger problem. The first real part of a summary is the discussion of a problem, so please describe the problem being addressed by your product or service. Make sure the problem is described as clearly as possible. A poorly defined problem is not convincing and will not deliver your solution with the highest impact.
   • Example: “Los Angeles is clogged by traffic. After downtown Washington DC, traffic in Los Angeles is the worst in the country. That is not only annoying. The smog and pollution from traffic diminishes people's productivity, increases asthma levels and slowly but surely creates a serious health problem. There are more cars in LA than people old enough to drive. ”
5. Come up with your unique solution. The big problem is the easy part. Now you have to convince the reader that you have a solution to the big problem. When you present these two ingredients, you are on the trail of a super idea.
   • Example: “Innotech has designed a groundbreaking traffic control system that reduces the time it takes to commute minutes by installing patented 'smart loops' in the pre-sorting lanes for traffic lights that register the amount of cars in a given time and turn the lights serve that base. Drivers no longer have to stand in front of a traffic light for minutes, while the green light on the other side is on for a row of zero cars. ”
6. Talking about market opportunities. Go further into the big problem by including statistics for your industry. Make sure you don't pretend to be bigger than you are! The fact that the medical device industry is worth $ 100 billion annually is not meaningful because your new medical device only serves a small portion of that industry. Chop it into realistic chunks of market share.
7. Name your unique sales proposal. This is where you elaborate on your unique solution. Why is your product or service better than the competition? Maybe because your home care organization sends doctors to the people at home instead of nursing specialists, or maybe because you guarantee people are served the same day so you don't have to plan ahead. Explain why you are special.
   • Example: “Intellilight has the added value of immediately detecting when no one is home. If a light remains on in an empty room, it will automatically turn off and on again as soon as movement is detected in the room. This saves the customer money on the electricity bill and wastes less energy. "
8. Talk about your business model if necessary. Some summaries don't need a business model (for example, nonprofit organizations usually don't have a business model). But if your business does have one, the business model should be clear and easy to follow. In effect, you are answering the question "How do you get people to give you money from their wallets?" Keep the model simple, especially in the summary. A quick summary is all it takes.
9. Talk about your management team if necessary. Depending on the sector in which you work, this could be one of the most important parts of your summary. Your investors or bankers trust the team, not the idea. Ideas are easy to come up with, but implementing those ideas can only be done by a strong team. Immediately show why your team has the experience and knowledge to execute your business plan.
10. Provide financial support and prediction to support your claims based on your market, business model and past performance. You have to develop a financial picture from the bottom up. The point of those predictions is to indicate your competence and your ability to paint a financial picture based on sound assumptions.
    • When making a plan for a group of investors, don't spend too much time on this, because they know you have no idea how much money you can make. Investors generally do not make decisions based on your financial picture. They ultimately make their own financial decisions.
11. Slowly but surely respond to your request. Now is the time to ask for an investment or loan, depending on the purpose of your summary. You could explain again why your company adds value. Remind the reader of the big problem you are going to solve and your possible market share. Finally, emphasize once more your team and the ability to get the job done. Ask for the amount of money it will take to reach the next important milestone for your business. Do not show how many shares you are willing to give up or what interest you are willing to pay. This has to be done later in personal negotiations.
12. Read your summary again. Once you've written the basics, read it carefully. You should check the summary extra carefully. As you read back, think about the audience for your play. Make sure new references are explained and the language is clear to someone unfamiliar with the topic. Rewrite where necessary.
    • Have someone else read your summary with a fresh perspective, paying special attention to:
      • Clarity. Are the words clear, the ideas clearer, and is the summary jargon-free?
      • Faults. Grammar, punctuation and spelling mistakes may still be present. It can also be a good idea to have someone double-check the numbers and statistics.
      • Power. Do the ideas translate into an exciting proposal? Where does the proposal fail, if at all?
      • Coherence. Which parts do not go well together? Which ones?

Tips

• The busier the summary is, the less it will be read.
• See if you can get started with the document templates available in most word processing software.
• These four components can also be used for summaries in a variety of business environments.