Executive summaries

No matter how well structured and well written your report is, some clients will feel they only have time to read the executive summary – and this is particularly true for senior management. So it is absolutely essential that you put a lot of thought into its structure and content:

* Make sure the summary can stand alone and that it contains real information, including hard facts and figures.

* If your report includes recommendations, make it clear what these are and include their implications, values and costs (if applicable).

* Stick to a maximum of two pages.

* Use headings and bullets (but not too many), and perhaps a carefully selected graph or pie chart, to get your main message across.

The definitive guide to transforming the writing of individuals and teams

GET YOUR FREE PDF COPY NOW

Author: Catie Holdridge

---

Catie joined Emphasis with an English literature and creative writing degree and a keen interest in what makes language work. Having researched, written, commissioned and edited dozens of articles for the Emphasis blog, she now knows more about the intricacies of effective professional writing than she ever thought possible.

She produced and co-wrote our online training programme, The Complete Business Writer, and these days oversees all the Emphasis marketing efforts. And she keeps office repartee at a suitably literary level.