How Long Should an Executive Summary be

Albert Einstein has precisely stated, “If you cannot explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough”.

Executive summaries are closely aligned with the sentiment expressed in this quote.

You have a solid business plan that took months of hard work and is packed with detailed research and insights. But how do you take all that hard work and turn it into a short, clear, and effective executive summary?

This is where many struggle. How much detail is enough? How do you keep it short while still providing enough detail? Well, worry not, we’ve got you covered.

In this blog, you will explore how long an executive summary should be effective and what factors determine your executive summary length.

Let’s dive in.

However, the length can vary according to the business plan, industries, and scale of the project.

Though to prepare an executive summary make sure you consider the following aspects:

Keep the length as short as possible

The study shows when it comes to listening to presentations, the average attention span is about 8 to 10 seconds. Hence, if you’re presenting your executive summary, ensure to deliver your key points within the short window.

Make the summary engaging to read

If you’re preparing a summary in content form or sharing it online then the task will be more difficult for you. That’s because most individuals tend to stay focused on online content for just 2 to 3 seconds while reading.

So, to keep readers engaged, ensure you use tables, images, colorful visuals, and graphs.

Further, try to grasp your audience's attention using a hook. Discuss the pain point and talk about the solution. Try to define your key elements using bold statements, quotes, and stats.

Use bold fonts and different colors to emphasize key numbers, statements, and statistics. This makes it easier for readers to spot important details, even when skimming through your summary.

Keep the audience in mind

Remember, when crafting your executive summary, it’s essential to consider who you’re addressing.

Whether you’re presenting to finance professionals, investors, or internal stakeholders, tailor your content to their needs and expectations.

• Finance professionals may focus more on numbers, financial performance, and projections.
• Investors will want to quickly grasp the potential return on investment, market opportunities, and competitive advantages.
• Internal stakeholders might be more interested in operational plans, strategy alignment, and future growth.

By understanding your audience, you can adjust the tone, focus, and ideal length of your executive summary to make it both relevant and compelling.

Be specific

Being specific means directly addressing what your audience is looking for. Investors want to see profits and potential returns, so focus on the financials that highlight the projected revenue, profit margins, and timelines for returns.

Don’t waste time with unnecessary details; instead, provide clear answers to their questions, such as how and when they’ll see a return on their investment.

Similarly, finance professionals will be looking for precise data on financial performance, balance sheets, and forecasts. Give them the numbers they need without overwhelming them with nonessential information.

Internal stakeholders, on the other hand, will appreciate clarity on how the business plan aligns with broader company goals.

They want to understand the strategic direction, operational plans, and any key milestones. Be clear and direct in showing how the project will impact the company’s growth.

Know your industry

Different industries have different ideas, plans, and paths for execution. Therefore the ideal length for an executive summary varies. Here’s a recommended length of an executive summary for various industries:

There you have it—the answer to how long an executive summary should be. Further, If you're looking to craft a detailed executive summary, check out our guide on writing an executive summary for a business plan.

Now, let’s learn the factors to determine your executive summary length in the next section.

Factors influencing your executive summary length

Many aspects determine your executive summary length, it’s not only about numbers, stats, and graphs but about providing a clear and compelling narrative.

Hence, here are the factors that decide how long are executive summaries:

Complexity of business model

At times, many businesses, including banking, brokerage firms, and manufacturing enterprises, have complex business models.

Such businesses require longer summaries than others to effectively explain their intricate operations, financial structures, and market strategies.

Here are a few aspects that are important to include in complex business models that make executive summaries longer than other models:

Industry standards

Some industries require compelling and comprehensive explanations. For example, the healthcare industry often demands detailed descriptions of clinical data, regulatory compliance, and market needs.

Therefore, it’s important to determine the executive summary that meets the expectations and requirements of stakeholders in that field.

In industries like healthcare, graphs and numbers aren’t enough; summaries require detailed explanations of insights and the overall impact on patient care.

Such comprehensive information helps convey the full scope of the business model and its significance in a highly regulated and complex field. Thus, such businesses may have a longer summary length than others.

Purpose of summary

The purpose of your executive summary is a crucial factor in determining its length as different purposes require varying levels of detail and focus. For example:

• An informational overview informs the audience about the basic idea of your business.
• The investment pitch highlights financial projections, market opportunities, and the potential ROI.
• The operational planning summary covers strategic goals, operational plans, and key milestones.
• A regulatory compliance summary aimed at demonstrating compliance with regulations.
• When the goal is to form strategic partnerships, the summary should emphasize collaborative opportunities.

Project scope

Big projects with wide-reaching impacts typically require more explanation resulting in a larger document. Small projects require shorter explanations which shorten the length of the summary.

If your business plan involves significant market expansion, new product development, or high-stakes investments, a longer executive summary is necessary to convey the full scope of the entire business plan.

On the other hand, smaller projects with limited scope, such as minor operational changes or internal process improvements, require shorter executive summaries.

Here’s the table that provides estimated lengths for long-term and short-term business scope summaries:

Remember, preparing an executive summary is a lengthy and complex task hence determining all factors carefully makes your job easier.

Further, to make your executive summary preparation seamless go through our blog on common executive summary mistakes to avoid.

Now, as we learn the factors to determine your executive summary length it’s time to move on to the next crucial aspect. It demonstrates why you should write for your audience rather than focusing more on length.

Write for your audience (Forget length for a moment)

The most effective executive summaries deliver the right message to the right people. Thus, cover the points that address the “why, how, and when” of your audiences.

If a longer summary (more than two pages) provides valuable insights and benefits your audience, it can still be effective, regardless of its length. Hence, write for the audience and address their benefits rather than including lengthy and unnecessary information.

The audience may not be interested in your history and how you came across this idea. The only thing they want to know is how your business plan will benefit them.

They’re looking for answers to key questions like why they should invest, how it will succeed, and when they can expect results.

Here are some tips that you should use while you writing an executive summary for your audience:

• Show the immediate benefits and potential returns.
• Get straight to the point and avoid unnecessary details.
• Use numbers to back up your claims and add credibility.
• Use a compelling tone that keeps the reader interested.
• Focus on what matters most to investors, executives, or stakeholders.

Preparing a good executive summary

With a clear understanding of how long an executive summary should be, you’re now equipped to create an effective and good executive summary.

In this blog, we discussed how length may vary depending on different factors and aspects. Hence, by making use of tips, advice, and information from the mentioned blog you’ll be able to craft an engaging and effective executive summary that meets the expectations of your readers.