How to Write an Executive Summary like a ‘Movie Trailer’
What prompted you to spend $10 and see your last first-run movie?
If you’re like most people it was probably the movie trailer you saw prior to the previous movie, or a TV commercial featuring the same. During the course of a typical 1-minute movie trailer, we’re able to determine if that movie is worth seeing shortly thereafter, or waiting until it’s available in the cheap theaters for a buck.
Movie trailers are a lot like Executive Summaries, and they serve a similar purpose. Executive Summaries provide us with a preview of the primary white paper content, and just like the trailer, they allow us to determine if the white paper is worth the investment of our limited and valuable reading time. Without an Executive Summary, we’d have to wade through the first three pages of the white paper to make that determination. For many, especially those with a short attention span, such a requirement is far too great.
In a good movie trailer, we’re able to determine whether the movie is a comedy, a thriller, or a drama. We’re able to determine the good guys from the bad guys. We’re also able to determine if it’s intended for adult viewing or it’s suitable to take our children along to see it with us.
In the same way, a good Executive Summary allows us to determine if the content is technical or business-oriented, whether it has a serious or edgy tone, or whether its intended audience is the C-Level decision maker or the mid-level department manager. If written correctly, a good Executive Summary allows a business decision maker to determine if they should read it and pass it along, or if they should pass it along from the start.
Seeing the significance that movie trailers have with first-run movie sales, how can you write an Executive Summary that is more like a good movie trailer? Here’s my recommended short list:
1. Make it Concise - No one would sit through a 5 minute movie trailer, so don’t make the same mistake in your white paper. Your Executive Summary should be no more than one page made up of short visual elements such as bullets, bold headers, and text formatting such as shaded text boxes. The goal isn’t to fit as much data into the page as possible, but for your reader to capture key messages in as short an amount of time as possible. Just like the movie trailer, your first few seconds are the most important. Make them count.
2. Make it Compelling – What captured your attention in the last movie trailer you saw? Music? Editing? Suspense? Of course your white paper may not read like a Hitchcock film, but you can still use text elements to make it more compelling than having a page of left-flush paragraphs. Try adding a large sidebar callout representing your most important message. Use several bold, short subheads that engage your reader to the situation, problem, solution, and result. Add one or two short paragraphs to each subhead from your primary white paper content that best represents your most compelling business messages.
3. Create Visual Imagery – Just as the movie trailer peaked your imagination, try doing the same with your Executive Summary. For example, add a side info bar that includes industry data to validate your message. Add a small chart such as a pie or simple column chart to back it up. Your audience will be drawn to it and it will create interest in the rest of your Executive Summary information. If it’s worthwhile information, your reader will be more likely to read the rest of the page and the rest of your white paper. To get an idea of what this looks like, take a look at this white paper example.
4. Write with your Customer in Mind – For your Executive Summary, don’t think like a solution provider, think like a customer. What compelling business issue or problem is on their mind? Cost? Productivity? ROI? If you don’t know, then find out by emailing or contacting one or more registered users. Once you’ve found out more about their needs, re-write the Executive Summary from THEIR perspective. You will have a more engaged reader that will want to read the next several pages of your primary white paper content than if you had written it using an overt sales message.
The Executive Summary isn’t a shortcut to avoid reading your white paper, it’s the enticement to read more of that paper. If you view your summary like that of a movie trailer, you’ll gain a higher number of engaged readers, just like those that are compelled see the full-length movie. You’ll also retain their attention with a larger white paper (6-8 pages) than if you had written a 2-4 page white paper without the Executive Summary.
Who knows? You might find that it’s so successful, you’ll want to write the sequel.
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