by Ann Hackett
What is a company profile?
A company profile is essentially a
resume for your company that you
use to establish your credibility with the market you serve. Your
company profile helps potential customers to understand your
business as well as to understand your company's approach, unique
strengths, and relevant experience. Your company profile
demonstrates your company's ability to effectively meet customer
needs. Your company profile also helps others who are in contact
with you such as lenders, the media, and job candidates to better
understand your business.
Who would benefit from having a company profile?
A company profile would benefit any company wanting to establish its
credibility including:
 | A consulting firm where it's critical for the company to establish
the basis for its expertise.
|
| A service provider with a service that can't be evaluated before
the sale where the prospect assesses the company's ability to
provide the service based on its assessment of the company itself.
|
| A company that lacks a recognized name in the market it serves. |
How can a company profile be used?
There are many ways to use a company profile such as:
| Including it on your web site as a means of establishing your
company's credibility.
|
| Using a print version as a sales tool at trade shows or in
mailings to prospects.
|
| Providing it to lenders to help you secure financing.
|
| Adding it to your media kit and including it with press releases
to give the media background information about your company.
|
| Using it as a recruiting tool to promote your company to job
candidates. |
What should be included in your company profile?
As a guideline, shoot for a company profile of approximately 250-400
words in length covering each of the following key areas:
Summarize your company's background information
Use the first paragraph of your company profile to summarize your
company's background information. Include in this first paragraph
the year the business was founded, where the business is located, a
top-level description of the products or services your company
provides, a top-level description of the clients and industries you
serve, and the geography you serve. Also include details about your
company's philosophy and approach to serving customers. Finally, be
sure to mention achievements that quickly help to establish your
company's credibility such as awards, the number of clients you have
served, or the size of your business.
Provide more detail on your company's products or services
Use the second paragraph of your company profile to list the
products or services your company provides. Use this paragraph to
touch on the expertise and experience your company has that enables
your to meet customer needs in these areas. You can also use this
second paragraph to further define your target customer for the
products or services you provide.
Highlight your company's strengths and successes
Use the third paragraph of your company profile to highlight your
company's unique strengths as well key successes your company has
had. To develop this paragraph, take the time to list the top 3
competitive advantages you feel your company has over businesses in
your market space. Weave these competitive advantages into this
paragraph of your profile. Next, list the top 3 successes your
company has had and incorporate these successes into your company
profile.
Include qualifications of your company and your staff
Use the next paragraph of your company profile to demonstrate your
company's qualifications by emphasizing areas such as patents,
publications, business partnerships and alliances, tools or
technologies used to meet customer needs, accreditations,
certifications or the educational background of staff members.
Summarize your selling statement
Use the final paragraph of your company profile to provide a 1 or 2
sentence closing selling statement that explains why a client should
work with your company.
Close with company contact information
After the final paragraph of your company profile, provide your
company's contact information including the mailing address, phone
number, fax number, e-mail address, and web site URL.
Whether you use internal resources to create your company profile or
work with an outside resource, your business will benefit from
having a company profile to establish your company's credibility
with prospects, lenders, the media, and job candidates.
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