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.
Ann Hackett is the founder and President of Quest (http://www.questcareer.com). Quest helps businesses develop effective company profiles. Quest also can help with development of professional bios for business owners, consultants, and key executives. To receive a copy of a Company Profile Checklist to help you develop your company profile, send an e-mail to profile@questcareer.com. Ann can be reached at ahackett@questcareer.com or 952-929-4197.
Time is a concern for all of us. We only... Read More
As you have probably experienced there is a lot of... Read More
Today's business marketing rules are different than they were in... Read More
1. Your Most Valuable AssetA mailing list of valued customers... Read More
Toby is one of our two family pets (both cats).... Read More
Some people use the words "client" and "customer" interchangeably or... Read More
Trade show rentals allow you more flexibility and the opportunity... Read More
Advertising on the radio can be an effective lead generation... Read More
I don't mean you, I mean the YOU that is... Read More
Building a coaching or consulting practice can be rewarding and... Read More
There are a number of difficulties a beginning entrepreneur may... Read More
One of the most common mistakes in marketing is making... Read More
Whether it's a downloadable report available from your website, a... Read More
For most of the small business owners I work with,... Read More
Networking on the Internet is the same as networking in... Read More
Feng Shui is the Ancient Chinese practice of configuring home... Read More
Businesses and other organizations use focus groups to research consumer... Read More
1. It costs less to delegate to a professional than... Read More
Are you having trouble understanding basic situational marekting concepts? Then... Read More
How to Create Strategies That Work In Today's Markets. Of... Read More
"Dig your well before you're thirsty" is the title of... Read More
Having a downline can be golden. A downline is a... Read More
The trade show floor is full of different types of... Read More
The United States Post Office in the past had some... Read More
Great graphic design looks effortless, but it requires lots of... Read More
What Is A Joint Venture?A joint venture is an agreement... Read More
Why does your business need a business card?Business card is... Read More
Maybe you've heard these different marketing terms, maybe you haven't.... Read More
Are you trying to promote your business with a tiny... Read More
Real estate marketing is a lot simpler than most Realtors... Read More
Those who believe the web is not a direct response... Read More
"Advertising doesn't work." I hear it from my clients all... Read More
One of the biggest mistakes we could make as business... Read More
Direct Mail CampaignsDespite the proliferation of communication facilitators--mobile phones, faxes,... Read More
Before you ever get on the telephone, send a marketing... Read More
Everything you've ever learned about marketing and advertising is WRONG.... Read More
That is the question, you should be asking yourself. Many... Read More
The Driver of All Marketing EffortsYou need to determine what... Read More
At first glance, nothing seems more chaotic than a trade... Read More
There is no shortage of marketing programs, many with great... Read More
Starting a business, whether it's retail products or services, must... Read More
Is Advertising Viable?At the turn of the 20th century, department... Read More
With so much money invested on innefective advertising, it's time... Read More
If you're looking to drive more targeted traffic to your... Read More
It was a real eye-opener to hear the perceptions people... Read More
There aren't many things in life that you would get... Read More
As a small business how do you compete with the... Read More
If ever there was a lazy way to easy profits... Read More
1) Word of mouth is the most cost-effective, powerful form... Read More
Marketing is both an art and a science. Anyone who... Read More
With the advent of spring, trade shows begin to blossom.... Read More
Learn a lesson from professional direct mail copywriters. They follow... Read More
Narrowing your focus to one primary group of people is... Read More
Marketing as we know it is over. Done. Finito.People the... Read More
Having a downline can be golden. A downline is a... Read More
Having a strong foundation enables you to build a thriving,... Read More
One key discipline of successful direct marketing has been to... Read More
"Advertising doesn't work." I hear it from my clients all... Read More
If you don't get this right, you can just forget... Read More
If you are a mobile auto detailer or mobile car... Read More
We wait with baited breath for the anticipated launch of... Read More
Are you getting referrals from you customers? If not, you... Read More
If you want to reduce waste and grow your business... Read More
How many Hispanic people live in the US currently. Well... Read More
Does it make sense to clap for your customers? It... Read More
Used the right way and with the right audience, postcards... Read More
Marketing |