Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
A company profile is like a virtual handshake that introduces your business to the world. But it’s more than just an introduction. An effective company profile can help you attract potential investors, clients, partners and employees. How?
A well-crafted company profile highlights your company culture, values, mission statement and accomplishments while providing a clear overview of your products, services and benefits. As a result, it persuades others to engage with your business and establishes your brand’s credibility and equity over time.
Sounds interesting? Keep reading to find out how a company profile can benefit you and how you can make a company profile that stands out and impresses all your stakeholders.
A company profile is a document that encapsulates your business’s vital information, including its name, location, history, ownership, management team, mission statement, future objectives and products/services.
The length and format of the profile can vary depending on its intended purpose and audience. For instance, a company profile for a website or social media platform might be shorter and more informal than one used for a funding proposal or a business plan.
Going into further detail, here are the major reasons why crafting a company profile is beneficial for your business:
Showcasing your culture and values
A professional company profile highlighting a positive organizational culture and strong values can help you attract and retain like-minded investors and employees. Showing what you stand for, what you want to achieve and how you are working in that direction will surely help you get more stakeholders on board.
Boosting your public brand image
A well-rounded company profile can highlight your unique selling propositions and give you a competitive edge. It can also display your achievements, values and social responsibility efforts to set you apart from the competition. These factors ultimately bolster your brand image and attract more customers.
Related: The 5 Principles You Need to Create a Magnetic Brand Image
Supporting and guiding business growth
A company profile is a roadmap for expanding your business operations and revenue. It can help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and set realistic and measurable objectives.
How to create a company profile
Now that we’ve discussed what is a company profile and why you need it, its time to make a profile that stands out and establishes your brand’s authority. Just follow these simple steps to make a company profile for your business:
- Determine the profile’s purpose and audience — Before you begin writing, understand why you’re creating the profile and who is the target audience. This will help you decide what to include and the tone and style to use.
- Collect basic company information — This includes your company name, logo, address, contact details, website URL and social media handles. You may also want to include facts or figures highlighting your size, growth or market share.
- Write an engaging introduction — The introduction should grab the reader’s attention and provide a brief overview of your company’s activities, mission, objectives and strengths. You can also include statistics or testimonials to support your claims.
- Describe your products/services with persuasive media content — Explain what you offer to your customers or clients and how you address their problems or fulfill their needs. Mention any features or benefits that set you apart from your competition. And don’t hesitate to add demos or other explainer videos where appropriate. After all, 64% of people are more likely to buy something after seeing a video on it and videos form nearly 82% of web traffic. These numbers show the unparalleled popularity and effectiveness of video content to attract attention and convince the audience.
- Introduce your ownership and management team — Introduce the people behind your company, such as founders, owners, partners, executives, or board members. Include their names, roles, qualifications, accomplishments and vision or values for the company.
- Share your company history — Engage your audience by telling the story of how your company began and how it has evolved over time. Include any milestones, challenges, achievements or awards that you have received. You can include images, videos and infographics to maximize your story’s impact, but remember to keep this part concise.
- State your mission statement and future objectives — Summarize your company’s purpose and direction to validate your venture’s potential and future growth. Describe the problem you aim to solve or the impact you want to make with your business. Also, remember to mention specific and realistic goals for the future.
- Provide contact information — Conclude your profile by offering clear and straightforward ways for the reader to get in touch with you or learn more about your company. Include your phone number, email address, website URL or social media handles.
Inspiring company profile examples
To spark your creativity, here are examples of well-written company profiles from various industries:
Starbucks
The company profile of Starbucks is truly comprehensive, encompassing its mission, history, product offerings, store ambiance and even the intriguing tale behind its name. Remarkably, they strike a balance between authenticity and grandeur. Not many coffee shops can claim a mission as lofty as “to inspire and nurture the human spirit.”
Starbucks’ company profile is an excellent example for businesses offering everyday products, such as coffee. They have distinguished themselves from competitors by emphasizing their unique mission and values, showcasing the power of a well-crafted company profile.
General Motors
General Motors (GM) hardly requires an introduction, as it stands as one of the world’s oldest and most prominent automotive manufacturers. Their company profile page is a testament to their credibility and presents a comprehensive overview of the company in a sleek and stylish manner.
The “About” page is organized into three sections: Goals, Visions and Industries Served. In addition to this, General Motors features well-crafted, informative pages on its brand story, operations, growth strategy and leadership. The prominence of the company profile as the first tab on their website underscores the importance they place on it.
Summing up
We saw that the company profile is a crucial document that introduces your company to various stakeholders and showcases your strengths, values and achievements. A company profile that expresses your brand’s value proposition and resonates with the audience will form a lasting positive impression.
So, go ahead and apply this guide to make a company profile that attracts and convinces investors, employees, partners and clients alike. All the best!
This article is from Entrepreneur.com