A small business profile is a brief communication tool that carries plenty of weight. Whether you're creating a website, Facebook page or entry for a trade directory, your business profile is an opportunity to showcase what you most want potential customers and other stakeholders to know about your company. Its brevity is both an asset and a challenge: it's easiest to hold a reader's attention with a write-up that isn't unduly long, yet the short length creates extra pressure to express your meaning clearly and concisely.

Types of Small Business Profiles

The type of small business profile that you create will depend on where it will appear and who will read it. A Facebook profile will be read by people who are mindlessly surfing as well as others who are looking to learn something about your company. A profile on your company website will more likely be seen by people who are specifically interested in your business and have taken the time to track you down online. The Facebook profile should be aimed at attracting and retaining attention, while the website profile can start with the assumption that a reader already has at least a minimal amount of interest in what you offer. A profile appearing in a directory for your industry will contain profiles of other similar businesses, and people who view your entry will be looking for a reason to buy from your company rather than the other alternatives. This profile should show your depth of knowledge and experience, along with anything else that makes your business uniquely deserving of a customer’s attention.

What to Include in a Small Business Profile

There are no hard and fast rules addressing what you must include in your business profile unless you’re creating one using a standardized template for a directory in which all entries follow a consistent format. No matter what kind of profile you’re creating, include your business name and contact information, as well as a concise and informative description of the work you do. Also provide information about anything else that a potential customer or stakeholder might find interesting about your company, such as if you’re worker-owned or if you were the first to design a technology that is now widely used.

The Tone of a Small Business Profile 

Your business profile can use whatever tone you think will be most effective for appealing to the clientele you’re trying to attract. If you brew beer, your language will likely be informal, although it could include jargon commonly used in the craft brewing industry. If you design medical devices, your profile should include technical details, and its tone should be aimed at demonstrating expertise and convincing doctors that your staff is knowledgeable and your products are useful and safe.