When writing a marketing profile, you must make a big impression in a relatively small space. And that’s a good thing, because it keeps you on task and focused. One- or two-paragraph marketing profiles are usually found on company websites and brochures. They convey important information to your potential customers -- who you are, what you do and how you do it -- and allow you to connect with potential customers and convince them how they would benefit from doing business with you. Close your profile with a call to action that suits your company culture -- assertive and high-charging or deft and subtle.

Take a mental snapshot of your potential customer and keep this image in mind as you write your marketing profile. Imagine that you are speaking to this potential customer in person, over a latte or a casual dinner. Don’t talk down to your customer, but don’t use jargon or $100 words when a simpler word will do.

Create an immediate and powerful connection with your potential customer by writing an attention-getting opening for your profile. Demonstrate that you understand her fundamental reason for reaching out to your company. Communicate your conviction that your product and service can solve a problem, make her life better or otherwise provide real value. For example, if you run a health clinic promoting a diet system that guarantees a 5-pound-a-week weight loss, write an anecdote that is an amalgam of a frustrated and overweight client.

Describe your product or service in broad brushstrokes, explaining its most compelling features and benefits. Emphasize the benefits in real terms. In this example, you might underscore that the weight loss led to lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and heightened energy. Make the case that similar outcomes can be achieved with your product or service to cement the idea of what you can accomplish.

Establish credibility with your audience by citing your credentials and professional experience. Leave no doubt that you are supremely equipped to address the customer’s problem or dilemma.

Leave an indelible impression by explaining what makes you different from your competitors. In marketing, this is known as your unique selling proposition. Without naming your competitors, keep them in mind as you proudly proclaim what sets you apart from companies that may offer similar products and services and how you are different from the pack.

Close your marketing profile with a succinct call to action -- a motivator for a potential customer to pick up the phone to call you or email you for more information. In this example, you may wish to understand a common problem but also a customer’s quest for individuality: “No one knows exactly how you’ve been suffering. But at ABC Clinic, we have some idea, and we have the experience to guide you along a weight loss program that will improve your health, your self-image and your zest for life. At ABC Clinic, we don’t just reshape our clients; we reshape lives.”

Put your marketing profile aside for at least a day. Then review the key components -- the who, what and how of what you do -- and the verve of your delivery. Ask a trusted colleague to review it and ask for his feedback.

Tip

A marketing profile demands that you cover a lot of ground succinctly, so give yourself ample time to finesse it.