A company profile has become an essential element in businesses today. It functions to introduce prospective buyers and stakeholders to your business.
There are multiple elements to a company profile. Among them includes the following:
- Basic company information
- Ownership and management team
- Company history or background.
- Mission statement and future goals
- Product and services
- Highlights
- Optional items (e.g., annual sales, financial targets, employees, photographs)
However, in this article, we will focus on just one element from the list. The element is company history or company background.
What is a Company Background?
A company background tells the story of your company. It consists of the history of your start-up, and the people that have worked together to build the legacy.
While it seems simple, company background can help to humanise your company. The story of real people can be relatable and inspirational to the audience, which will improve the company’s image.
Company background is usually a lot briefer as compared to other key elements of a company profile. However, it does not mean that it should not be taken as any importance given to how impactful a good company background can be
Importance of Company Background
Company background is immensely valuable as it offers several benefits to the company, such as:
1. Adding Authenticity to the Company’s Message
Businesses, in the eyes of other people, can be a little flat. The main objective of every business is to sell, which may influence the consumer’s perception of it.
As mentioned before, a company background offers a humanistic look into businesses. It provides insight into how businesses are built from scratch.
It also showcases the backbones of the company, which has been working relentlessly to build a legacy.
These factors add to the authenticity, as the audiences are presented with real ideals with real people behind them.
2. Develop a Company Culture
Company culture is one of the many driving forces that can attract attention to your company.
Company culture is built through established brand visions and virtues when the company was founded. It also consists of the relationships and experiences that were formed in the company.
In short, company culture results from your preserved company’s history. Everything that happened in the past helps in developing company culture.
Company culture is particularly important in showcasing your company’s image to others when doing business. It is a projection of your company’s principles and practices when forming a professional relationship.
3. Build Trust with Customers
Generally, people have little trust in businesses. Therefore, marketing and branding are important in order to win their trust in the business.
Every business is in need of customers, as it helps to fulfill the company’s objectives, like increasing sales. Hence, brand trust should be established by the company in order to acquire customers.
Company background plays an important role in instilling trust among your customers. The trust is built from recognising the solid history of your company.
A solid company background can also help build the image of a trustworthy company. By revealing your company’s history, it provides a look into the company’s journey with customers.
Elements of a Company Background
Your company background should be as interesting as possible. To craft an effective company background, it is important to know the right things to include.
Here is a brief list of what is generally included in a company background.
1. Why Was The Company Started
- The reason behind the start of your company is the foundation of the company’s values and missions. It helps to establish an initial perception among the audiences towards the company.
2. Overview of Founders
- Providing a look into the founders’ profile can offer your company character. It also helps to set the timeline of the foundation of the company.
3. Founding Values and Vision
- Founding values help to establish your company as a corporate company. It also offers insight into your company culture, which will help to improve your employer branding.
4. Key Events or Milestones
- Make sure to include key events and milestones of your company in the company background. It helps to provide insight into how those events and milestones have affected the current establishment of the company.
Contributions and Achievements
- Include your accolades, media coverage, and proofs of community engagements to your company background. Your contributions and achievements can establish a positive image reflecting the company’s hard work.
- Before starting your writing process, you should be equipped with relevant information. Having an initial draft of the items that you want to include can help smoothen the writing process.
Tips on Writing a Company Background
Now that we have covered the basics, let us look into some tips for an efficient company background.
1. Identify Themes
Finding a theme can help you to write an effective company background. As you look into the drafted items, try looking out at what seems to be common.
It will also help define your company’s image. For example, if the draft shows a theme of perseverance, it would be strategic to highlight that in your company background.
Google, for example, utilises a theme of unconventional innovations in its company background. It showcases how the company continues to grow despite its unconventional conditions to the point that it is now an internationally renowned search engine.
Once you find the right theme, consider utilising the theme in your marketing strategies. A consistent company image can help to position your company within the market.
2. Determining a Tone
From the theme, it is now time to determine the right tone for your company background.
It is especially important to decide how the information will be used so that the format is suitable for the target audience.
Your tone should match your company brand’s voice. For example, a toy company like Melissa and Doug utilises a conversational tone for their company background, suitable for the playful nature of the business.
3. Design a Compelling Company Background
Visual appeal is especially important these days, as it can help to aid your narrative. Hence, try to include relevant pictures, videos, and graphic elements.
Your timeline can also be designed as a compelling timeline visual as it will improve the audience’s experience when reading it.
Walk Production
Walk Production is your answer if you are looking for a professional company profile designer. Walk Production is a creative agency in Malaysia specialise in full company profile services. Consider partnering up with our team of experts for a good corporate profile.