A company profile should tell a buyer, in about five minutes, what your business does, who it serves, the proof that you deliver, and how to start working with you. For most businesses in Zambia, 8 to 16 well-designed pages are enough. Anything the buyer cannot use to make a decision belongs somewhere else.
A profile is often the first document a procurement officer, a school board or a potential partner forwards to a colleague. It has to make sense without you in the room.
What is a company profile for?
A company profile helps someone who does not know your business decide whether to talk to you. It is a sales document, not a history book. Every page should answer one of three questions the reader has: Can they do what we need? Can we trust them? How do we start?
The sections a company profile needs
| Section | What to include | Why buyers care |
|---|---|---|
| Cover | Company name, logo, one line on what you do, a strong real photo | Sets the level of quality before anything is read |
| Who we are | What you do, for whom and where, in three or four sentences | The buyer decides in seconds if you are relevant |
| Products or services | Each service with a short, plain description | Shows exactly what can be bought from you |
| Who we serve | Sectors and types of clients | Helps the reader see themselves in your client list |
| Proof of work | Selected projects with scope, location and outcome | The strongest evidence that you deliver |
| Clients and references | Client names or logos, with permission | Recognised names lower the perceived risk |
| People | Leadership and key staff with relevant experience | Buyers trust people, not just companies |
| Capacity | Team size, equipment, premises, reach | Answers "can they handle a job our size?" |
| Quality, safety and compliance | Certifications, policies, registrations | Often checked before a supplier is shortlisted |
| How we work | Your process from enquiry to delivery | Makes the first step feel easy |
| Contact | Named contact person, phone, WhatsApp, email, website, location | A profile without a clear next step wastes the reader's interest |
What to leave out
- Long founding stories. One or two sentences are enough. Put the rest on your About page.
- Vague claims such as "quality service" or "customer satisfaction." Show a project instead.
- Stock photos of people who do not work for you. Real photos of your team, site and work build far more trust.
- Prices that change often. Send a quotation separately so the profile stays current.
- Outdated details. An old phone number or a staff member who has left makes the whole document look neglected.
How long should a company profile be?
Long enough to answer the buyer's questions and no longer. A useful working range is 8 to 16 pages, designed as a PDF that opens quickly on a phone. If you serve very different markets, for example mining and hospitality, consider a short profile for each rather than one long document.
Company profile or capability statement?
| Company profile | Capability statement | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Introduces the whole business | Proves you can do a specific kind of work |
| Length | Usually 8 to 16 pages | Usually 1 to 2 pages |
| Reader | Anyone meeting the business for the first time | Procurement teams and technical evaluators |
| Focus | Story, services, people and proof | Core capabilities, past performance, compliance and contact |
Many suppliers need both: the profile for introductions and the capability statement for tenders and supplier registration.
Checklist before you send it
- A stranger can say what we do after reading the first page.
- Every project shown has a location, scope and outcome.
- Photos are real and recent.
- Certifications and registrations are current.
- Phone, WhatsApp, email and website are correct and the same everywhere.
- The PDF is under about 10 MB and opens quickly on a phone.
- Someone outside the business has read it and understood it.
From the founder: If you only fix one thing this month, rewrite the first page of your profile. Say what you supply, who you supply it to, and where, in three sentences a stranger understands. Then replace every stock photo with a real one of your team, your site or your work. Buyers forward profiles to colleagues who have never met you, and those two changes decide whether the second page gets read.
Mapalo PJ, Founder and Creative Director, Junza Media
Common questions
Should a company profile be a PDF or a website?
Both, ideally. Buyers forward PDFs internally, while a website lets them find you on Google. Keep the details identical in both.
How often should a company profile be updated?
Review it at least once a year, and whenever you finish a significant project, gain a certification or change contact details.
Can I write it myself?
Yes, if you follow a clear structure and use real proof. Professional help is most useful for positioning, photography and design, which decide how credible the document feels.
Not sure how your current profile measures up? The free Junza Business Readiness Audit scores your business presentation, digital presence and sales tools in about two minutes, and gives you a PDF report straight away.