What goes in a business portfolio?

[msmoorad]

ATTENTION EVERYONE

my friend and i are trying to beome suppliers to a big JSE listed company.
we were asked to submit a business portfolio.
what exactly is it?
how long should it be- how many pages?
i understand there should be a cover letter- i a page enough for that?
what details should be provided/submitted?
how should it all be laid out.

were both nobodies who are trying to just get our foot in the door.
we need to make a good first impression but not overdo it.

all advice/assistance welcomed.

thanks

[msmoorad]

come on people, someone should know something.

[Dave A]

What you are really trying to convey is an overview of your company and your products/services.

Yes, there needs to be an introduction page, and if possible you should try to mention the parts of your business that should interest your intended reader.

So what else could go in there? Here are some prompters.

A summary of your services and products.
Profile information of key members of staff.
Industry association memberships, affiliations, licences held (if applicable), existing clients perhaps.
Area covered.
Contact details and location of premises.
Awards received, third party standards achieved (ISO, SANS etc.).

Anyone else have examples of things that could go into a business portfolio?

[Mark Atkinson]

Anyone else have examples of things that could go into a business portfolio?

An explanation of your unique selling point? In my opinion, you should let the potential client know why you are the best person to be supplying them, rather than your competitors. I don't mean boasting your company or slating your competitors, just let them know why you are different.

[rfnel]

Hi msmoorad

I'm still very new to business, so I can't offer much advice regarding what should go into a business portfolio. What I can recommend, however, is to ensure that it looks professional. Read it and reread it until you're sure that there are no typos, no spelling/grammar/capitalization errors and that everything makes sense. Once you are sure that it is correct, get someone else to read it as well.

I recently saw a certain Toyota dealership advertising 'Hulux' bakkies in a printed ad. I immediately formed a negative opinion about them.

[KimH]

One of the most important factors to consider when drawing up a business portfolio is that it is a representation of your business - it is a marketing tool and as such should have as much information as possible (without rambling of course). Professional, well laid out and easy to navigate - nothing too busy that distracts the eye. Not only does the content have to be informative, the aesthetics go a long way in adding that final polish.

Communicate your passion for your business

Good luck!

[Blurock]

All very good advice. Perceptions are very important in business. If you are perceived as being professional and giving good service, you are more likely to get the business and at a premium price as well. On the other hand, if your presentation is tardy with spelling mistakes and language errors, you will be perceived to be unprofessional and less likely to get the business.

Get advice from a professional or business mentor if unsure. Let someone else read and assess your presentation. Not your mother, as mothers usually think that her child was born with wings.... (nothing wrong with that) and you may not get a true critical assessment.

[mother]

My first step would be to draw inspiration from other successful portfolios of large organisations. Google "business portfolios" and see how many examples you can find, especially from well known brands. The idea is not to copy them, but to compare the contents and layout of a variety of portfolios. See what they have in common, and make sure you don't omit that from your portfolio. The more examples you study, the more inspiration you will find.