When it comes to building a brand, companies, and organizations are always looking for ways to make an impact on their targeted audience. And while some may think of this as a marketing strategy, it is more than that. Your company's mission statement should be something that your team lives by and keeps in mind when approaching new projects and opportunities.
This mission statement needs to be short, sweet, and simple enough for anyone on your team to understand. It should also be something that encourages consumer loyalty and makes you stand out from the competition.
Why short? Easy to absorb and comprehend. And as my Mother would always say when I was writing stories as a kid, “Keep It Simple, son,” my Mother refused to use the word stupid. Use encouragement, not discouragement, friendly reader.
So, a well-thought-out mission statement can work wonders for your business. Below are some of the best examples for you to see how a powerful statement can elevate one’s business to new heights.
More than just a planning exercise, a mission statement focuses on leading your team, inspiring employees, and communicating your core values to the larger world.
All in a single sentence. Magic.
Statement of Purpose - As a leader and future stakeholder of your company, you may be struggling to come up with the perfect mission statement. Do not fear! We have gathered 16 amazing examples below to get your creative juices flowing.
Level up with a mission statement video! Yes follow a process and You can best deliver your company’s mission statement with the most engaging content format: VIDEO. You can create a great mission statement video with Canva to generate a pro-looking video that delivers your message from start to finish. And you don't need professional editing skills - simply choose a high-quality template and use Canva's editing features for all of the hard work. Put it in your business plan or pitch deck, and literally state your mission statement.
Why is your company mission statement important?
Consumers Value Mission-Driven Companies!
Consumers today want to know what your company stands for. Basically, they want to know you have something worth standing up for. Your values don't need to be about saving the world, but what they do need is for them to be clear and genuine.
4 times more likely to purchase from the company
4.5 times more likely to recommend the company to family and friends
6 times more likely to defend the company in the wake of public criticism
You can think of this in relation to your personal life - the more connections you form with someone, the more likely you are to invite them out for a drink or dinner, introduce them around to other friends and come to their defense.
Employees Want a Sense of Purpose
As the mission statement of your company influences the opinion of customers, it can have a powerful impact on your employee's morale and motivation too.
According to a recent Gallup poll Gen Z and millennials (who make up nearly half of the full-time workforce in the US) value belonging to a company with a strong moral compass. They are motivated when leaders exemplify ethical practices, and feel proud when their efforts make a meaningful contribution to society.
A well-crafted mission statement can be a powerful driver for your company, inspiring customers, staff and driving decision-making. Done badly, a mission statement is just another line on the page.
Consider the Starbucks company mission statement: To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.
Starbucks could have said this: To challenge the predominant infrastructure of coffee culture and develop a network of coffeehouses in every major market.
Did your eyes get tired when reading the second one? I bet you're like me, yup and that is why I made up that example. The corporate-robot-speak does nobody any good, and belongs in a strategic plan not on its own. It has no soul, no emotion.
On the other hand, the real Starbucks mission statement makes the reader want to be a part of it all. And even more than that, it conveys a sense of the beating heart behind the company.
The company mission statement: To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
Patagonia
The company mission statement: Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire, and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.
The Walt Disney Company
The company mission statement: The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to entertain, inform, and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds, and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.
The best mission statements do just this — Share your vision and tell the potential customer what you do in a way that’s as relatable as possible. Amplify the human side of your brand.
Mission statements vs. vision statements — what’s the difference exactly?
It’s easy to confuse vision statements and mission statements. It is important to understand the differences because each statement will help craft a clear understanding of what your business is all about in 2 simple sentences, and summarize why you do what you do. Not necessarily what you do, which is important.
A vision statement is something that people can use to help them understand what you are trying to achieve in the future. It works as a way for people to connect with your company and where you are headed. A mission statement, on the other hand, outlines what your company is doing now and is typically more concrete than a vision statement.
One of the most well-known vision statements is Amazon’s
Amazon
The mission statement: To be Earth’s most customer-centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.
Although this statement is also the company’s mission statement, it is effective at articulating the clear vision of Amazon. A vision that all can see the company’s operations are making a reality. Just look at all of Amazon’s businesses and services:
These are just a few of the companies under the Amazon umbrella:
MGM Holdings (including MGM Studios)
Whole Foods
Zappos
Ring
Shopbop
Twitch
IMDb
Goodreads
Just check out this full list of Amazon’s companies on the SMB Compass website, just crazy!
Amazon’s operations are in line to make the vision a reality. That is the purpose and the use of a vision statement. This is where we want to be in the future and here is a statement to summarize that.
Simple Steps to Writing Great Mission and Vision Statements
Knowing how to interpret mission statements is one matter while sitting down to craft your own company's statement is an entirely different thing.
Although it may take some effort, the process of understanding the company's purpose is invaluable. It allows you to gain a deep understanding and lay out goals that will help guide the company's success in years to come!
Brainstorming Your Company Mission Statement
To get started, gather your leadership team and brainstorm answers to these four questions. If you are the solo founder of a fledgling company, gather key stakeholders or your professional mentors instead.
Aim for a short paragraph on each question. But the key is to WRITE IT DOWN. Get your thoughts on paper immediately.
Why does our company exist?
What value do our products or services bring to consumers?
What core beliefs guide our work?
What makes our company different, better, or more inspiring than our competitors?
After you brainstorm answers to these questions, review your answers and highlight the concepts that are central to your company. Take a look at the mission statements of successful businesses that you admire and use that as inspiration for your own. This is an effective way to ensure your company mission statement hits all the right points.
After the evaluation of the brainstorming discussion, it's time to assign one or two members of the group to narrow down the answers into concise sentences.
The purpose of brainstorming is to get all of the ideas out. Preferably, out on paper or a document.
Take all of your ideas and samples and put them into your initial drafts of a mission statement, so the final decision-makers have choices to work with.
Taking time to form a company mission statement with the help of multiple stakeholders could seem like a hassle, but it's essential to make sure the statement reflects everyone's ideas. It is, after all, one of the most important documents of your business.
Here are some great tools to help you brainstorm, in real-time, even if you are not in the same room:
Google Docs
Now that we have all of the ideas right in our faces, let's complete that mission and put it into action.
Finalizing your work
Before finalizing your mission statement, ensure it fulfills the following criteria:
Plausibility: Your mission statement is big-picture, but it should ultimately tie back to your everyday business operations. At least in a broad sense.
Readability: No corporate speak or jargon. Avoid unnecessarily big words or complex sentences. Keep it simple.
Voice: Now isn’t the time to be dry and boring. Use language that’s active and compelling. Your mission statement should reflect the unique voice and culture of your company.
Here is a tip: Give your mission statement more reach by creating both a text and video version. Use a tool such as Canva to create a Talking - Presentation Mission Statement.
The video can be simple, with just an eye-catching background, and some animations, and you have a living document that your team can review and is easy to share with prospective clients and investors.
The key to successfully selling your business's unique vision is to be UNIQUE. Build on what has traditionally worked for all other successful businesses i.e. having a mission statement and making it your own.
Include your mission statement video as part of hiring announcements, send it with your marketing materials, or even pin it to the top of your Facebook or LinkedIn company pages for the world to HEAR and SEE what your brand stands for.
I devote my professional life to helping entrepreneurs and small business owners reach their goals. So stay in touch by dropping a comment and connect on YouTube and Twitter!
I'm Ehren Muhammad, Founder of EMPro, Ltd
Let's connect!
YouTube: Ehren Muhammad channel
Twitter: ChiBrother85
EMPro, Ltd - Branding & Digital Marketing
Digital Solutions for Small Business
Chicago, IL
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