Article by: Sara Pantaleo
What is your organisation’s fundamental purpose? A mission statement tells consumers, both internal and external, what you hope to accomplish in the simplest way.
What is a Mission Statement?
If you ever visit a website and find yourself wondering what an organisation is doing and why a mission statement would undoubtedly help them to clarify. It should be simple enough for anyone to understand what they exist to do clearly.
Every brand has a purpose, and the mission statement articulates that intention. It’s an integral part of any successful branding plan. The mission statement is an essential part of your business. It gives you the why and how to make things different from everyone else! An effective mission statement focuses on the value you deliver, is realistic, and inspires all stakeholders.
How to develop a mission statement
The perfect mission statement is a delicate balance between what you want your company to stand for and how much time, effort and money it will take. There are many methods on how best to approach this balancing act, but here we list some clear do’s/ don’ts that should be considered:
- Keep things concise. Short and to the point is best.
- Think of the future. Ensure it reflects your long-term goals for the Company.
Don’t be limiting. Ensure to keep in mind expansion into new locations or products in the future
Things to avoid
The problem with most mission statements is that they’re just words; anyone can say they ethically source, are progressive and blah blah blah. They might be accurate, but it’s hard to tell what your company really does and why when you have such a general statement for an organisation–especially one whose goals can seem so broad in scope! Let’s be real: most mission statements are awful.
Here are the most common problems with mission statements; a list of things to avoid:
- Avoid jargon. No one should need to Google what a word means to understand your mission statement.
- Don’t add fluff. Be plain and concise in your language. Your mission statement should be to the point and as short as possible without losing the meaning behind it.
- Don’t be boring. You want people to read your mission statement and be inspired by it.