Is Your Mission Statement on a Wall or in a Folder?
Ah, mission statements. With any business (especially those in marketing and branding), formulating your mission statement should be one of the first things that you do. Not only should you create this mission statement, but it should serve as a living document that breathes life into your business and adapts as you adapt.
Unfortunately, all too often brands either create a weak mission statement or they let it sit on a folder and not serve a function in their everyday business. And, in the worst cases, they do both. So what does it mean to create a mission statement that not only represents your business but guides it on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. In this week’s blog, we walk through exactly that.
What should go into your mission statement?
At Wildly Creative, we have many years of experience crafting mission statements that serve brands in an impactful way. We know how to write them and what they should mean in a successful business. In the early stages of business growth, it is especially imperative that you write a mission statement that propels your business forward. When you are sitting down to write your mission statement, think through the following things:
- Who is your business going to be?
- What does the business do for its customers and employees?
- Who are the employees?
- How will your business separate itself from the competition?
- Who will benefit from the business?
- What does the business sell?
- What is the personality of the business?
- What is the business’s purpose and passion?
- How will the business share its success?
After you have the answers to these questions (and don’t be afraid to take your time getting those answers), put them together in a way that speaks to your overall branding and marketing strategy. And, don’t forget to bring some future planning to the table. Where do you want your brand to be in 5 years? 10 years? How does your mission statement speak to where the business is going?
Don’t Let it Become Stale:
Once you have your mission statement, do not let it sit in a folder on your desktop. When a mission statement becomes stale and is not looked at as a living document, it really serves no purpose at all. As I’ve worked with brands in the action and adventure sports verticals over my career, I often find that mission statements read more like a journey. While journeys can be exciting, they are not necessarily working towards meeting a goal. Even though the intent is there if a business is on an adventure they won’t know how or where they’re going, and anything is possible…even failure.
Instead of creating a mission statement with your team about the journey that your business is on, think about SMART goals. These are goals that are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Reasonable
- Time-Bound
As you infuse your mission statement (and think about what SMART goals you can set today for your business) this exercise will serve much more purpose in driving you to your goals.
Mission Statements & Branding:
Unfortunately, I see so many brands that let their branding become stale and wait until performance drops to panic and set into motion a full re-brand. When a mission statement is done right, it serves as a living document for your business that helps your branding stay fresh. The key to success here is to:
- Actively shape your branding
- Actively shape your mission statement
If you keep these two marketing exercises in mind on a daily basis, you will set yourself up for success and growth. In fact, according to marketing and branding thought leader Hubspot, an effective mission statement means that you successfully create a connection with your customers and employees, which means that you create customers who will likely be loyal to you for life. And, in the world of effective marketing what is better than that? At Wildly Creative, we are experts in writing mission statements for businesses like yours.