One of the most important components of a business is its mission statement. Simply put, your mission statement defines the fundamental purpose of why your business exists. In other words, it tells the world what your company does as well as why and how. Because of its significance, writing a mission statement can seem intimidating and downright overwhelming. The good news is it doesn’t have to be! All you have to do is follow the three steps below.
Step 1: Describe what your business does.
Starting with the “what” is usually the easiest part of writing a mission statement. And who knows better than you exactly what it is your company has to offer? There’s no need to be fancy or complex with this step, either. Begin by simply saying: “My company’s purpose is to….” and fill in the blank accordingly. It could be as simple as “My company’s purposes is to sell shoes.” Get down to the basics and then you’ll be ready to take on the next step.
Step 2: Describe how your company does what it does.
This step is a little bit trickier than the first because it involves more brainstorming. Ideally, you want your “how” to include one or more of your core values. Take a few moments to think about what’s most important to you in running your business. Some examples of these core values might include:
- Providing an excellent quality product
- Delivering exceptional customer service
- Protecting the environment
- Encouraging creativity and innovation
- Ensuring equal access to resources
Once you’ve defined your core values, weave them into how your business operates. For instance, in the example listed above, your mission might be selling shoes that are made of the highest quality materials. If your purpose is to provide educational services, your mission might be ensuring that people from all walks of life have access to a quality education.
Step 3: Define why your company does what it does.
The last step is probably the most fun because it describes the passion or spark behind your business. Why does your company do what it does? To determine this, it can be helpful to think back to when you first started your business. What drove you to do so? You might say: “My company’s purpose is to sell high quality shoes that people actually love to wear,” or “My company’s purpose is to make quality education available to everyone so that they can realize their fullest potential.”
Once you’ve gone through these three steps, take a look at how your mission statement is coming together. You’ll probably need to rephrase it a few times until it flows well and sounds good. And, of course, wherever you used the words “my company,” be sure to replace them with the actual name of your business.
So, there you have it: how to create a mission statement in just three easy steps. Of course, the next phase will involve communicating that mission to everyone, including your employees as well as your customers, as this will ultimately tell them why they should want to work for or do business with your company.
What do you think? Are you still having trouble defining your mission or your core values? Don’t sweat it. Get in touch today and let’s do some brainstorming together!