Your company is on an important mission. Whether it’s to provide high-quality products that make people’s lives easier, deliver excellent services that help businesses run smoothly, or make a positive impact on your community (or even all three) — every brand has a mission.
For your brand to succeed, you need to put that mission into words as an official mission statement.
A mission statement is a written statement that defines your brand’s goals, as well as your approach to achieving those goals. Put simply, it outlines what your business aims to do, who you will help by doing that, and how you plan to do it.
A mission statement is more specific and granular than a vision statement (which outlines the long-term vision for the company’s growth). Your vision statement is likely tied to the reason you started your business in the first place — it defines the impact you want your business to have on your customers, community, or the world. A mission statement defines the day-to-day approach you will take to make that vision a reality.
While it may seem like enough to simply set your sights on a big picture goal and set off running, it’s important to take the time to craft a mission statement. Think of your vision statement as the target in the distance, and your mission statement as the map that will show you how to get there.
Without a mission statement, it’s easy for your brand to get lost. Here are six reasons why a mission statement is essential for your brand’s success.
1. It Guides Business Decisions
As a business leader, you are tasked with making a lot of big decisions that will drive the direction of the company. Most decisions come with a trade-off. Investing in new equipment may mean less budget for a new product line. Choosing which position to hire for next means leaving other positions for later. In the day-to-day, it can be difficult to quickly assess which decisions will move your brand in the direction you want.
Having a clear mission statement gives you a template for making important decisions about business strategy. Whether you are considering a new business initiative, exploring a new product line, or diving into a new marketplace, you can refer back to your mission statement to ensure that your decision aligns with the long-term vision for the company. If a new project or business development wouldn’t move the company closer to the long-term vision, it’s a no.
2. It’s a Tool to Measure Business Initiatives and Progress
A well-written mission statement also acts as a tool for measuring progress on your business objectives. When your brand has a lofty long-term vision —for example, to make meal planning easier for busy professionals — it can feel difficult to assess whether you are on track toward achieving that goal. How do you measure the impact on the lives of your target audience? This is where a mission statement is one of your best tools for success. By tracking metrics that reflect the goals indicated in your mission statement, you can check in regularly on your brand’s progress. Measure your marketing strategy, customer experience, and sales success against your mission statement to keep all departments working in the same direction.
3. It Helps Identify Your Target Audience
It’s important to have a clear understanding of your target audience, in order to personalize your marketing, sales, and service approaches to the right people. The process of defining your mission statement will also help you in on your target audience. A mission statement not only explains what your brand delivers but also defines who your brand serves. Do your products and services help working parents? College students? Administrative teams at small businesses? Your mission statement will provide clarity about your target audience. Use it to help make decisions and cater your messaging and services to stay aligned with the audience that you serve.
4. It Connects Your Brand with Your Audience
In addition to defining your target audience and understanding how to reach them, a mission statement will also help you build connections with your audience. Your mission statement is a central piece of your brand’s story, and your story is what helps customers build a sense of investment, trust, and loyalty toward your brand. Sproutsocial reports that 53% of consumers say they feel more connected to brands that align with their own values. A strong mission statement helps to convey your purpose and values to your audiences. Your marketing team can leverage your mission statement to guide the messaging they use to represent your brand and build relationships with customers.
5. It Attracts the Right People to Join Your Team
A mission statement not only represents your brand to customers, but also to potential employees. Your mission statement acts as an elevator pitch to potential new hires. Many candidates will review your brand’s mission statement to help them decide whether they want to apply to work at your organization. Employees want to work at a company that they feel aligns with their own values; a mission statement gives your organization a way to show what you value. It also helps candidates assess where the company is headed in the future, as employees are more likely to join your team (and stay longer!) if they feel excited about the future of the company.
6. It Guides Employees and Company Culture
A mission statement isn’t just a compass for your executive leaders and decision-makers — it’s also a compass for each employee that works at your organization, from the C-suite to entry-level hires. Your mission statement helps to set the tone for the culture you cultivate in the workplace. It acts as an anchor point that employees across departments can refer back to when they are deciding how to prioritize their work, how to interact with customers, how to represent the brand, and more. It will also help you provide clarity to your staff whenever making organizational changes. Employees are more willing to accept and embrace change when they understand the reasoning behind it. By connecting large business decisions to your mission statement, you can help staff recognize the value of the change and get on board.
A Strong Mission Statement Steers the Ship
While a great vision statement helps keep your sights on the big picture, a strong mission statement is essential for guiding your day-to-day business operations. Without a written mission statement, it can be difficult to plan next month’s initiatives or make the next business decision. Your mission statement represents who you are as a brand, conveying the brand’s values to customers, employees, partners, and company leaders. It helps to make connections, attract customers and new hires, track progress, and make major business decisions.
