Creating a Mission Statement for Your Business

To summarize, your mission statement is the “how are we going to do that,” and it’s written from your client’s perspective. It will answer 3 questions. Those 3 questions are: what do we do, how do we do it, and for whom do we do it?

In contrast, the vision statement is from your perspective, it’s what the owner really wants in a business, it’s their dream vision in a business. For more information, be sure to pop over to last week’s blog post.

Although the vision statement sets out where you want to go, the mission statement sets how you will get there. It’s like the GPS for your business!

Let me give you some examples.

Disney

Their mission statement is “to create happiness for people of all ages, everywhere.” Anyone who has been to Disney knows it does create happiness, and it is for all ages. The one thing their statement does is to create emotion and to make it about the visitors. As a potential visitor, I know I want happiness and if they fulfill their mission I will receive happiness when I go to Disney.

What do they do … create happiness

How do they do it … through not only their parks but also through their products, movies, and other offerings

For whom do they do it … people of all ages, everywhere

Warby Parker

Their mission statement is “to offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price while leading the way for socially conscious businesses.” It also goes on to say “we believe buying glasses should be easy and fun, it should leave you happy and good looking, with money in your pocket.” Now, I don’t know about you, I wear glasses, I want to be good looking, I want it to be affordable!

What do they do … offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price

How do they do it … make buying glasses easy and fun and leave you happy and good looking with money in your pocket

For whom do they do it … those who wear glasses 9and are socially conscious)

2 Things to Keep in Mind in Creating Your Mission …

The first is your client should be able to call you on your mission. For example, Disney saying I want to create happiness. When you go to Disney or buy a Disney product, if it does not create happiness, does not give you that feeling, they’re not living up to their mission.

The second is it should attract your ideal clients to you. A really effective mission statement is going to attract the clients you want because they’re going to feel the emotion and after reading the mission statement say “hey I want that!”

So, there you are, vision statement and mission statement. You now understand what they are, how they are different, and how they work together!