The Four Questions You Need To Know The Answers To Before You Write Your Mission Statement
Irving Gil
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Introduction
A mission statement is a short, clear declaration of what your business stands for. It's what you'll think about when you're not at your desk or behind the counter, but instead passing by a storefront window and wondering what it would be like to open up that shop someday. It’s even more than just a useful tool for entrepreneurs; it's also a way for people working within organizations of any size or scope to define their goals and set priorities for themselves on an individual level.
So if you want to write your own mission statement but aren't sure where to begin, here are some questions that will help guide you through the process:
Why do you exist?
It’s a simple question, but it deserves serious consideration. Why do you exist? What is your purpose? What is your mission? What is your goal? What is your vision?
When we look at other companies and organizations, we find that they often have very clear answers to these questions. For example:
Who do you serve?
You need to know who you serve.
This is the most common mistake we see when companies write their mission statements—and it has two very important implications. First, the fact that they miss this question means they don't really understand who they need to serve in order to be successful. Second, if you're not clearly serving someone or something then your mission statement is meaningless and doesn't matter at all! Consider these people and mentioning them in your mission statement:
Your customers
Your employees
Your partners (if any)
What are your goals?
How you answer this question will determine how you write your mission statement. For example, if you want to build your business and grow it over the next three years, then that should be included in your company's goals. But if you're just starting out and want to make sure you have enough money to last the year, then that should be included too.
When writing down answers for this question, try not to limit yourself or think too small—and don't forget about personal and family goals either!
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How are you unique?
The most important part of your mission statement is the why. Why do you exist? Why does the world need you? What makes you stand out from other brands, products and services?
To answer these questions, you have to be brutally honest with yourself. If there's something that makes your brand unique, it's not enough to just say "we are different". You need to explain exactly how your product or service is different than everyone else’s.
This includes defining what your USP (unique selling proposition) is, as well as defining what sets you apart from the competition in terms of value.
Marty Neumeier says, "if you can’t say why your brand is both different and compelling in a few words, don’t fix your positioning statement…fix your company." Focus on being different. Check out the slide below as a guide.
Ask yourself these questions to figure out what your brand is.
Examples
Bellroy's mission statement: To slim your wallet – because clunky, fat wallets are just wrong.
GoldieBlox's mission statement: To correct the gender imbalance in engineering.
Airbnb's mission statement: To connect millions of people in real life all over the world, through a community marketplace– so that you can Belong Anywhere.
Conclusion
If you answer these four questions, you'll be on your way to creating a mission statement for your business. Mission statements are great because they help keep you focused on the things that matter most and give you an idea of your position in the market. They also allow potential clients or investors to better understand what makes your company unique from others like it.
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