One of the most important steps you’ll take in building your brand will be crafting your mission statement. On the surface, having a mission statement might seem non-essential, especially when you consider how much other work goes into building a brand. However, as a business owner, you’ll find that a carefully crafted mission statement can serve your business in a multitude of ways and far into the future of your business.
Here, we’ll break down what a mission statement is and how you can use it to strengthen your brand. Most importantly, you’ll learn a fast, easy way to craft your mission statement so that it is clear, simple, and effective.
What It Is: A mission statement is a short, formal summary of the goals and values of your brand or business.
Why You Need One: Your mission statement defines the purpose of your work and the effect you intend it to have on the world around you. It states what you do for others and the approach you use to achieve your goals. In short, your mission statement is intended to clarify the what, how, and why of your company.
How To Use It: Your mission statement can be used as a guide for making decisions about your brand. When potential opportunities arise, you can use your mission statement as a blueprint to make sure those opportunities align with the goals and values of your brand. Your mission statement also helps you communicate with your target audience and form a connection with them.
How To Write It: Writing your brand’s mission statement can seem like a scary task. However, there’s a really simple formula you can use to get it done effectively, and with as little angst as possible.
In a nutshell, your mission statement should answer 3 key questions:
What does your company do?
How does your company do it?
Why does your company do it?
Step 1: Describe What Your Company Does. Describing what your company does doesn’t necessarily require fancy wording. The more simply you can describe what your company does, the better.
Example: “The purpose of my company is to sell women’s skincare products.”
Step 2: Describe How Your Company Does What It Does. For this step, take some time to examine the core values that exist at the heart of your business. For example, those values might include selling the highest quality products to your customers, while using clean, natural ingredients and sustainable farming practices.
Example: “The purpose of my company is to sell high-quality women’s skincare products that feature clean, natural ingredients from sustainable sources.”
Step 3: Describe Why Your Company Does What it Does. This is where your passion comes in — the motivating force behind why you do what you do. In the scenario we’ve created here, your motivation could be the desire to provide women with skincare products that are both good for them and the environment.
Example: “We believe that women should feel good about the products they use, both for themselves and the planet.”
Once you’ve gotten to this point, it’s just a matter of pulling it all together.
Example: “The purpose of _____________ is to sell high-quality women’s skincare products that feature clean, natural ingredients from sustainable sources. At _____________, we believe that women should feel good about the products they use, both for themselves and the planet.”
Fundamentally, your mission statement is the soul of your brand. Taking the time to craft a mission statement that is strong and sound will help you navigate the decisions and opportunities that will ultimately form the future of your business.
For further reading, check out these links:
Your Brand Strategy: What It Is and How to Build It