What is Your Mission?

By Stacy Karacostas

If you have been reading Bright Ideas for a while, you know I have talked a lot about the importance of having goals, strategies and a marketing plan. But there is one important thing you need to do before you can create a truly effective marketing plan and achieve your business goals…

You have to make sure you are clear about exactly what your business does and why.

This means it's time to delve deep into the psyche of your business and come up with a strong Mission Statement.

You've probably heard the term Mission Statement before. Maybe you even have one already. If so, congratulations! You are way ahead of the game (But don't stop reading. I've included a handy checklist down below to help make sure you are on the right track.).

If not, it is time to put your thinking cap on.

So what's the big deal about a Mission Statement? Well, a Mission Statement is basically the reason why your business exists. And it serves as a guiding light by which you can make decisions.

Wondering whether or not to introduce a new product or service? Consider whether it fits with your mission.

Not sure which direction to go? You can always refer back to your Mission Statement and ask yourself "Will this help my business achieve its goals?"

So, what does a good Mission Statement look like?

It varies. Your Mission Statement can be just one line, or a few sentences.

Ideally, it should define more than just your business' main reason for being. It should also identify the public image, morals and values, target market, geographic reach and
forecasted growth and/or profitability of your company.

Basically, a good Mission Statement explains…
Who you are
What you do
Why you do it
Where you do it
Who you do it for

Here are a few examples of good Mission Statements from well-known companies:

"Organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." Google

"Our goal is simply stated. We want to be the best service organization in the world." IBM

"FedEx is committed to our People-Service-Profit Philosophy. We will produce outstanding financial returns by providing totally reliable, competitively superior, global, air-ground transportation of high-priority goods and documents that require rapid, time-certain delivery." Federal Express

"To give ordinary folk the chance to buy the same thing as rich people." Wal-Mart

"Our mission is to earn the loyalty of Saturn owners and grow our family by developing and marketing U.S.-manufactured vehicles that are world leaders in quality, cost, and customer enthusiasm through the integration of people, technology, and business systems." Saturn

Now it is your turn. Grab a pen and paper and think about why you are in business…

What does your business do, or plan to accomplish? What do you want your business
to be remembered for?

If you are struggling, see if you can enlist someone else to help you. Employees are a wonderful source of ideas for your Mission Statement. You can also ask friends or
significant others for their perspective.

I often like to start with a list of all the things a business does, and then whittle down from there until I get to the core essence-the reason for a businesses existence (and
trust me, it needs to be something more than just "to make money").

Once you think you have got your Mission Statement nailed down, how do you know if it is strong and effective?

Here's a quick checklist:
> Is it written in plain English, without fancy adjectives or plays on words?
> Is it short and to the point?
> Is it clear and easy to understand understood?
> Does it explain why you do what we do (what pain or problem are you resolving)?
> Is it fairly broad (you don't want to get too specific here…think big picture)?
> Does it offer values, guidance and direction for doing the right things?
> Does it clarify what, in the end, you want your business to be remembered for?

If you answered yes to all these questions, then you've done it! You now have your very own Mission Statement.

So print it out big and post it somewhere you, and your employees, can see it. Then every time you start thinking about changing your business-whether you want to add new services or change focus entirely-refer back to your Mission Statement to make sure you stay on track.

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