How to Write a Mission Statement that Actually Works

Feb 04, 2017

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You can find more information (and classes!) about creating your brand voice at http://www.yourbrandvox.com How do you create a mission statement that actually motivates your employees and customers? Here's the process I go through when working with clients. If you like this, stay tuned, because this is a preview of my upcoming online class, Find Your Brand Voice: Personality for Business Success. Step 1: Define Success I like to think of a mission statement as kind of a rallying cry for your brand. It's the reason that people get up and go to work every day. It's why you're in business in the first place. It's not something that you should create just to sit on a shelf or tick a box. It's living in every interaction that every person of your brand has on any given day. Step 2: Plan for Politics Mission statements shouldn't come from down on high, especially if you have a highly political organization. Set yourself up for success by using several working groups to write, review, and approve your mission statement. Step 3: Write for Clarity Here are six tips you should keep in mind when writing your mission statement: Tip #1: Keep It Short Mission statements should be short; they should be really easy to repeat. One of the things I see frequently is that mission statements are long. Sometimes, they're a paragraph or more and this isn't very easy to repeat. Tip #2: Be Specific Mission statements need to be very specific. Sometimes in order to accommodate a large group of people, we will water down our mission statements and make them very vague. Tip #3: Use Plain Language You should also use concrete plain language. Don't try to sound smart. The goal with a mission statement is clarity not creativity. Tip #4: Be Decisive A mission statement should put a stake in the ground. One of the mistakes I see organizations do is they water down their mission statement by including language like help, try, assist. Tip #5: Set a Goal Mission statements should be goal-oriented and aspirational. A mission is something that you eventually do want to achieve and there are plenty of organizations who have done this. Tip #6: Start with a Verb Mission statements should start with an action verb. This gets the person who is learning about the organization right in the middle of the action. Examples of Effective Mission Statements: • To bring inspiration to every athlete in the world. -Nike • To provide the best customer service possible. -Zappos • To create content that educates, informs, and inspires. -PBS • To give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. -Facebook • To inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge, and strengthen our communities. -NY Public Library • Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. - Google • To deliver smiles. Guaranteed. -Fab.com

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How to Write a Mission Statement that Actually Works

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How to Write a Mission Statement that Actually Works by Andrea Goulet Ford @andreagoulet YourBrandVox.com 1
Step 1: Define Success Your mission statement SHOULD • inspire your team and customers • communicate your overall goal & purpose • last for the long haul ? … and it SHOULD NOT • explain everything about your organization • be created simply to “check a box” • focus only on one program or product Think of your mission as a rallying cry for your brand. YourBrandVox.com
Step 2: Plan for Politics Writing Group • 3-5 key stakeholders • Big Vision (Executive Director/CEO) • Programs/Products (Mid-level manager) • Front Lines (Daily content producer) Reviewing Group • Provides feedback to Writing Group • Can be used to build larger consensus Approving Group • Largest group of people • Elects who will be in other groups Everyone can be involved, but keep your writing group small. YourBrandVox.com
Step 3: Write for Clarity Be Specific You won’t inspire anyone  by being vague. Use Plain Language Use everyday language   that everyone understands. Keep It Short One sentence. Be Decisive Avoid using words   like “help”, “try”, or “aim”. Set a Goal What do you   want to accomplish? Start with a Verb Put your people in the middle of the action. YourBrandVox.com
Examples of Effective Mission Statements To bring inspiration to every athlete in the world. -Nike YourBrandVox.com
Examples of Effective Mission Statements To provide the best customer service possible. -Zappos YourBrandVox.com
Examples of Effective Mission Statements To create content that educates, informs, and inspires. -PBS YourBrandVox.com
Examples of Effective Mission Statements To give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. -Facebook YourBrandVox.com
Examples of Effective Mission Statements To inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge, and strengthen our communities. -New York Public Library YourBrandVox.com
Examples of Effective Mission Statements Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. -Google YourBrandVox.com
Examples of Effective Mission Statements To deliver smiles. Guaranteed. -fab.com YourBrandVox.com
Examples of Effective Mission Statements To save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. -American Lung Association YourBrandVox.com
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