Not sure where to start? We compiled five tips we think are essential for nailing your own mission statement:
Tip #1: Remember Your Reader
Do you know who your primary target audience is for your mission statement? If you answered your potential customers, think again. It’s the people you hire. To ensure everyone in your company is working toward common goals, your mission should clearly spell out your objective. Everyone desires a sense of purpose and meaning in their work and understanding your purpose helps people decide if they want to jump aboard or not. We all want a place to belong, and with more hours spent with our coworkers, even remotely, employees want to feel good about their 9 to 5. To determine if your company clearly shows its purpose, ask these questions: Do my current employees understand—and get excited—about why we do the work (besides a paycheck)? And, do I clearly convey what the company stands for so potential hires can ascertain a good fit?Textbook Example
At Ardent, we strive to hire for fit over talent in our very own Creative Capital of Texas. (Not that talent doesn’t ooze naturally out of the pores of these glorious weirdos, BTW). But fit for your particular culture—that’s something you just can’t train for; you want to attract it. No one wants to feel like a square peg in a round hole. The Ardent mission is pretty clear and we recruit like-minded people to join the herd: Ardent Creative: Build creative solutions for an evolving world.Tip #2: Know Your Why
One pivotal piece of strategy we love to help brands discover is their “why.” What’s the underlying reason for your company’s existence? In simple language: Why the heck are we even here? What makes your company different or unique in its offerings, services, or relationships as opposed to the guy who’s doing the exact same thing you do? The official Marketing 101 term: your unique selling proposition (USP). The USP is the first and most important step in determining … well, pretty much everything! Yet, you would be surprised to learn that many companies don’t know what makes them different. Without your “why” factor, it will be difficult for you to easily convey to future employees and customers why you’re better than your competitors. If you don’t know, neither will they.Textbook Example
One of our clients, Elite RV, knows how important its USP is when it comes to marketing. Seeing the need for a more customer-centric approach in an outdated RV repair industry that was known for long wait times and bad service, Elite RV set out to change the status quo. You can read more about them here.Tip #3: Stick to Clear, Simple Language
It is our utmost mission to continue to authoritatively provide a full spectrum of access of diverse service offerings to stay relevant in tomorrow's world. Does that mission tell you anything specific? We don’t think so either. Before you’re alarmed that it might be an actual statement; don’t fret, it’s not. It was generated using an automated mission statement website but please don’t attempt to do this. Many companies do one of four things in the creation of their mission statements:- Use too many buzzwords/jargon
- Be too convoluted
- Use too many words
- Lack memorability
"Don't use a five-dollar word when a fifty-cent word will do."
-Mark Twain
In short: Use brief sentences with basic structure and vocab that an eighth-grade graduate could comprehend. Readability is key. Research shows that plain language is for everyone, and even the experts prefer it. If you think you’re dumbing down your statements by not using complex jargon, you’re off the mark. Shoot ‘em straight and you won’t tax your reader. Plus, your short and sweet statement will stick with them longer.