Just for fun, have you ever gone on some business websites to read their mission statements? No? Ok, maybe it’s just the nerd word girl part of me who does, but it’s an interesting look into how companies view themselves and how they want the world to remember them.
In the past, it was pretty common to read long essays companies called their mission
statement. Generally, it said who they were, what they did, where they did it and how they did it. But, rarely did it ever say WHY they did what they did. Did you get all of that? In a nutshell, if you put a bunch of statements side by side, chances are you’d see many of the same words and you could switch out the company name with its competitor because they all claimed to do the same thing.
In today’s fast-paced, digitally focused world, there is greater emphasis on brevity and companies are looking to experts to help them create that high-impact, meaningful statement that captures the WHY of what they do. In working with companies over the years, we believe there are a few key tips to perfect mission statement development.
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The fewer words the better. I know, easier said than done, but it’s true. The longer you make a statement, the greater the chance it won’t be remembered. Direct is good—don’t use unnecessary words or corporate-speak.
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Be specific. You can’t be all things to all people. Pick one or two that best set you apart from your competitors. Ask your current clients or customers what they believe makes you different or why they prefer to work with you. This is a good starting point for honing in on the WHY you do what you do.
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Inspire. You want your statement to be something your customers, suppliers, employees and the community can get behind. Show some real personality in your statement. Make others believe and inspire them with your WHY.
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No jargon allowed. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the business of what you do. The everyday jargon you use tends to creep into what you write and say. Avoid this—be conscientious of those industry words and remove them from your vocabulary. Be different. Describe what you do in a way no one else in the industry is currently doing. Set yourself apart—think of new ways to say something.
Already have a mission statement? Update it. Don’t let it reside on the back page of your annual report or the “about” page of your website. Bring it to life using some of the tips above and then develop a strategic marketing plan for sharing your mission. Oftentimes businesses create a mission statement as part of their business plan and then leave it to continue on with the business of running the company. A well-written, impactful mission statement can essentially become your marketing tag line, or as we like to say at WordWrite, your story narrative. It’s how people will remember you.
If your mission statement is collecting dust, consider digging it out and comparing it to your competitors. Does it tell your story, or is it simply a run through of what you do? Does it inspire or just fade into the background?
Have you come across a great mission statement?
Here are some of my favorites. What are yours?
To be the safest, most progressive North American railroad, relentless in the pursuit of customer and employee excellence.
To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.
Google’s mission is to organize the world‘s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
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Hollie Geitner is vice president, client services for WordWrite Communications. You can find her on Twitter @JustHollieG.
