Would you hire a construction company to build your dream home without any blueprints? Chances of reaching success with that approach are slim, but that’s exactly what business owners who haven’t focused on creating a mission statement are doing: expecting customers to buy into what they’re offering without all of the information needed to make a decision.
Before customers will come to trust and believe in your company, they need to know what drives its existence. A mission statement clarifies what you do, who you are, and why you formed your business, mapping out the path you'll take to reach your vision. A killer mission statement tells potential customers how the business does this in a way that makes them feel not only confident in getting behind it, but also good about supporting it.
To help, we asked Forbes Coaches Council members how business owners should go about crafting a mission statement that will resonate with potential customers. Here's what they suggested.
Forbes Coaches Council members give advice on crafting a mission statement.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Get To The Heart Of The Matter
Mission statements are great, but leadership teams and organizations fixate too much on the wording. The big idea behind the mission is what is key. Don't get lost in trying to craft the perfect sentence. Rather, get to the heart of the matter. Missions need to appeal to people's inner motives and show how and why your organization is special, distinct and worth paying attention to. - Reed Deshler, AlignOrg Solutions
2. Speak To Your Ideal Client
You need to have a clear understanding of who your ideal client is. Many companies have historically focused their mission statements to speak to the employees they want to attract, forgetting about the client view. Once you understand who that ideal client is, the mission statement should reflect what you have to offer, what problem you are solving and why your company should be the consumer's choice. - Tonya Fairley, TS Fairley Leadership and Personal Development Co
3. Ask Current Customers For Feedback
Current customers’ feedback is one of the most powerful tools for crafting a mission statement that resonates with your target audience. Do not be afraid to solicit feedback and actively engage your current customer base in your mission-statement writing process. They were once potential customers! - Kyle Elliott, MPA, CHES, CaffeinatedKyle.com
4. Involve Critical Stakeholders
Jim Collins shows how visionary leaders getting the right people “on the bus” can contribute to great companies in his book Good To Great. You must have critical stakeholders and the right organizational leaders at the table when developing your vision, mission and goals. No man is an island, so it is best to collaborate to overcome myopia when creating a mission statement. - Daniel Elder, TBS CenTex Coaching
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5. Replace Insider Jargon With Plain Language
While mission statements are primarily for internal purposes, sometimes they also work well for marketing collateral. Replace insider jargon with plain language, and don't be so generic that the reader can't decipher what kind of difference you make. More importantly, make sure your stated mission is close to reality, as prospective customers and employees can (and should) review Glassdoor ratings and comments. - Stephanie Hartman, Catalyst Consulting
6. Reflect Both Your Mission And Your Purpose
Your mission statement should actually reflect both your mission and your purpose. Thus, it is written from two different perspectives: Your mission is what you do, never how you do it; your purpose is why you do what you do, written from the customer's point of view. When you can clearly capture both "what" and "why," your customers and employees will recognize how you are different. - John Knotts, Crosscutter Enterprises
7. Make It Succinct Enough To Be Memorable
An important criterion of an effective statement is that it's memorable. Make it succinct, short and easy to recall—ideally, no longer than one or two sentences or a phrase. If it's too long, the writers may be the only ones who read it. However, if it can be recited, employees can use it to guide decisions and shape culture. If it's memorable, customers will connect with your brand, purchase your products and hire you. - Julie Kantor, PhD, JP Kantor Consulting
8. Enable Brand Experiences That Will Resonate
As an internal-facing statement that enables employees to deliver on brand promises, a mission statement is more for employees than for customers. A mission statement needs to be authentic, inspiring enough to galvanize employees to action, and mobilizing because it also shows employees what to do in their roles and how to do it. Aim for those three elements in your mission statement to create brand experiences that resonate with customers. - Duong Nguyen, CEMpartner
9. Include Your Unique Sales Proposition
Effective mission statements include the organization's unique sales proposition (USP), which should differentiate it from the competition. The USP is a subtle reminder to customers about why they do business with your organization, and it also reminds employees about what they must consistently deliver at a high level. - Shane Green, SGEi
10. Show How Only Your Offering Can Bring Desired Change
A mission statement that resonates with potential customers is one that excites them about a change they want to see for themselves. It shows them how their own change can impact the world, and it inspires them to take a step toward that change. A great mission statement makes them believe your organization is the only one that could deliver such transformation through its differentiating values. - Amy Nguyen, Happiness Infinity LLC
11. Clarify Your Vision Statement First
Unfortunately, many businesses lose sight of the difference between vision and mission and end up creating one confusing, Frankenstein’s-monster kind of statement. First, get clear on your overall vision statement for the future, then develop a mission statement that supports reaching that vision. Keep both of them simple and genuine with a focus on how your company impacts its customers and the world. - Tonya Echols, Vigere
