The Proper Way to Write a Mission Statement
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What you'll need
In business, your mission statement is your reason for being—the thing that drives you and inspires you to do what you do. Putting it down on paper makes it real and tangible, and it can be a powerful rallying point for you and your team. Here's how to write a mission statement that pinpoints your purpose and gets everyone on board.
Writing a mission statement doesn't have to be complicated, but that doesn't mean it's easy. Whether you’re a natural writer or not, it takes thought and introspection to develop a mission statement that truly captures the essence of your business.
That being said, it's certainly worth the effort. Without a mission statement, your business can easily lose sight of its goals and become directionless. Even worse, a poor mission statement can make your business seem like it's just going through the motions without any real purpose or passion.
To ensure you end up with a powerful and effective statement, here's an overview of how to write a mission statement that will guide your business into the future.
What is a good mission statement?
A good mission statement is short, clear, and to the point. While it doesn't have to be just one sentence (it can be several), it should concisely and meaningfully summarize the purpose that drives your business. Think of it as a laser-focused statement of purpose for your organization that encapsulates what you do and why you do it.
Mission statement vs. vision statement vs. strategic plan
When you're starting out, it's common to confuse mission statements, strategic plans, and vision statements. While these terms may sound similar, there's a big difference between them.
Mission statement vs. strategic plan
A strategic plan is an overview of the goals you want your business to achieve in the next one to three years. A mission statement is more specific, focuses on the present, and is meant to guide your day-to-day operations. It's about who you are and what you do right now rather than where you see yourself going in the future. Your mission statement doesn't have to include any long-term goals—it can simply describe what you want to achieve in the present.
In other words, a strategic plan is a road map for the future, while a mission statement is a compass for the present. One is future-oriented, and one is present-focused.
Your mission statement should ideally inform your strategic plan. Once you know your mission, you can set goals and strategies to help you achieve it.
Mission statement vs. vision statement
As for vision statements, they tend to be even more future-focused than strategic plans. They're typically broader in scope and don't include any specific implementation steps. Instead, they describe where you see your business going in the long term, often five or more years later.
Simply put, a vision statement looks to the future and sets out where you want your business to go, while a mission statement focuses on what you're doing right now to achieve that vision.
Putting it all together
To summarize, strategic plans are roadmaps, vision statements are destinations, and mission statements are compasses. The first two focus on the future, while the latter is all about the present.
When writing a mission statement, it's important to keep this distinction in mind. A mission statement isn't a strategic plan or a vision statement. It's an entirely different thing meant to serve a specific purpose.
Writing a mission statement
Before we get into how to write a mission statement, it's important to dispel some common myths.
You can write a mission statement in five minutes
First and foremost, a mission statement isn't something you can jot down in five minutes and be done. It takes time, introspection, and—in some cases—help from others to create an effective statement. Don't try to rush it! Instead, give yourself the time to do it right and develop a genuinely meaningful mission statement.
A mission statement doesn't have to be detailed
A good mission statement is clear, concise, and focused on the company's competencies and activities. That said, it isn't just a list of things you do—it should also include what you don't do (or won't do). For instance, a company that makes environmentally friendly cleaning products might include a statement like, "We will never use harmful chemicals in our products."
It's important to strike the right balance here. You want to be specific enough that your mission statement is meaningful without being so specific that it limits your company's growth or ability to change in the future.
A mission statement should be one long sentence
As we mentioned earlier, a mission statement can be one sentence or several. What matters more is that it's easy to understand and remember.
You should aim for each sentence to be valuable and focused on a single idea. Otherwise, your mission statement will become cluttered and confusing for readers who aren't familiar with all aspects of your company's operations or products/services offered.
A mission statement can be written on day one of business
Many business owners and entrepreneurs struggle with writing a mission statement because they're unsure where to start. Usually, the best way to begin is by researching and reflecting on your company's core values, goals, and identity.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to help get the creative juices flowing:
- What does your company do?
- What are its core values?
- What needs does it address?
- How does it benefit society?
- What sets it apart from the competition?
Answering these questions (and any others that come to mind) will give you a better sense of what your company is all about and what you should include in your mission statement.
Once you know where your business fits in the marketplace, it's time to write! Therefore, it's best to wait until you've been in business for at least a year before creating your mission statement. This will give you the time and perspective to assess your company's strengths, weaknesses, and overall direction accurately.
A mission statement can be written in one shot
Finally, a common misconception is that the words will flow effortlessly once you sit down to start writing. Unfortunately, that's seldom the case. It can be quite challenging to develop the right language to accurately and concisely capture your company's mission.
The best way to approach this task is by brainstorming different versions of your mission statement until you find one that reflects exactly what you want to say.
It's also helpful to look at examples of mission statements from other businesses in your industry for inspiration. Remember not to copy someone else's statement verbatim—your company is unique, so your mission statement should be too.
How to write a powerful company mission statement in four steps
It's time to start writing! Use the following tips and steps to create a mission statement that accurately represents your business.
1. Define your company's direction and goals
The first step in writing a mission statement is establishing what your company wants to achieve. Without this foundation, writing a meaningful statement will be difficult (it may seem impossible). Think of the problems you want to solve, the needs you want to address, and the benefits you want to provide. This will lead you to the ultimate goal of your business: its mission.
Think of your mission statement as a North Star—something to guide you when you need it most. When you're feeling lost or tough decisions need to be made, your mission statement should help you get back on track.
For that purpose, you need to set measurable goals that you can reasonably achieve. They shouldn't be too lofty or unrealistic, as that will only set you up for disappointment. Instead, your goals should be specific and actionable to track your progress and gauge your success.
Let's take a look at an example. Let's say you're a personal trainer who wants to help postnatal women get back into shape. A few specific and achievable goals could be:
- To help 10 postnatal women lose 10 pounds each within 12 weeks
- To help 5 postnatal women complete the CrossFit Open's 15-minute AMRAP workout within 10 minutes next year
With these types of goals in mind, you can begin to formulate your mission statement, such as: "Our mission is to help postnatal women get back into shape by providing expert guidance and support."
2. Explore what sets you apart from competitors
Next, you must evaluate what sets your business apart from the competition. Do a thorough analysis of your industry and take note of the unique selling points (USPs) of the businesses around you. What do they offer that you don't? What seems to be working for them, and what doesn't?
Once you understand the marketplace well, it's time to turn your attention inward. What does your company do differently? How does your unique approach benefit customers? Make sure to hone in on the things that matter most to your target audience.
For example, let's say you run a web design agency. After looking at your competition, you might realize that most focus on designing flashy, attention-grabbing websites. Your USP could be that you design clean, user-friendly websites that are easy to navigate and optimized for search engines. This allows your clients to rank higher in search results and provide a better user experience.
Remember that your USP doesn't necessarily have to be big or earth-shattering. It could be a small but significant difference that sets you apart from the rest.
3. Make it memorable and inspiring
There's a reason Nike's "Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.*
*If you have a body, you are an athlete” mission statement is so popular because it's both memorable and inspiring. That's what you should aim for. If you can't remember your own mission statement, chances are nobody else will be able to either. Here's what to do.
Make it inspiring
If you think about it, the most memorable mission statements are the ones that inspire people. They make you want to be a part of something bigger and make you feel like what you do matters. That's the kind of mission statement you should aim for.
How can you get people to feel excited about your mission? Start by painting a picture of what success looks like. What will the world look like once you've achieved your mission? What difference will you have made?
For instance, Tesla's mission is to "accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy." This mission statement not only sets a clear goal but also inspires people to be a part of the solution to climate change.
Make it relevant
After you've come up with an inspiring mission statement, it's important to ensure it's relevant to your target audience. After all, what good is a mission statement if nobody can relate to it?
To make your mission statement relevant, you need to ensure that it speaks to the needs and wants of your target market. Many companies make their mission statements all about them, saying things like "We love our customers" or "We're committed to protecting our environment." However, these statements don't mean anything to the average person.
A better approach is focusing on your target market's wants and needs. For example, a company that makes baby products could say "Giving parents the peace of mind that their babies are safe and healthy." This mission statement is relevant to parents, and it's something that anyone with a baby can get behind.
Make it actionable
The best mission statements are also actionable. They don't just sit on a shelf gathering dust— they guide the company's and its employee's actions.
An actionable mission statement should be clear and specific and outline what the company plans to do to achieve its goals. For example, if your goal is to eliminate plastic waste, your mission statement could be "to reduce our reliance on plastic and find sustainable alternatives."
This mission statement is actionable because it outlines a specific goal and also provides a plan of action for how the company intends to achieve that goal.
4. Use Copy.ai's "Brand Mission" tool
With all of this new information at your disposal, it's time to start writing your own mission statement. And there's no better place to start than with Copy.ai's "Brand Mission" tool.
With this AI-powered tool, you can create a custom mission statement for your brand in minutes—all you need to do is enter your company name, industry, and the details you'd like to include in your statement. You can also choose the tone of your mission statement and experiment with different versions to create the best statement for your brand.
Additional tips
For even more guidance, here are two more tips that can make it easier to write a good mission statement:
Involve your entire team while writing your company mission statement
A mission statement should reflect your company's values and beliefs, so it's important to involve as many people from your team as possible while you're writing it. This will help ensure the statement accurately reflects what your company stands for.
This is also crucial when you're hiring new employees. Having a strong mission statement ensures that only people who share your company's values and beliefs are applying for jobs. This will help build a strong culture within your organization that can easily differentiate you from your competitors.
Networking events are a great way to collect outside input on your mission statement
Another great way to ensure that your mission statement is relevant and actionable is to collect input from people outside your company. Networking events are a great way to do this, as they provide an opportunity to speak with people from various industries and backgrounds.
You can use these conversations to get feedback on how to make your message clearer, more engaging, or even more memorable. You won't necessarily get direct input on the statement itself, but you will get a sense of how others perceive your company. That's valuable information that can help you fine-tune your statement!
Make sure your mission statement is always evolving
While your mission statement should be more or less permanent, it's important to ensure it's always evolving. As your company grows and changes, so should your mission statement. This will help keep it relevant and actionable.
For example, a company that started out selling only environmentally friendly products might eventually expand its product line to include other sustainable items. In this case, the company's mission statement should be updated to reflect this change.
Examples of great mission statements
To give you some inspiration, here are a few great mission statement examples from top companies:
1. IKEA
"To offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them."
What makes IKEA's mission statement effective is its clear and conciseness. It outlines the company's goal—to offer affordable home furnishings—and tells you exactly who they're doing it for: as many people as possible. It also details how they plan to achieve this goal: by offering a wide range of well-designed products. It ticks all the boxes!
2. Coca-Cola
"To refresh the world in mind, body, and spirit; to inspire moments of optimism through our brands and actions; and to create value and make a difference."
Coca-Cola's mission statement is surprisingly modern for a company with such a long and illustrious history. It focuses on the company's role in making the world a happier place, and it outlines how they plan to do this by refreshing people's minds, bodies, and spirits. It's an inspiring statement that speaks to what the company is all about.
3. Patagonia
"We're in business to save our home planet."
Patagonia's mission statement is short, sweet, and to the point. But what's great about it is that it's very specific. It tells you exactly what the company is trying to do—save the planet—and gives its audience a clear call to action. This company understands its audience well and knows what they want to hear.
4. Asana
"Our mission is to help humanity thrive by enabling all teams to work together effortlessly."
Asana's mission statement is all about helping people work better together. It's a simple yet powerful statement that speaks to the company's vision of a world where everyone can work together seamlessly. What makes it so great is that it's very relevant to the company’s target audience: people who work in teams.
5. LinkedIn
"To connect the world's professionals to make them more productive and successful."
Although seemingly simple, LinkedIn's mission statement is very effective. It tells you exactly what the company does (connect professionals) and why they're doing it (to make them more productive and successful). It's a great example of how a mission statement doesn't need to be complicated to be effective.
In conclusion
Your mission statement is one of the most important pieces of your company's identity. Therefore, crafting a statement that speaks to who you are and what you're trying to achieve is worth crafting. Use the tips and examples in this article to help create a mission statement that will guide your company for years to come.
To get started on writing your own mission statement, be sure to try out Copy.ai's Brand Mission tool. It's a great way to get the ball rolling and start seeing your company's identity in a new light. If you need help getting started, we have a guide for it here.
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