During the course of your biz-life, you’ve probably heard the terms ‘vision statement’ and ‘mission statement’ being thrown around. But what are they? What is their purpose? Stick around and I’ll share my easy-peasy method of how to write a vision and mission statement that’ll knock the socks off any marketing guru.
If you’ve written any variation of marketing plan then you’ll definitely have heard of vision and mission statements, and understand the benefit of having them in place. In business, your goal posts change more often than you change your undies. So, you really should be reviewing these marketing fundamentals at least annually in order to keep up with the constant evolution and growth of your business.
Without further ado, here are my crystal-clear definitions and fail proof tips on how to write a vision and mission statement that will give you earth-shattering brand clarity.
Vision Statement
What is it?
A vision statement is a snapshot of your brand 5-10 years into the future. Regardless of constraints (time, money, staff, resources etc.), this statement encompasses the ultimate goal for your brand. By focusing on the essence of your brand, who you serve, your products/services and how you’ll do it without any worries about how you’ll get there, you’ll gain clarity about what you really want out of your business. This will ultimately give you clarity around implementing the steppingstones for your brand, that lead directly to this end point.
How to write it?
Write your vision statement in confident, direct language. Think about the ultimate goal of your business, the quality of your clients and how you’re serving them. Use future tense rather than present tense and use phrases such as “will be” rather than “aims to be”.
Here’s an example:
Hopscotch Branding Studio will be the go-to bespoke branding design studio for women in business in Adelaide and extend Australia-wide through word of mouth and referrals. Our trusted reputation will be for creativity, originality, relatability, professionalism and intuitively interpreting client briefs.
Mission Statement
What is it?
A mission statement flows on from the vision statement, giving more detail about what your business is currently doing to reach the end goal. It is a confident paragraph outlining who you are, who you serve, why you do it and what the benefits are for your clients.
How to write it?
Your mission statement should be written in present tense. Use confident, matter-of-fact type language such as “we work with” rather than “we aim to” or “we try to”. Outline the clientele that you serve, what the benefits are to your clients or customers and how you do it. It doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that, but you can go into more detail if it helps you build clarity. Your mission statement can be displayed on your website. Not only does it give a succinct overview of what you do, how you do it and why, but it also breeds confidence that you know what you’re doing.
Here’s an example:
Hopscotch Branding Studio works with female business owners to create visual branding personalities, graphic design for marketing collateral, and custom illustrations that align with the goals, philosophies and vision of these businesses, appeal to their target market and send a clear, emotive message.
Summary
In summary, your vision statement encapsulates your big picture. It’s the ultimate end goal, so always use future tense and empowering, confident language to inspire your dreams. Your mission statement is ever evolving and describes what you’re doing right now to achieve your brand’s mission, including identifying your ideal clients and how you fill their needs.
CHALLENGE
I challenge you to create your own vision and mission statements that align with your brand values, ideal client and goals. Come on over to the Facebook group Branding Lifeline for Biz-Ladies and share your vision and mission statements! We’ll cheer you on and give our finest tips and feedback.