A mission statement is supposed to summarize the reason your company exists. It should evoke excitement to your audience while describing what makes you unique in a sea of many competitors.
However, many companies get stuck creating mission statements that end up not saying anything useful; they are just a bunch of useless jargon that has no real meaning. If your employees or possible customers give you confused looks or have to ask questions about what you do after hearing or reading your mission statement, it’s time to go back to the drawing board.
Mistake #1: Too Many Generalizations
If you’re focusing your efforts to serving those in a certain geographic region, specifically name that region. Avoid describing your company with basic adjectives such as “best.” Describe, instead, what you specifically have done to make your company the “best.”
Mistake #2: Using Unnecessary Words
This is also known as “fluff.” Short and concise ideas work best in a mission statement. Don’t use meaningless words; cut the fluff and be very specific with your wording. Jargon that the customer isn’t familiar with will only confuse them instead of win their business.
Mistake #3: Relying on Too Many People
How many people does it take to write a mission statement? The answer is different for every business but if you’re plagued by dozens of meetings and arguments about certain wording, it might be wise to limit the number of people for this project and start from the beginning. Simplicity is the key. Answer this simple question: Why is your company in business?
Mistake #4: Boring Your Audience
Your mission statement should excite your audience. It should tell a story about how you can help them. Even though it is a short summary, it should evoke excitement from your audience and they should leave wanting to know more about what you do. Jargon and fluff will not excite them and they might just turn to your competitor.
Mistake #5: Depending on Fancy Marketing Pieces
The slickest of slick marketing materials will not help explain your lousy mission statement. The strong words should be able to stand on their own, telling a story and clearly outlining what your company is about. The graphics are really there to accentuate the mission statement. If your mission statement isn’t clear, you’ll simply waste hard-earned money on printing and design fees. Solidify your mission statement before designing your pieces.
Have you evaluated your mission statement lately? Do you have any other mission statement writing tips to share? Leave a comment below!
