8 Points to Remember When Developing Your Mission Statement
by Eric Gilboord
1. State what you do, who you do it for, and what customers stand to gain from you. Avoid generic words like ‘‘great’’ or ‘‘best.’’ Be specific when describing your products and services. Don’t list every product or service you offer but identify categories. A mission statement is not your slogan, goal, business or marketing plan, ad, or press release.
2. Use input from all of the members of your company, both internal and external, to develop an effective mission statement. Integrate the opinions and ideas of those close to you and your customers like your accountant and marketing suppliers.
3. Use no more than three or four sentences, preferably fewer, in a good mission statement.
4. Do some research before you start your own. Look at other mission statements and become familiar with different approaches to them.
5. Avoid humor and sarcasm as they may be clever only to you. The reader may not get the joke.
6. Be simple, direct, honest, focussed, and original. Make sure the reader learns something about what you can offer them.
7. Be true to yourself. Believe in what you wrote; others will pick up on a lack of sincerity.
8. Demonstrate a genuine benefit to your customers and prospects.
In case you are wondering my mission is:
To provide small and medium sized businesses with the marketing tools and skills needed to compete and grow.
And That's According 2 Eric