A mission statement defines what an organization is, why itexists, its reason for being. At a minimum, your mission statementshould define who your primary customers are, identify the productsand services you produce, and describe the geographical location inwhich you operate.
If you don’t have a mission statement, create one by writingdown in one sentence what the purpose of your business is. Ask twoor three of the key people in your company to do the same thing.Then discuss the statements and come up with one sentence everyoneagrees with. Once you have finalized your mission statement,communicate it to everyone in the company.
It’s more important to communicate the mission statement toemployees than to customers. Your mission statement doesn’t have tobe clever or catchy–just accurate.
If you already have a mission statement, you will need toperiodically review and possibly revise it to make sure itaccurately reflects your goals as your company and the business andeconomic climates evolve. To do this, simply ask yourself if thestatement still correctly describes what you’re doing.
If your review results in a revision of the statement, be sureeveryone in the company is aware of the change. Make a big deal outof it. After all, a change in your mission probably means yourcompany is growing-and that’s a big deal.
Once you have designed a niche for your business, you’re readyto create a mission statement. A key tool that can be as importantas your business plan, a mission statement captures, in a fewsuccinct sentences, the essence of your business’s goals and thephilosophies underlying them. Equally important, the missionstatement signals what your business is all about to yourcustomers, employees, suppliers and the community.
The mission statement reflects every facet of your business: therange and nature of the products you offer, pricing, quality,service, marketplace position, growth potential, use of technology,and your relationships with your customers, employees, suppliers,competitors and the community.
