A small business mission and vision can make the difference between success and failure. A mission statement defines your ultimate goal or purpose – what you intend to do or what you’ve already accomplished – while a vision statement outlines your aspirations or outlines how you want the world to be. Crafting a mission statement and vision statement that is meaningful and inspiring can give you a sense of direction and help you build a more successful small business.
Here are some strategies to create a compelling small business mission and vision:
- Understand What You Want to Accomplish. The purpose of a mission and vision statement is to document what you’re aiming to accomplish in order to give you and your team a sense of direction. Before you begin writing or brainstorming, take some time to consider what goals you want to set and the tangible results you want to see. Ask yourself questions such as “what do I want to be known for?” and “how do I want my small business to impact the world?”
- Gather Feedback. Before you write your mission and vision statement, it can be helpful to ask people who know your business well for their feedback. Get their perspectives on where they think your small business should be heading and what they think your mission and vision should be.
- Use Specific Language. Once you have a clearer idea of how you want your small business to be seen and experienced by others, you can begin putting the mission and vision statements together. Avoid using vague language and focus instead on using specific language that builds strong, powerful images that accurately describe the goals of your small business.
- Keep it Short and Sweet. It’s important to keep your mission and vision statements short and sweet. People should be able to quickly and clearly understand your statements and what you intend to accomplish. Aim for a maximum of 1-2 sentences for each statement.
- Test it Out. Once you have your mission and vision statements in finalized form, it’s important to test it out. See how it resonates with current and potential partners, customers, and employees. Ask for honest opinions to see if the mission and vision reflect the direction you want to take with your small business.
Creating mission and vision statements that are clear and compelling can help you define a sense of direction and purpose for your small business. Investing the necessary time and effort into crafting these statements and evaluating their effectiveness can be the difference between having a successful small business and simply having a mediocre one.