Brand Strategy Series P1: Mission & Vision
If you follow Sunday Roast on social media (if not, you should), you’ve probably seen us talk about one of our services - Developing Mission and Vision Statements. We realize that not everyone knows the difference between the two, or how to even come up with these statements, and so we’ve provided a bit of a guide to help get you started.
So, first thing’s first. What are Mission and Vision Statements?
MISSION
A Mission Statement is an action-oriented statement stating the purpose a business provides to its consumers. Think of a mission statement as a general description of the business, its function, and its objectives.
Patagonia:
We're in business to save our home planet.
VISION
A Vision Statement describes the desired future position of the company. It is the main goal your company wants to achieve. It’s more emotion-based; “hopes and dreams” for the brand.
Patagonia:
Use of all our resources to protect life on Earth.
Both mission and vision statements are equally important to the brand. The statements work together to guide the direction of the company. The main difference between them is that the mission statement describes what your company does, while your vision statement explains what the company attempts to achieve in the future.
How to Write your Mission Statement
Writing a mission statement is possible in 4 steps:
1. Explain your company’s product/service offering
What does your offering solve for your customer? For example, Honest: “Honest seeks to create and promote great-tasting, healthy, organic beverages.” This statement highlights the benefits of purchasing their sweet tea.
2. Identify the company’s core values
What were you motivated by to create this brand? For example, Akin: “Pay Creativity Forward” is motivated by supplying children’s school uniforms so that children in impoverished communities will gain an education.
3. Connect how your company's offering aligns with your values
Explain the connection between your core values in a way that makes sense to the public. For example, Conscious Step: “Conscious Step is committed to lasting social and environmental change.” This mission statement tells the public who they are, and what they stand for.
4. Condense these statements into one
Think of answering the following questions: What is the company offering? Who are you selling to? And why do you do it? For example, Gift of Hope: “Gift of Hope is an ethical fashion initiative protecting people and our earth.” This is a short, clear mission statement. As someone who was recently introduced to the brand, we know exactly who they are, what they stand for and why they do it.
How to Write a Vision Statement
As we mentioned earlier, a vision statement is the main goal your company wants to achieve. A vision statement is based more on hopes and dreams. Think 10+ years into the future when writing your vision statement. Here are some more steps:
1. Outline the basics. Start your process by answering some important questions about your company: What is your company's mission? Why do your company goals matter?
2. Be bold, ambitious and realistic. Inspire your customers to follow your creation.
3. Keep it short. A vision statement should be concise enough for your team to remember. No longer than one to two sentences.
4. Make it unique. Make it yours!
Why Do These Statements Matter?
We know writing these statements is time-consuming and you might not be able to see the impact of writing a couple of sentences. That’s understandable, but having these sentences provides a purpose.
Mission statements help you and your team see the clear reasons their job benefits a larger goal. Obakki isn’t just a clothing brand, they work with artisans around the globe to bring you curated homewares that respect traditional craftsmanship. Writing a mission statement provides positivity and motivation in the workplace. It also establishes a good reputation with customers and other like-minded brands.
Vision statements provide inspiration to you, your team and your clientele. Writing the statement will give you a chance to articulate the characteristics that guide the brand’s growth path. Without a clear guide, you could potentially forget why your brand was created in the first place and what the original dream was. And it is OK to update your vision statement! It may need some adjustments here and there to stay aligned with your brand journey.
These statements are the foundation of your brand. If the foundation isn't strong, how will your brand grow? Writing these statements can put a lot of pressure on one person, causing the task to be delayed or even forgotten about. Sunday Roast will work with you to develop these two statements with ease and excitement as part of your brand strategy.
Need a hand tidying your mission statement? Download our latest playbook 🚀
Purpose Unleashed: A FREE Guide to Transform Your Brand and Ignite Growth
Get clarity about your business's unique purpose, write an inspiring mission statement and learn how to use it to grow your digital impact.
