What Is a Mission and Vision Statement? How Do the Two Differ?
Your mission statement lays the foundation for your business. It informs customers and employees about your purpose and conveys how you help others. Your vision statement should focus on where you’re going and how you’re going to get there.
You only get one chance to make a first impression, and first impressions matter the most. You have to make it a great one. Keep your company’s mission, and vision statements simple. Avoid jargon or unnecessary words. Think about your long-term plan. Keep in mind that your business may evolve as your company grows. If you’re moving in a new direction, create a new vision statement that aligns with your current goals.
The idea is to keep your customers in the loop, so they connect with your brand. In this post, we’ll show you how to write compelling and powerful mission and vision statements to grow your business. We’ll go into the essential elements that make for a great statement and highlight some inspiring examples for you.
What’s the Difference Between a Mission and a Vision Statement?
A mission statement describes your goals and values. It’s typically a short statement that you can post on your company website that explains what you do, who you serve, and what makes your brand unique.
A vision statement explains your company’s goals for the future. It should say where you are today, what goals you have for the business, and how you plan to reach those milestones.
Before you start brainstorming ideas for your mission and vision statements, it may help to put together a vision board to put your ideas in one place. Focus on answering these questions:
- How does your business help solve your client’s problems?
- What’s your why? Define your purpose.
- What are the goals of your business?
How Do I Write a Powerful Mission Statement?
When you think of your business’s core values, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Use this as inspiration to create the perfect mission statement. Create a memorable, short statement that people can connect with. You don’t need to write a long paragraph to explain your purpose.
- Your brand’s mission statement should focus on your goals, your clients, and your employees.
- It should reflect your values, beliefs, and help guide your company in times of crisis.
- Be passionate about what you write and describe your long-term goals.
- Use present tense.
- Avoid unnecessary words.
- A powerful mission statement is clear, focused, and compelling.
How Do I Write a Powerful Vision Statement?
To write a compelling vision statement, create a map of your business goals, and decide what impact you want to have. Your statement should be clear and help customers understand what you do and where you want to be.
When writing your vision statement, think about where you’ll post it on the website. Are you going to feature it on the homepage or your about us page? Keep that in mind when crafting your statement, so you can focus on whom you’re writing it for – your audience.
If you’re struggling to highlight your strengths, ask your team for feedback. Planning a rebranding? Update your vision statement to meet your goals.
Great Examples of Powerful Mission and Vision Statements
Need some help creating your vision and mission statements? Here’s some inspiration to help you get started.
Mission statement: The mission of LinkedIn is simple: connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.
Vision statement: Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.
Mission statement: Our mission is to be Earth’s most customer-centered company. This is what unites Amazonians across teams and geographies as we are all striving to delight our customers and make their lives easier, one innovative product, service, and idea at a time.
Mission statement: Asana’s mission is to help humanity thrive by enabling the world’s teams to work together effortlessly.
Mission statement: To create economic opportunities so people have better lives.
Vision statement: To be the number one flexible talent solution in the world.
Mission statement: We make everyday life better, every day.
Compelling mission and vision statements should help motivate your employees and build trust with your clients. A vision statement outlines your goals so you and your team can stay on track. If you need help understanding the difference, your mission statement should focus on today, while your vision statement talks about the future. When you started your company, you had a mission in mind. Use that motivation to help you create memorable and powerful mission and vision statements for your business.
Similar to this one: Mission + Vision Statements in the Automotive Industry
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