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2 Simple Exercises to Create your Business Vision and Mission Statements

Read Time: 8 Minutes

Introduction

Does your business lack purpose and direction?

 

Then maybe you don’t have a clear Vision and Mission statement to give your organization focus, coherence, and direction. A Mission Statement helps allow your business to create goals and objectives focused on achieving your vision. Without these statements, your business can feel disjointed in its efforts, like a traveler with no destination or the means to get there – wandering aimlessly, hoping to stumble on where you should be.


Don’t let your business stumble into purpose; it’s costly, stressful, and downright time-consuming.

 

This blog will help you create YOUR VISION AND MISSION STATEMENTS

Get ready to create your own Vision and Mission Statements! You know what they say, a business that fails to plan, plans to fail. That’s where these statements come in handy. When you’re clear on where you want your business to go, it’s easier to create goals and objectives to help you get there. Think of it like driving a car with a road map – you need to know where you’re headed and the steps you need to take to get there. This blog will guide you through crafting strong Vision and Mission Statements, giving your business a clear purpose and direction. Let’s get started!

What is a Vision & Mission Statement?

To learn what a company’s Vision & Mission statements are, it can first help to understand their definitions:
Image sourced; bmc.com

Image sourced; bmc.com

Vision Statement

The vision statement outlines the ultimate goal of the company “The Where” and focuses on the long-term ambitions, typically spanning five to ten years or more.

Mission Statement

The provision of a mission statement is fundamental in steering an organization towards the realization of its vision. It plays a significant role in shedding light on the “how” of achieving the company’s aspirations. This is accomplished through the identification of attainable goals, objectives, and an actionable plan towards the desired business destination.

Basically, a Vision is where we want to be, and a Mission outlines how we’re going to get there. So, if we come across any unexpected roadblocks, the Mission provides a way to adjust our course while still keeping our eye on the prize. It’s all about staying focused on the end goal, even if we have to take a detour along the way!

How is a Vision Statement different from a Mission Statement?

The focus time is the primary difference between a company’s Mission and Vision. While a Mission statement focuses on the present, a Vision statement visualizes the future. 

  • With a clear Mission(Present), you help define what you do, who you do it for, and why. A Mission Statement is actionable.
  • A clear Vision(Future) helps determine your future stance and ideology of the company and what you wish for. A Vision Statement is aspirational.

 

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Why is a Vision and Mission Statement so Important?

Creating Vision and Mission statement is essential for the following reasons:

  • The vision and mission statements solidify the purpose and direction of the organization. They help create unity and motivation for the team.
  • The mission statement provides the path for the organization to follow, while the vision statement provides the aspiration.
  • They help to align the individuals into a team to achieve a prosperous future.
  • The mission statement outlines the brand with a clear and effective outline for making decisions, while the vision statement ensures the decisions made are within the brand’s hopes for itself.
  • By creating a vision and mission statement, a business ensures everyone is working towards a single purpose. This would decrease friction and ensure everyone is working with the company in mind.

These alone indicate how valuable having a clear vision and mission statements are. They give your business the direction and the means to get there.

How do you create a Vision and Mission Statement?

It’s a good idea to write your Vision and Mission statement together since they work hand in hand and require a similar approach. By establishing your Vision, you can decide on the destination and then create a plan of action for reaching it with your Mission.

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4 Steps to Create your Vision Statement

Let’s kick off with the Vision Statement, which is all about the future goals of your company. To keep things easy, your Vision Statement has three important components: it should be focused on the future, it should spark inspiration, and it should have a clear sense of purpose.

Vision Statment should contain these 3 parts

  • Future-Oriented: To ensure that this is a future insight into the business
  • Inspire: To engage and compel others into action
  • Purpose: Clarifies the organization’s purpose and direction
 

Get a pen and paper and write out your answers to the steps below.

Step 1: Future-Oriented

  • Where do you want your business to be in 5 -10 years?
Try and write out a few objectives or ideas of where you want your business to be if you had all the resources in the world.
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Step 2: INSPIRE

  •  How will you inspire or engage with the consumer/customer/industry?
What will be your brand’s unique perspective that will encourage others to follow you?

Step 3: Purpose

  • Why does your brand do what it does?
What pain point of your customers are you solving or making easier?
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Step 4: CompILE the three components

Congratulations on defining the three important areas! The next step is to create a statement that encompasses all three. Keep in mind that a vision statement should be brief and easy to understand. You want it to clearly communicate the direction you want the business to take. Think of it as a headline that captures the essence of your business.
 
Finish off this sentence;
  • My Vision is

4 Steps to Create your Mission Statement

I’m making things easy for you! Your Mission Statement is your game plan for achieving your vision. We’ve broken it down into three simple parts. This statement should describe how you’re making a difference, what market you’re serving, and how you stand out from the competition. Let’s get to it!

 

Mission Statement should contain these 3 parts

  • Contribution: Emphasize customer benefits from your product/service.
  • Key Market: Use language that resonates with your target audience’s expectations.
  • Distinction: Highlight why you’re the best fit by showcasing your unique benefits.

Get a pen and paper and write out your answers to the steps below.

Step 1: contribution

Define what you will offer to your target market. Are you providing products or services? Identify the value you are contributing to the world through your offerings. This step clarifies the nature of your contribution and aligns it with the needs and desires of your target market.
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Step 2: Key Market

Determine who will benefit from your service or product. Define your target audience and understand their needs and preferences. This step ensures you focus your efforts on reaching the right people and tailoring your offerings to meet their specific requirements

  •  Who will benefit from this service or product?
  • Who is your target audience?

Step 3: Distinction

Identify what sets your brand or product apart from others. Determine your unique selling point (USP) and articulate why the target consumer should choose your offering over competitors. This step helps clarify your competitive advantage and highlights the compelling reasons for customers to choose your brand.

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Step 4: Compile the three components

Great job on identifying these three crucial elements! The next step is to craft a statement that incorporates all three parts. Remember to make it easy to understand, direct, and straightforward. Your statement should give people a clear idea of how you’ll achieve your vision, who to concentrate their efforts on, and what sets your product or service apart. Above all, create a statement that you and your team can wholeheartedly get behind.
 
Finish off this statement;
  • My Mision is

Example of My Vision and  Mission Statement

Below is an example of me completing the above tasks to showcase what my Vision and Mission statement would be.

MY Vision Statement:

  • Future Oriented: I wish to help others to become the best version of themselves. I want to have courses, blogs all created for the support of others. It focuses on my why.
  • Inspire: I will show them how I did it for myself and the busineses I’ve worked for by simplifying the process for anyone to follow. Through blogs and courses.
  • Purpose: I will create how-to courses and solify myself as an industry expert trying to help others follow my footsteps.
 

MY Mision Statement:

  • Contribution: I will be offering marketing & design how-to advice based on my lived experiences.
  • Key Market: I would like to help small businesses who are looking for a simple to use, no-bullshit template and advice.
  • Distinction: I’ve worked across many industry from fashion, horti-culture, and Cannabis. With a design-first eye, I’ve been able to help the companies I partner succeed by following the design basics and implementing them for businesses to follow.

 

My Vision is to help others to help themselves by facilitating self-reliance within themselves.

My Mission is to help others realize their full potential by encouraging and assisting in achieving self-reliance and autonomy, by drawing upon my failures and successes as examples to guide and empower others to reach their dreams.

Hey there! Just a quick heads up, polishing the three components into a vision and mission statement might take a bit of wordplay. Don’t worry if it doesn’t sound perfect at first, keep tweaking it until it sounds about right. It’s a good idea to revisit these statements every 5 years for the best results. Don’t stress, you got this!

Key Takeaways

  • A clear Mission(Present) helps define what you do, who you do it for, and why. 
    • A Mission Statement is actionable.
  • A clear Vision(Future) helps determine your future stance and ideology of the company and what you wish for.
    • A Vision Statement is aspirational.
  • Creating your Vision Statement & Mission Statement
    • Vision is simple, why does your brand exist, and what do you hope to achieve if resources were unlimited?
    • Your Mission Statement outlines a clear plan for achieving your vision with your current resources.

Summary

Developing a vision and mission statement is essential to business longevity. These statements concisely explain your group’s aspirations, help your organization focuses on what is necessary, and provide the foundations of your business success. It gives everyone working for your company a clear outline of the future and what you want your business to achieve.

The route to success may change with the hurdles of business, and that’s why you must implement a clear vision. It empowers your staff to overcome these hurdles by applying the actionable mission to reach your vision’s aspiration. Remember, if you don’t plan, you plan to fail.

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Works Cited/ Resources

  • Anak Agung Istri Karlita Aprilianti (2022). 7 Reasons Why Vision and Mission is Important for Business Development. hashmicro.com
  • bigcommerce (/). How to write a powerful mission statement that resonates. bigcommerce.com
  • David DeWold (2014). Which Is Most Important to Your Organization: Mission, Core Values, or Vision? Daviddewolf.com
  • Editor (2020). Mission And Vision- Why Is It Important? Opengrowth.com
  • Erin Wike (2021). Vision Statements: Tips, Example and Importance. indeed.com
  • Indeed Editorial Team (2022). Difference Between a Company’s Mission vs. Vision Statement. ca.indeed.com
  • Jennette Nagy. Stephen B. Fawcett (/). Proclaiming Your Dream: Developing Vision and Mission Statements. Ctb.ku.edu
  • Kristie Magowan (2020). Service Desk Mission and Vision Statements: The Basics. Bmc.com
  • Open (/). The Roles of Mission, Vision, and Value. open.lib.umn.edu
  • Sean Peek (2023). What Is a Vision Statement? businessnewsdaily.com
  • Sunny Tsang (2020). Best Mission Statements: 12 Examples You Need to See. Fond.co
  • Talent Management (/). The Difference Between Core Values, Mission & Vision Statements, and Goals. Paycor.com
  • The Non-Profit Times (2013). 8 elements of an effective vision statement. thenonprofittimes.com
  • Tom Wright (2022). How to Write a Vision Statement (With Examples, Tips, and Formulas). Cascades.app