Mission Statements & Why They Matter
When thinking about what your business’s values are – what comes to mind?
Mission statements may be a term that you’ve heard in relation to your favorite big-name brands but have never thought about twice. Often, mission statements can be found as unimportant and are frequently confused with vision statements. Many companies solely see a need for their product or service in the market and tend not to build their company around a set of values. When thinking about what you value, words that might come to mind include being eco-friendly, ingredient-conscious, ethical, employee safety, etc., but how does that tie into your business?
Businesses all make decisions based on what they stand for, all of which is laid out in their mission statement. But, why put it out there and not just keep their mission statement for internal use only? While mission statements are a great tool to use internally to ground a company, they also have the ability to serve a bigger purpose.
So, what’s the purpose of a mission statement?
They give companies the ability to promote their work culture and values.
They serve as the guideline for decision-making.
They help your customers align themselves better with your business.
They promote customer loyalty and sentiment.
Take Patagonia, for example; they have a page on their website dedicated to their “Core Values,” to which they describe their mission statement through what they value. While they also promote their beliefs and values, that page allows customers to easily find, relate, and feel a sense of connection to the company.
Mission statements are so prevalent but somehow aren’t stressed. In reality, we all have personal mission statements, even if they’re not laid out in the same way. We all have our own values and make decisions for ourselves, our families, etc., based on what we believe is right and what we stand for.
If your business doesn’t have a mission statement – or at least a quick list of your core values – it’s definitely something worth considering. Growing customer loyalty and sentiment could be as simple as promoting the fact that you stand by the same values and purpose that they do. Need help defining your mission statement? Get in touch with us. We’ve helped countless businesses position themselves in the market by closely defining who they are, what they want to do, and how they plan on doing it.
