Mission Statement Outline

What is a mission statement?

The mission statement is a three or four sentence declaration of your business' reason for being. It should include the focus, purpose, and values of the company. This statement will be your guide to all future operating decisions you make in running and growing your business.

Who needs a mission statement?

Any person, business or organization that wants to publicly or privately state their purpose for being or what they stand for. And it's a handy tool for reminding us what our purpose is when we forget, get sidetracked from, or suffer from a temporary loss of focus.

• Businesses
  Businesses large and small should take the time to identify and create a mission statement. Once again, it will state in a consistent manner who you are, what you do, what you stand for and why you do it. In a nutshell, why you are in business and who you are in business for.
  
• Organizations
  Often organizations will create mission statements so they, too, can state their purpose. For instance, The Red Cross mission statement reads: “Provide relief to victims of disaster and help people prevent, prepare and respond to emergencies.” Without question a very clear statement of what they do and who they do it for.
  
• Personal
  A personal mission statement also clearly states who you are, what you do, why you do it, and who you do it for. Even if who you do it for is yourself. A sales professional or business professional might create a mission statement that reads something along the lines of: “My purpose in business is to provide my customers with unsurpassed value, quality and service, and always conduct business in an ethical and fair manner.”

Who is the mission statement for?

The audience that a mission statement is designed for and aimed at will vary depending on the objective you set and who's benefit you created the mission statement for. The mission statement can be meant for an internal, external or personal audience, or for a combination of audiences.

• Internal Audience
  A mission statement can be created for an internal audience only, like management and employees. Often the purpose of an internal mission statement is to motivate people within the organization by helping them understand the vision of the company, or what they can expect from the company should they live up to their end of the bargain, meaning hard work, loyalty and creativity.
• External Audience
  A mission statement can be created for external audiences that includes any one or all of the following: customers, suppliers, investors, vendors, and business alliances. Of course in terms of the external audience, usually the mission statement is created for the customer, because without them your marketing efforts are totally useless and wasted.  
• Personal Audience
  You can create a mission statement that is specifically written for you and for no one else. The biggest benefit for having your own personal mission statement is that it can be used as a source of inspiration and motivation for when things are going well and not so well. Many top businesspeople create personal mission statements that they print on cards, laminate and keep with them at all times so they can occasionally escape the moment and reflect on what they truly stand for.
• Multiple Audiences
  And, of course, a mission statement can be created to address all three audiences, either as one mission statement or as a larger one with various components that address each audience that it is meant for.

How to create a mission statement?

There are no hard and fast rules for creating a mission statement. Ask 100 experts how to write a mission statement and chances are you will get 100 different answers. However, most agree that the following are key points to consider when developing a mission statement:

• As a general rule, most mission statements are brief—in the two or three-sentence range—and less than 40 words. Keep your mission statement brief, especially if you want people to read it and be able to remember it.
• A mission statement is not an advertisement, business plan or promotional message activity, but it should be used as a component of these and other marketing activities.
• Don't rush when creating your mission statement—take your time and edit it accordingly.
• Look at other mission statements to get ideas about how they were crafted. Check to see if the company or organization is living up to its purpose. Never copy someone else's mission statement, but instead review many to get a feel for what the authors are trying to say and who they are trying to appeal to.
• The best mission statements are simple, real and honest. This is because they are not a lie. Never create a mission statement that you do not believe in, because people will be quick to spot the difference between what you say in your mission statement and the reality.
• Your mission statement should be flexible, and don't be afraid to alter it to meet your customers changing needs or your new purpose.
• Skip puffery like how great you are and what a great job you do, and instead stick with what your audience will receive as a result of your mission statement—the benefits they will reap through quality, value and uncompromising service.

Here are the mission statements of a few well-known companies. To find more, simply log onto, Goggle or Yahoo and type in “mission statement.” The search will render thousands of matches.

• Avis Rent-A-Car: Our business is renting cars. Our mission is total customer satisfaction.
• Wal-Mart: To provide a range of products that deliver value to Middle America .
• Blockbuster Video: To be the global leader in rental home entertainment, by providing outstanding service, selection, convenience and value.
• The Chicago Bulls: The Chicago Bulls organization is a sports entertainment company dedicated to winning NBA championships, growing new basketball fans, and providing superior entertainment, value and service.
• Dell Computers: Dell's mission is to be the most successful computer company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve. In doing so, Dell will meet customer expectations of the highest quality, leading technology, competitive pricing, individual and company accountability, best-in-class service and support, flexible customization capability, superior corporate citizenship and financial stability.