Entrepreneurship Course

Discussion Opportunity – Chapter 5

Tips for Writing a Powerful Mission Statement

A mission statement is a useful tool for getting everyone fired up and heading in
the same direction, but writing one is not as easy as it may first appear. Here are
some tips for writing a powerful mission statement:
 ●●  Keep it short. The best mission statements are just a few sentences long.
If they are short, people tend to remember them better.
 ●●  Keep it simple. Avoid using fancy jargon to impress outsiders such as
customers or suppliers. The first and most important use of a mission
statement is inside a company.
 ●●  Focus on your value proposition. Your competitors are trying to reach
the same customers that you are trying to reach. A mission statement should
address the unique value offered by your company and what sets it apart
from the competition.
 ●●  Get everyone involved. If the boss writes the company mission
statement, who is going to criticize it? Although the entrepreneur has to be
the driving force behind the mission statement, everyone in the company
needs the opportunity to have a voice in creating it. Expect to write several
drafts before you arrive at a finished product.
 ●●  Keep it current. Mission statements can get stale over time. As business
and competitive conditions change, so should your mission statement. Make
a habit of evaluating your mission periodically so that it stays fresh.
 ●●  Make sure your mission statement reflects the values and beliefs you
hold dear. They are the foundation on which your company is built.
 ●●  A mission statement should inspire. One entrepreneur says a mission
statement should “send a message to employees, suppliers, and customers as
to what the purpose of the company is aside from just making profits.”
 ●●  Make sure your statement reflects a concern for the future. Business
owners can get so focused on the present that they forget about the future. A
mission statement should be the first link to the company’s future.
 ●●  Keep the tone of the statement positive and upbeat. No one wants to
work for a business with a pessimistic outlook on the world.
 ●●  Use your mission statement to lay an ethical foundation for your
company. This is the ideal time to let employees know what your company
stands for—and what it won’t stand for.
 ●●  Make sure your mission statement reflects your company’s culture.
Although you should look at other companies’ mission statements, do not
make the mistake of trying to copy them. Your company’s mission is
unique.
 ●●  Revise it when necessary. No business is static, and your company’s
mission statement should change as your company changes. Work with a
team of employees on a regular basis to review and revise your company’s
mission statement.
 ●●  Use it. Don’t go to all the trouble of writing a mission statement just to
let it collect dust. Post it on bulletin boards, print it on buttons and business
cards, stuff it into employees’ pay envelopes. Talk about your mission often
and use it to develop your company’s strategic plan. That’s what it’s for!

1. Source: Based on Larry Kim, “30 Inspiring Billion-Dollar Startup Company Mission Statements,” Inc., November 5, 2015,
www.inc.com/larry-kim/30-inspiring-billion-dollar-startup-company-mission-statements.html; Dave Smith, “5 Tips for a Useful
Mission Statement,” Inc., March 22, 2011, www.inc.com/ss/5-tips-on-developing-an-effective- mission-statement; Ken Blanchard,
“The New Bottom Line,” Entrepreneur, February 1998, pp. 127–131; Alan Farn- ham, Brushing Up Your Vision Thing,” Fortune,
May 1, 1995, p. 129; Sharon Nelton, “Put Your Purpose in Writing,” Nation’s Business, February 1994, pp. 61–64; Jacquelyn Lynn,
“Single-Minded,” Entrepreneur, January 1996, p. 97.