3 STEP MISSION STATEMENT

Before I get into the 3 step mission statement, let’s understand what a mission statement is. First, understand business is business. It matters not what business you are in. Your mission statement should be addressed on startup. If you have been in business for a number of years and have not completed your mission statement, it is never too late to get done.

A 3 step mission statement is used to describe a business in a short, simple, and concise sentence or two. A mission statement describes its purpose for being in business.

It explains your business’s culture, values, and ethics. Missions statements are a general goal because they don’t have one metric that defines their success. They’re more often used as a guiding North Star—something your business can strive for as opposed to hitting hard numbers.

When starting your business a mission statements can serve several purposes, including motivating staff and future staff candidates and reassuring investors about the business’s future.

To write a 3 step mission statement, consider how your business affects customers, investors, suppliers and your community and why you strive to help these parties.

How a Mission Statement Works

Mission statements serve a dual purpose by helping employees remain focused on their tasks, engaging them to seek new ways to increase their productivity and creating an enduring culture, values, and goals in their work environment.

It defines how each of these applies to the business’s shareholders, employees, distributors, suppliers, and the community. These entities can use this statement to align their goals with your business.

It is quite common for large businesses to spend years and millions of dollars to develop and refine their mission statements. Sometimes, mission statements eventually become household memes.

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The 3 step mission statement

A mission statement can be as short as a single sentence, or as long as a paragraph. It summarizes your business’s purpose. You need to state the what, who and why of your company:

What is the business offering?

Who are you selling to?

Why you do it?

Whilst it may be difficult to zero down the focus of your business in a single sentence or two, here are some tips to help you write your mission statement.

When you think about your mission statement, consider what your business does. How it works with your customers and how well your employees will understand it.Outline what are your business's core values. Clearly define what it does.

First, outline what your business does. 

This may be a product you produce or a service you provide. It’s what makes your business run.

When you’ve drafted it, look it over. Edit it. Then have someone else like your mentor examine it. Regularly review your mission statement.

Then, when you think it is okay, you’ll need to incorporate it wherever you can. 

Obvious inclusions would be your website, brochures, marketing material, email templates, advertisements, wall plaques around the office, merchandise, and so on.

It’s not ideal to be forever changing your business image and mission statement.

However, your business can outgrow or change directions, resulting in a need for a new statement or tweak. This the more likely scenario.

Your business’s mission is its identity

Your business’s mission is its identity, and its vision of the business is its path to achieving its mission. Your business should take as long as it needs to get this right. Speak with your mentor to help you write your business mission statement.

In essence this is the guts of your mission statement

Your employees should help contribute and be part of the creation of your mission statement.Staff and management should know the mission statement by heart.

The perfect “elevator pitch”

Your mission statement is a perfect “elevator pitch” sentence you and the key personnel of your business should know. Because your mission statement is so short, it will be easy to memorize. It’s a perfect introduction for anyone who’s never heard of your business and wants to know more. Whether it’s at a networking event, social gathering, work commute, BBQ, wedding reception, or anything where you meet new people.

Here a couple of examples:

"I teach new people old tricks" (An expeirenced mentor).

"I see the future" (property developer).

"I build confidence for newly weds" (a mortgage broker) or (finance lender)

You know what you do. Make it interesting.

The objective is to engage further interest.

Your elevator pitch is an easy way to engage a stranger’s interest in your business and a perfect opportunity to tell your story of what your business does. 

Many opportunities have developed from these types of situations.

Your 3 step mission statement should be short and sweet

Your 3 step mission statement should be short and sweet. Telling the world exactly what you do. It’s no mean feat, but when you get it right, it is a great value to your business. It is an intangible asset. What is it worth? Heaps. Make sure you give it the attention it deserves. You deserve it.

Mission Statement Examples

  • Life is Good: To spread the power of optimism.

    • Sweetgreen: To inspire healthier communities by connecting people to real food.

  • Patagonia: We’re in business to save our home planet.
  • American Express: Become essential to our customers by providing differentiated products and services to help them achieve their aspirations. 
  • Warby Parker: To offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price while leading the way for socially conscious businesses.
  • Honest Tea: To create and promote great-tasting, healthy, organic beverages.
  • IKEA: A world of inspiration for your home.
  • Nordstrom: To give customers the most compelling shopping experience possible.
  • Cradles to Crayons: Provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive–at home, at school, and at play.
  • JetBlue: To inspire humanity–both in the air and on the ground.
  • Tesla: To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
  • TED: Ideas worth spreading.

As you realize exactly what a mission statement is, you will observe them everywhere. 

A mission statement should be exactly that - A mission statement. No more than a sentence, two max. Condense it until you get it right. Know it off by heart.Your mission statement should be short and sweet. Easy to memorize.

Have some fun with creating your 3 step mission statement and see what you can come up with. This is part of your business goals.

Conclusion

Your 3 step mission statement briefly describes the goals and purpose of your business entity. As opposed to a business plan, which addresses the how of a business, the mission statement addresses the why. 

A well-written mission statement can inform your market about what you do and stand for.

Learn it.
Memorize it.
This is who you and what your business is.

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