How to Write a Mission Statement

Greetings guys,

These past few weeks have been so busy since our The New Normal issue launch is the biggest launch I’ve ever executed. I’m very proud of my team and myself because we decided to do it big at the last minute, and we did just that in our own way, of course. However, I lost track of the series I was doing about brand imagery 101. 

We covered our intro to imagery with our beginning branding basics, and then we discussed purpose statements and vision statements, and now it is time for our mission statements. 

The mission statements are much like the purpose statement sharing why your business exists and the vision statement sharing your goals, but most mission statements include the infinitive verb following the word “to.” So it almost sounds like strategic action steps if done correctly. 

In 2018, Apple’s current  CEO, Tim Cook, said the company’s mission statement was “to bringing the best user experience to its customers through its innovative hardware, software, and services.” Personally, I think it should be “to bring,” but Apple is one of the most prominent and most respected brands, so who am I to complain?

Ikea’s mission statement is, “To create a better everyday life for the many people.”

Tesla’s mission statement is, “To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.”

However, some mission statements may not start with the word “to.” For example, TED’s mission statement reads, “Spread ideas.” That’s it for them, but that’s all they do, right?

Like the previous statements, the mission statement should be short and concise, but it should also identify your target audience if possible. 

Ikea’s mission mentions “many people,” while Tesla insinuates the world as their target audience, much like TED’s, who wants to spread ideas to everyone. 

However, the mission statement can change over time. So while you want it to be specific, you also want to leave room for it to evolve, which is good because we all want to grow into something bigger even if we wish to remain a small business of under 500 employees or sell our business in time. 

The mission statement should tell what makes you unique and stand out from your competitors. Sometimes we look at businesses and think they do the same thing, but if you look at their mission statement, you will discover that they do not. 

For example, most of us look at Goodwill and Red Cross as the same type. Still, Red Cross’s mission statement is “To prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies,” while Goodwill’s mission statement is “to advance employment, education, and skill-building opportunities for individuals across the globe.”

Who knew, right? But once you look them up and see that, you instantly understand that the two are different types of organizations, though they both help people in their way going back to their purposes. 

SwagHer Magazine and Media’s mission statement is to uplift, empower, and educate the Black community and businesses.

And that’s what we do. 

Now, are you ready to write your mission? Remember to keep it short, use your infinitive clause if need be or not if you don’t need it, but definitely incorporate some of your strategies and uniqueness into the statement.