How to Write a Mission Statement that Inspires

Investopedia defines a mission statement as a “statement is used by a company to explain, in simple and concise terms, its purpose(s) for being.”

To write a good mission statement we have to be able to answer the question, “why should my organization exist” and frame the answer in a way that is persuasive and motivating.

The best mission statements do so concisely and conjure to mind a clear North Star that guides the organization and its community forward.

The American Red Cross’ mission is “To prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.”

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

Nike’s mission is “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.”*

With some time and some effort you too can write a mission statement as powerful as these iconic organizations. You too can inspire people, investors, and customers to partner with you in ushering in a future that your organization will lead.

Who is your mission statement for?

To persuade and motivate, we must first understand our audience.

Our mission will be central to inspiring action throughout our network of stakeholders as an organization. Investors, partners, employees, potential new hires, customers, and prospective customers will all come into contact with your mission as it is expressed either through your mission statement, your offerings, or through your other communications.

Investors want to know if the future you’re looking to drive is a feasible one and whether or not they can see you growing into the leader of that future.

Employees and new hires want to join organizations that are focused, outcome-oriented, and mission-driven. They want to know that their work, their contribution to the world, will be of consequence.

Customers are purchasing more than just your offering. They are buying into your story and they are aligning themselves with your brand. When you’re competing in a commodity market, narrative and emotion can become the only true differentiators. Customers will choose the offering that resonates with them, who they are, and the future that they are looking forward to seeing.

Your stakeholders are joining you on your mission. So you have to have a mission worth joining, simple as that.

What makes a good mission statement?

There are no hard and fast rules but there are some principles that you can lean on to inform how you start drafting your mission statement.

A good mission statement is:

Impactful - What does your organization do and who do you impact?

Inspiring - How does your organization make the world (or your corner of it) better?

Distinguishing - Why your organization and not your competitors?

Stylistically, a good mission statement is:

Tonally Appropriate - The language itself captures the tone of your brand

Concise - Your audience will know in an instant whether you excite them or bore them

Action-oriented - It is about the specific actions that you are undertaking

How to write a good mission statement?

Sit down and ask yourself the core questions that are the foundation of your organization:

• What is our core offering?
• Who is our audience? What communities are we a a part of?
• What problems do we solve?
• What makes us unique?
• What is our contribution or impact?

Your mission is to offer your core offering in a unique way such that the communities you participate in are impacted in a specific way.

Try using our Mission Statement Workshop Template to guide your brainstorming session.

Once you know the answers to these questions, it’s just a matter of massaging the language until you are confident that your organization should exist regardless of your participation in it. It should be the kind of place you’d be excited to work, excited to purchase, and excited to fund.

We’re not all the UN, we don’t have to be, but all of us are deeply seated in our communities, intimately connected to our customer’s lives, and being aware of those connections and our impact on the people around us means that our mission can be one that is just as easy to get behind.

Make your mission the a beautiful one and you’ll be surprised at how many people are ready to get behind you to start pushing in the same direction.

Tips for Writing a Mission Statement that Inspires

1. Answer the core questions of your business. Know exactly why your organization exists and who it exists to serve.
2. Keep it concise and approachable. Don’t scare your readers off with an essay, invite them in with a short, punchy statement that users language they can easily understand.
3. Match the tone of your brand. If your brand is fun and casual, be fun and casual. If you’re dealing with life and death, reel it in. If you’re visionary, be overambitious. If you’re humble, keep it realistic and no-nonsense.
4. Point towards specific action. Your reader needs to know what you do. They need to understand what you’d do with their money or their time were they to give it to you.
5. Make it a no-brainer. Make your mission the kind of thing that is easy to say yes to. What does your community value? What excites them? Give them what they want and then put your money where your mouth is.
6. Ask your community for feedback. You may be the author of your mission statement, but it is not for you, your mission is what your employees wake up every day to contribute to, they should have a say. Your mission is what your investors and customers have chosen to fund with their hard won dollars, their voice should be reflected as well.