Creating a Mission Statement

What Is a Mission Statement and Why Do You Need One?

Mary Ellen Tribbey  discussed in her post today the Mission Statement for Working Moms Only, her new site that shows working mothers how to ‘have it all’ and still have a life:

“Our mission is to supply the tools that can give EVERY working mom the ability to lead a healthy, wealthy, and more balanced/blended lifestyle. To create a community where millions of working moms from all over the world come together in support and celebration of each other.”

“It’s simple and it’s sincere. And everyone I do business with gets it – point blank.

Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of not taking the time to craft a mission statement. If you do not have one, I urge you to write one immediately.

Once you do so, you will find that your customers understand you better. You will begin working only with joint venture partners who share your values. All of your employees will have a better understanding of their purpose in your organization. You will find that it is much easier to make decisions about how to run your business (including whether an advertising campaign is appropriate!).

Your mission statement should be a formal, short, written statement of your company’s/organization’s purpose. In a nutshell, it should answer the question “Why does my company exist?”

If you’ve never developed a mission statement before, here are a few things it may address:
The purpose and aim of your organization (i.e., a definition of what your company is and does)

The products and/or services your company offers

What your company aspires to be

What features/characteristics distinguish your company from its competitors

Your company’s core ideology, values, purpose, and visionary goals

Your mission statement should be specific and narrow enough that it couldn’t apply to just any company… but it should be flexible enough to allow for growth and change. Make sure that the statement is clear (i.e., it does not contain a bunch of buzz words or industry jargon) and easy for potential clients, partners, and employees to understand.

Once you have your mission statement laid out, you can turn to it for help guiding your company’s actions, laying out its primary goals, offering direction, and directing decision-making.”

If you are a working mother, or wish to understand or support one you know, visit http:www.WorkingMomsOnly.com.