There has been much conversation surrounding a company’s brand and its brand story. As social media has allowed companies to connect on a deeper level with their customers, new companies must learn to communicate who they are and why they exist.
Although all companies exist for the purpose of profit, this should not be the driving force in their marketing. Consumers want to rally around a company that has a greater purpose, a bigger vision, yet one they personally can connect and identify with. To do this successfully, they must formulate their own brand mission and inject that into their overall marketing strategy.
Defining A Brand Mission Statement
You may have heard about an organization’s mission statement, but what about a brand’s mission statement? A brand mission statement clearly conveys a brand’s purpose, plans, and how it aims to serve its customers.
It is motivated towards action and gives a glimpse of how the business operates and what type of difference it wants to make. Of course, as the company grows and changes direction, this trajectory will be reflected in the modified and updated version of the brand mission statement.
The mission must be concise, straightforward, yet with enough detail to define what the company ultimately stands for. The brand’s mission statement should incorporate the bigger difference the company wants to make as well as the more pragmatic function it wishes to play in an individual’s life.
The Importance Of A Mission Statement
Most businesses will agree that when they try to appeal to all, ultimately, they will appeal to none. Therefore, by creating a brand mission statement, you are establishing what your views, values, and lifestyle choices are. These statements will inevitably draw your target audience. Your target audience will generally align with most if not all that your company stands for.
It can also work to appeal to a new audience that has never heard of the company. It also serves as an effective gauge to determine whether a new product, service, or marketing strategy aligns with the brand’s mission. Anything that does not align should not be pursued. Doing so can only mean wasted time, resources, and customer loss.
A brand’s mission statement can also serve as a blueprint to follow when employees are making strategic decisions and representing the organization.
Of course, a business is never a lone ranger in the grand scheme of things and will eventually seek critical partnerships. Therefore, having a winning brand mission statement to present to potential partners and any investors they wish to appeal to, would be greatly beneficial.
How To Create Your Brand Mission Statement
If you have never written a brand mission statement before, it may be incredibly intimidating. However, it is not as hard as you think. Also, don’t think you have to reinvent the wheel, either.
1. Get inspired: You can draw inspiration from other established companies in the industry to get a feel for how they communicate their brand vision. Naturally, make the modifications necessary to ensure that the mission statement embodies your company’s vision and values. The most important point is that your mission statement must be genuine.
2. What are your goals?: The next step you can take is to jot down the goals that you want for your brand. Determine what kind of difference you want your brand to make for your customers and the world. Your mission statement should also embody long-range goals. The brand mission should stay relevant for at least 2-3 years from now.
3. Keep it succinct: There is no need to write a novel. Just a few sentences would be enough. For your employees, you can definitely provide a more detailed business plan. However, for the general public and potential customers, short and sweet is best. Remember that although the content must be short, it still needs to be on-brand.
4. Get people involved: To really capture the true essence of a company, it will be beneficial to get people from all departments of the organization involved in the creation process. Those in the social media department could definitely help fine-tune the brand’s mission to then transfer it to your social media platform.
Consider getting feedback once you have drafted the first version of the brand’s mission statement. This is critical as it will demonstrate whether or not the statement truly embodies the organization’s values. If there are any “gaps” between the mission and the actual “culture” within the organization, this can be addressed.
What Is Your Brand Value?
Along with your brand’s mission statement, your brand value must also be clearly conveyed. Your brand value answers the foundational question of why your business was started in the first place. It answers the question of what the heart and soul of your business truly are.
So how do you communicate this brand value? You do it authentically and truly understand the person. Don’t view customers as numbers but as people. Your communication, especially via e-mail should be personalized and not generic. If it looks and sounds spammy, then it can automatically turn off your customers.
You can also show your love for your employees on social media. Not only does it boost employee morale, but other potential employees could be paying attention and might consider working for your company. Customers also like to know that their favorite company treats their employees well.
Incorporate Your Brand Mission Statement Within Your Company
Your brand mission statement is a living, breathing statement that will evolve and grow as your company does the same. It is always a good idea to review your brand mission statement every 2-to to 3 years to ensure that this statement still reflects the company’s goals, vision, and values.
Allow your brand mission to permeate every aspect of your organization, from internal communication, the hiring and training process, and everything else within the operation.
