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How to Write a Business Plan Mission and Vision Statement [Sample Template]

Are you currently writing a business plan? If YES, here’s an in-depth guide and sample template on how to write a workable mission & vision statement for a business. A vision and mission statement are some of the most important requisite for business success and sustainability, but unfortunately, most entrepreneurs and small business owners run their business without these two thing out of ignorance.

What is a Mission and Vision Statement?

A mission and vision statement ( more commonly called a mission statement or a vision statement ) is a brief sentence that declares the goals that a business plans to achieve in the future. Like a compass guides a ship, it guides a business to success by providing continuously inspiring its stakeholders in their daily operations and strategic moves.

A mission statement helps you plan your business effectively. It provides the destination for your journey to business success. Of course, without a destination, you can’t plan a route. Before we discuss the steps involved in developing a mission statement for your business, let’s look at the components of a mission statement and why you really need a mission statement for your business.

Today, I will be sharing with you an underground secret to building a business from scratch. This secret is one of the contributing factors to the success of any business; yet, it’s often ignored. This secret is nothing more than a “ Business Mission Statement. ”

“The thing I really care about is the mission; making the world open.” – Mark Zuckerberg

The importance of a mission statement can never be over emphasized. I have seen so many startups without a mission; even some established firms also make the mistake of operating without a mission.

“Being an entrepreneur, I have come to realize that all successful businesses are driven by three fundamentals. One is the cash flow, two is the team and three is the mission. Of these three, the mission is the most important.” – Ajaero Tony Martins

Now what has a mission statement got to do with building a business? What’s the impact of a mission statement on an entrepreneur undergoing the entrepreneurial process? Is a mission statement a source of ? While I am not going to answer these questions directly, the following points will help you further understand why you need to develop a mission statement for your business?

Why Your Business needs a Mission Statement

1. The mission is the foundation on which your business will be built. It’s the true purpose of your business and that purpose is reflected in the mission statement. Without a strong mission statement, you don’t have a true business. All you have is just a profit making venture that will soon be wiped out with time.

“To turn really interesting ideas and fledging ideas into a company that can continue to innovate for years, it requires a lot of disciplines.” – Steve Jobs

2. The entrepreneurial spirit is found in the mission statement. When I look at the mission statement of any business, I get a peep into the life of the entrepreneur that founded that business. The entrepreneurial spirit is what drives the entrepreneur forward. If the mission is strong, your spirit will be strong towards the pursuit of your goal.

“The IKEA spirit is strong and living reality. Simplicity in our behavior gives us strength. Simplicity and humbleness characterize us in our relations with each others, our suppliers and our customers.” – Ingvar Kamprad

3. Your mission statement is the bond binding you, your team, employees and your customers to the business. Take away the mission and other key elements will fall apart. Your mission also has the power to attract other like-minded individuals and entities to your cause. The reason is that people with the same mission align together; more like birds of the same feather flocking together.

4. With a strong mission, your business will weather any storm. Take a look at businesses that has been around for over 100 years and you will see businesses with a strong mission. As an example:

• General Electric has stood the test of time because the spirit of its founder “ Thomas Edison ” continues to guide the company through its mission.
• Henry Ford’s mission statement was: “ To democratize the automobile ” and that mission has kept the Ford Motor Company going.
• Aliko Dangote’s mission statement goes: “ Providing your basic need ” and this mission drives the Dangote Group to dominate the commodities market of
• The Rich Dad Company; founded by Robert Kiyosaki keeps waxing strong because of its mission, which is “ To elevate the financial well being of humanity .”

By contrast; I have come to observe that when a company forgets its mission, its starts to lose its relevance. The bond holding the business will be broken and good customers will leave, employees will resign and the business will dwindle. Just as the case of the Dot com burst, many profitable Dot com companies went under because they forgot their mission.

3 Components of a Mission and Vision Statement

1.  a vision.

This, simply put, states the impact you envision your business having on the world in years to come. You can have more than a single statement in here, but don’t go beyond three. Gloss it over to make sure anyone who reads it feels at least one of inspiration, hope, commitment, and awe.

In addition, your vision statement must be compelling, detailed, and reflective of the intended end outcome. Avoid one that is bland, generic, uninspiring, or unreasonable. An example of a good vision statement is that of Amazon:

“Our vision is to be earth’s most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.”

2.  A mission statement

This is a brief statement that states the important goal or purpose that your business is poised to achieve. In other words, it’s a single sentence stating why your business exists in a convincing manner. Keep your mission statement specific and concise ( the shorter it is, the better ), make it connect with both employees and stakeholders, and make it highlight your value proposition. Don’t make it too long, generic, or confusing. An example of a good mission statement is that of Nike:

“To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.”

Here’s another example of a mission statement:

“To contribute to development of value-added agricultural businesses . ”

3. Core values

These outline the principles and values that the stakeholders in a business will follow in their bid to achieve their vision. They also specify the bounds or limits that the stakeholders must watch while trying to actualize the mission. The following are examples of core values:

• Respect and protect the environment
• Offer high quality products that are safe for consumers
• Meet the ever-changing needs of consumers
• Practice highly ethical business standards

If your business is going to stand the test of time, then you will have to build it upon a strong mission. With the above in mind, let’s now look at the steps involved in developing a mission and visions statement.

How to Write a Mission and Vision Statement for a Business Plan

Please bear in mind that you are learning as much of yourself each day as you are about your customer. So, don’t feel that anything you state here is etched in stone and cannot be changed. The more you understand your customer and the market, the more necessary it would become for you to shift grounds accordingly. But you need to state here what you have to offer at the moment. This will be a starting point for any changes you may need to effect later ( as your business grows ).

1.  Sit down in a quiet spot and reflect upon your thoughts

Ask yourself what drives you forward? What keeps you motivated? When you have figured out the answer to these questions, put it down in writing.

2.  Ask yourself how best you can serve your customers

What will your business stand for in the heart of your customers? What will be the ultimate benefit your customers can derive from your business? When you figure the answer to these questions out, put it down in writing.

3. Brainstorm for your vision statement

The vision is the most important component of your mission statement. Simply put, this is a picture or idea of what you plan to achieve in future . A vision statement is always concise and easy to remember, and for this reason, every stakeholder in a business can easily focus on it; and their decisions and activities are directed towards achieving the vision. Here is a good example of a vision statement:

“ Creating a vibrant rural economy driven by value-added agriculture. “

Once you get one down, then getting other components becomes very easy. To find the best vision statement for your business, simply ask yourself the question, “Why does this business exist?” Present answers from various angles, and you will find your mission statement among them.

4.  Get down your mission statement

As stated earlier, your mission statement is that action sentence that describes how you will achieve your vision. Finding this is much easier once you have found your vision statement. If you are stuck, just do it this way: If your vision is “A diabetes-free society” , then simply add the word “ To ” and another suitable verb to convert it to an action sentence. And there you will have your mission statement.

Using the same vision, you will get “To bring about a diabetes-free society .” You can go further by tweaking it, so that you will have something like: “To manufacture products that can cure diabetes effectively and permanently.” You get it now?

5.  List your core values

First off, you need to clarify your values. This means taking into account all the various stakeholders that your business is ( or will be ) accountable to—including investors, customers, employees, and suppliers. Now, consider how you would like to ideally conduct business with each of these stakeholders. Start making a list and your core values should start to emerge.

These are the various steps you will follow in your quest to achieve your vision. Brainstorm for as many as possible, list them down, and the prune your list down to as few as possible without leaving out any important ones. Now, let’s look at some additional tips that you will need to keep in mind when preparing your mission and vision statement.

4 Extra Success Tips for Developing a Business Plan Mission and Vision Statement

• Your mission statement must be brief and simple. Being succinct as demanded by a mission statement isn’t easy. And you may need to go through several hours of tweaking and editing before arriving at the perfect sentence. Though short, your mission statement must capture the very essence of what your business plans to achieve. The fewer words the better. Use just only the few words needed to pass the message without leaving out any vital details.
• Your mission statement must be in tune with your vision, and both sentences must blend to form a single thought.
• There’s no rule that says you must get it perfectly at once. You can keep review your mission statement later, if necessary.
• Your mission and vision statements must give the reader an insight, a covert one, at least into what you offer. This is more important if the name of your business doesn’t suggest what products or services you’re offering.

If you follow the guidelines I shared in this post, you will prepare a perfect vision and mission statement that will drive your business to success. Now I want you to know that no one can help you develop a mission statement. You alone can develop your mission and as a final note, it’s worthwhile you know that of the entire business system, the mission is the most important.

• Go to Chapter 8 Part C: Writing your Business Plans Goals and Objectives
• Go Back to Chapter 7 : H ow to Write a Business Plan Executive Summary
• Go Back to Introduction and Table of Content

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Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies and Tactics

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Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics – These are 5 statements which form the two aspects of the business-

• What the organizations want to achieve – reflected by the Vision mission and objectives of companies.
• And how they are going to achieve the above “what ”- reflected by the Strategies and Tactics. These are long term and short-term implementation plans respectively.

Organizations gain real strength when these statements show:

• Completeness, and are consistent with each other.

It implies that there should be an alignment between these statements. You can ensure this alignment by the assessment of:

• Definition:   If these statements are defined for the foundation of organization success?
• Clarity: If these provide a direction and plan for the work, organizational resources do?
• Communication:  Are Organisation resources aware of these statements? And use them as a context of the work, they do?
• Commitment:  If these statements make people supportive of the organization’s intent? And, if they agreed to the content of these statements?

If your assessment says “Yes” on the above-mentioned parameters- it significantly ensures internal organization capability.

And, if any of the above is lacking, then there is a potential of weakness. This weakness limits and undermines organization success. These statements are vital in assessing the internal capabilities and limitations of the organization.

Let’s see how these statements create a foundation of organization Success? I am beginning with the comprehension of these statements.

What are the vision mission and objective of Companies?

A vision is a Big Picture of “What” the organization wants to achieve in Future. It should inspire people in the organization. It excites people to be part of “What.” And, also motivate to put their energy and time to achieve the future. How do you write a good vision statement? What does a vision stamen include? Let’s take an example of an agriculture business:

“A Vibrant Economy is driven by value-added agriculture” Here the Vibrant Economy has the ability to inspire the people involved in this agricultural business. A good vision statement inspires to create a movement. It describes the desired outcome to invoke a mental image of the organization.

2. Mission:

A Mission is about what the organization does to achieve the vision.  A mission is an action statement to achieve the vision. A mission statement is not required to be inspirational. Instead, it provides a clear focus on what an organization does and what it doesn’t.

What should be included in a mission statement? What do you think a good mission statement can look like for the above vision statement?

Let’s see the below example…

“To create and facilitate the development of value-added agriculture”

Here “Create and facilitate” are two clear focus areas. The organization put its energy into these two areas. The organization makes efforts for the development (Create) and to ease (facilitate) the agriculture business. And, whatever is not mentioned here, the organization is not involved.  It is a clear direction about what the organization does and what it doesn’t.

A mission statement is simple, direct and operative. Now the question is – how do you write a powerful mission statement? What makes an effective mission statement? Let’s see the following characteristics of a good mission statement:

• Short: The mission  statement should be easy to remember.  Each person in organizations should be aware of the mission statement to use in context with the work he/she does.
• Simple: Mission statement language should be of everyday life. We do not use words like stakeholder values, financial goals, and best practices in daily life. For example, a mission statement – “Help people in achieving work using best practices.” How many people dream about best practices? The answer is very few; do you believe, people talk in such a language. The answer is ‘NO.’
• Operative: A mission statement should provide a clear direction. It should focus on what an organization does.  It also gives a clear route about initiative and resource allocation.

So, what kinds of resources needed for the mission statement mentioned above for the agriculture business?

• Probably SME, who can provide their services for the development and facilitation of the agriculture business.
• And farmers involved for the financial support in the venture.

A mission statement should help to understand:

• “Who we are”,
• “What we do”
• and to “which industry we belong to”

For example, mission statements like “Increasing customer satisfaction”.  Well, it is impossible, anyways – does it provide to which industry a mission belongs to? Or what the organization controls? The answer is no, and hence we cannot claim it as a mission statement. An organization should try to find out a mission statement, which can drive them.

3. Goals & Objectives:

Goals are statements of mileposts to achieve the vision.  Goals describe – what you want to achieve through your efforts.

And, an objective is a time-sensitive statement to achieve the goals. We defined it in measurable terms. Goals for the above-mentioned vision of agriculture business can be defined as, but not limited to:

• Improve profitability
• Increase volume
• Provide stability

A goal is a broad definition, saying “improve profitability”.  It lacks the specifics and defined in general and broad terms. Objectives, on the other hand, are quite specific and further define the goal. To continue with ‘profitability’ example, objectives can be defined as:

15k$ net profit as % of the sale in a year

10k$ net profit as % of investment in a year.

Here, the question is – How do you set a good objective. What are the smart objectives used for? Well, while explaining, objectives a SMART acronym is commonly used:

• Specific: It is entirely job-related. In the above example, “sales” and “investment” are related to the job.
• Measurable : Objectives are always defined in measurable terms. We can measure the above objectives using a target of 10k$ and 15k$ profit.
• Attainable : Objectives should be attainable within the provided environment and resources. Organizations need to analyze what is required to achieve defined objectives and need to need to make sure it continuously.
• Relevant:   Objectives should be aligned with goals. These goals are further aligned with the mission and vision of the organization.
• Time-Bounded : Objectives should be achievable within the provided time period and in our example, we identified time ‘a year’.

So without question, goals and objectives are similar (not same) and complement each other. With goals, there is no pressure to be specific, and in fact, goals are open-ended. Setting goals are useful as a broad outline. Yet, due to its fundamental nature of being broad and open-ended, these are not the ideal way to achieve something.

Whenever you want to achieve something – define a goal and then set a series of objectives to achieve those goals. To summarize goals are broad direction setting statements, objectives are more specific.  And both are designed to get you to take action.

4. Strategies:

Strategies are long term implementation plans to achieve the goals and objectives. These statements define how you can succeed in achieving your mission and stay along in the completion.  Strategies are likely to be defined following a SWOT analysis as both external and internal environment assessment is needed as an input to develop strategies.

How do you write an organizational strategy? Strategic options may include:

• The development of market or product or
• In some diversified cases, both the market and product development.

Example strategic options like:

• Increase Market (sale in customers),
• New Product (like product enhancement, product line extension, and products at different quality levels) and
• New distribution channel

These are examples of strategies to achieve goals and objectives. A strategy like- design social media promotion for the next year can be identified for the above-mentioned objectives. We can define one or many strategies for a combination of goals and objectives.

5. Tactics:

Tactics are short term implementation or action plan to deliver the long-term strategy. A grass-root level action plans are defined to ensure daily activities are in line with achieving the relevant strategy(s).

Tactics like a sales staff member are expected to do 10 social media activity daily, could be an example to deliver a long-term strategy.

Once you have defined all these 5 (Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics) statements, you will have the foundation of your business. For this reason, we need to know that these five statements are open acted with each other.

You use these statements to assess the internal capabilities and limitations of an organization. Also, you examine these statements for their completeness, clarity, and awareness within organizations. If these qualities are missing, then you need a change to solve the identified organizational level internal weakness.

These statements should provide a clear focus and direction and should serve as an internal strength for the organization.

You may watch and listen to the following video presentation on the difference between Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics. This video will give you a walkthrough to write a good vision, mission, goals, and objectives, and will provide you with a fair idea of how these are related to others:

I hope this blog has answered your all queries related to Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics.

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Purpose, Mission, and Vision Statements

Purpose, Mission, and Vision Statements explain why a company exists, how it plans to achieve its goals, and what the business will ultimately achieve.

• January 31, 2023

What Are Purpose, Mission, and Vision Statements?

A Purpose Statement is an explanation of the company’s motivations and reasons for being, and why it works the way it does.

A Mission Statement is a definition of the company’s business, who it serves, what it does, its objectives, and its approach to reaching those objectives.

A Vision Statement is a description of the desired future state of the company. An effective vision inspires the team, showing them how success will look and feel.

Usage and satisfaction among survey respondents

How are purpose, mission, and vision statements implemented.

Typically, senior leaders will write the company’s Purpose, Mission, and Vision Statements with inputs from the broader organization. The development process usually begins by clarifying the purpose, then defining the mission, and then painting the vision. This requires leaders to:

• Clearly identify the corporate culture, values, strategy, and view of the future by interviewing employees, suppliers, and customers
• Address the commitment the firm has to its key stakeholders, including customers, employees, shareholders, and communities
• Ensure that the objectives are measurable, the approach is actionable, and the vision is achievable
• Communicate the message in clear, simple, and precise language
• Develop buy-in and support throughout the organization

Related Topics

Corporate Values Statements

Cultural Transformation

Strategic Planning

What Are Common Uses of Purpose, Mission, and Vision Statements?

Purpose, Mission, and Vision Statements are used both internally and externally.

They are used internally to:

• Guide management’s thinking on strategic issues, especially during times of significant change
• Help define performance standards
• Inspire employees to work more productively by providing focus and common goals
• Guide employee decision making
• Help establish a framework for ethical behavior

They are used externally to:

• Enlist external support
• Create closer linkages and better communication with customers, suppliers, and alliance partners
• Serve as a public relations tool

Abrahams, Jeffrey. 101 Mission Statements from Top Companies: Plus Guidelines for Writing Your Own Mission Statement. Ten Speed Press, 2007

Blount, Sally, and Paul Leinwand. “Why Are We Here?” Harvard Business Review , November/December 2019.

Collins, Jim, and Jerry I. Porras. “Building Your Company’s Vision.” Harvard Business Review , September/October 1996, pp. 65–77.

Kirkpatrick, Shelley A. Build a Better Vision Statement: Extending Research with Practical Advice. Lexington Books, 2016.

Knowles, Jonathan B., Tom Hunsaker, Hannah Grove, and Alison James. “What Is the Purpose of Your Purpose?” Harvard Business Review, March/April 2022.

Kotter, John P., and James L. Heskett. Corporate Culture and Performance . 1992. Reprint. Free Press, 2011.

Nanus, Burt. Visionary Leadership. Jossey-Bass, 1995.

Quinn, Robert E., and Anjan V Thakor. The Economics of Higher Purpose: Eight Counterintuitive Steps for Creating A Purpose-Driven Organization , Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2019.

Raynor, Michael E. “That Vision Thing: Do We Need It?” Long Range Planning, June 1998, pp. 368–376.

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How To Write A Vision Statement In 4 Steps + Tips & Examples

In this comprehensive guide, we'll cover the basics of a vision statement —what is it, why is it important, what a good one looks like— and provide you with a bullet-proof step-by-step formula and tips on how to write a vision statement. We will also provide inspiring vision statement examples from top organizations.

🎁As a bonus, you can download our free Vision Statement Tookit with all the resources you need to create a great business vision statement that rallies your whole organization towards achieving your ultimate goal.

Here's what you will discover inside:

What Is A Vision Statement?

• Why Is A Vision Statement Important For Company Goals?

Vision Statement Vs Mission Statement: What's The Difference?

Key characteristics of great vision statements, helpful tips for writing your own vision statement, fail-proof formula: how to write a vision statement in 4 simple steps, what to avoid when writing a vision statement, bad vision statement examples (and why), great vision statement examples for inspiration.

• How To Effectively Communicate Your Company Vision?
• Turn Your Vision Into A Strategic Advantage

A company vision statement describes the desired future state of the organization in the long term —generally within a 5 to 10-year timeframe— and guides the direction of the business's efforts. It serves as a guiding framework for the business's strategic efforts being a critical component of a highly effective business strategic plan .

🎥 If you’re more of a visual learner, watch our video on how to write a vision statement for a straightforward, step-by-step guide:

Why Is A Vision Statement Important For Company Goals? 

By clearly defining the long-term aspirations of your business, a vision statement outlines a roadmap for the future. It guides decision-making , aligns efforts, and inspires stakeholders to work towards common goals.

Here’s a detailed look at the critical functions of a vision statement:

Drives strategic decision-making

A well-defined vision statement acts as a filter for strategic initiatives , ensuring that every decision aligns with the company's ultimate goals. This focused approach optimizes r esource allocation and prevents distractions.

Aligns teams and fosters unity

A shared vision statement creates a sense of purpose and belonging among employees enabling organization-wide alignment . When everyone understands the company's direction, collaboration improves, and teams become more effective.

Enhances organizational culture

A strong vision statement contributes to a positive company culture by defining shared company values and aspirations. It inspires employees to go above and beyond, fostering a sense of pride and commitment.

Influences external stakeholders

A clear and compelling vision statement attracts investors, customers, and partners. It communicates the company's ambition and potential, building trust and credibility.

As you can see, a company’s vision statement isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a critical component of every business plan and strategy discussion. Including it in the strategic planning process ensures that the organization and its departments remain aligned with the vision and avoid getting sidetracked.

The most common mistake we see across the internet and with our customers is that most people do not understand the difference between a company's mission and vision statements. Mistaking one for another can prevent an organization from reaching its full potential.

While we covered this a bit more in-depth in this article , here's a short recap: 

• A vision statement describes a long-term, idealistic state of your company’s FUTURE. 
• A mission statement describes a roadmap to a specific destination (your VISION) that explains how will you achieve it.

Let’s see an example from LinkedIn:

• Vision statement : To create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.
• Mission statement : To connect the world's professionals to make them more productive and successful.

LinkedIn's mission and vision statements clearly articulate their long-term goals and the practical steps they are taking to achieve those goals, serving as a best practice for distinguishing between the two.

💡Tip from our Cascade strategy experts: If you're in doubt about what is a vision statement and what is a mission statement, do this simple test with two questions. 

• What do they want to achieve? To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century… (vision statement)
• How? … by driving the world's transition to electric vehicles (mission statement)

Crafting your company’s vision statement involves more than just jotting down a few inspiring sentences and sharing them with your teams. A well-constructed vision statement should have several key characteristics to effectively guide and inspire your organization.

Evocative and inspiring

Powerful vision statements stir emotions and ignite imagination. They tap into the human spirit, creating a sense of purpose and excitement that resonates with employees at every level. Think memorable and inspiring—something that leaves a lasting impression.

Customer-centric

An effective vision statement puts the customer first, showing a deep understanding of their needs, desires, and challenges. It should clearly articulate how your organization will create value for customers and build lasting relationships.

Future-oriented

Your vision statement should look beyond the present to imagine a better future. It should challenge the status quo and inspire innovation, providing a clear path toward progress and growth for the entire organization.

Differentiating and unique

A great vision statement sets your organization apart from the competition. It should highlight what makes your company unique, showcasing your value proposition and competitive advantages. What makes your company special and different? Make sure to include that in your vision.

Action-oriented

Vision statements should be more than just a statement of intent; they should inspire action and provide clear direction and motivation for employees, empowering them to contribute to actually achieving that vision. Remember, even if your vision is the best one yet, without effective execution, it remains just words on paper. It's the daily actions, decisions, and strategies driven by that vision that turn it into reality.

By incorporating these characteristics, your vision statement will become a powerful tool for driving growth and success.

Keep in mind that vision creation doesn't begin with sitting behind a desk and writing black on white. Reach out to your stakeholders and team members who will play a role in realizing the company's vision. Organize a workshop, or more if necessary, to brainstorm ideas and gather their feedback.

Our free Vision Statement Toolkit includes a template and workbook designed to guide you through brainstorming exercises and streamline the entire vision creation process.

As a result, including other stakeholders in the vision-creation process will not only yield ideas but also get buy-in from the beginning since it will be their vision too. 

Here are 8 tips to help you write an inspiring vision statement:

Tip #1 Keep it short

Your vision statement should be punchy and easy to remember. Aim for a maximum of two sentences to ensure it is concise and impactful.

Tip #2 Make it specific

Tailor your vision statement to your business and describe a unique outcome that only your organization can provide. This specificity sets your vision apart and makes it more relatable.

Tip #3 Write in the present tense

Craft your vision statement in the present tense to create a sense of immediacy and relevance. This approach makes the vision feel more attainable and actionable.

Tip #4 Avoid ambiguity

Steer clear of words that are open to interpretation. For instance, stating that you will maximize shareholder return in 2022 is vague unless you specify what that means. Be precise in your language to avoid misunderstandings.

Tip #5 Simplicity is key

There is a tendency to overcomplicate vision statements, but clarity is essential. Make your vision clear enough for both internal and external audiences to understand. Avoid jargon, metaphors, and business buzzwords.

Tip #6 Be ambitious yet realistic

Your vision statement should be ambitious enough to inspire excitement, but not so unrealistic that it seems impossible to achieve. Find a balance that motivates without discouraging.

Tip #7 Allow for evolution

A vision statement should evolve with your business. When brainstorming your future vision, consider a five-year timeframe. This period is long enough to set an ambitious goal but short enough to maintain focus and commitment.

Tip #8 Align with core values

Ensure your vision statement aligns with your company's core values. Once you have established your company values, review your vision to confirm that they are in sync. This alignment reinforces your organization's identity and purpose.

💡 If anything, you should memorize these 4 words before you go into crafting your own vision statement: Short, Specific, Simple , and Ambitious

There are hundreds of articles out there that give examples of good and bad vision statements. There are also plenty of articles that give a high-level overview of what to consider when creating your own.

However, what we noticed was lacking was a concrete step-by-step process to go through to help you create one. As such, we've outlined a process that we often use with our customers that might work for you too.

There are plenty of great vision statements out there that will not conform to the process below. But if you're struggling or just need a place to start, then hopefully this will help.

Step 1: Define what you do as an outcome

Start by being exceptionally clear about what it is your organization actually does. Be careful to remain 'outcome focused' rather than 'output focused' .

For example, Microsoft famously had a vision statement to “ Put a Microsoft-powered computer on every desk in the world” (slightly paraphrased).

Strictly speaking, what Microsoft 'does' is make computer software, but for the purposes of their vision, they looked forward to the actual outcome of this process - i.e. computers on desks.

Let's look at some other vision statement examples:

• A bakery makes bread. But the outcome is consumers enjoying that bread.
• A consulting company gives advice. But the outcome is the success of others based on that advice.
• A government department does...lots of things. But the outcome is better lives for the citizens they serve.

Whilst this process may seem obvious, you would be surprised by how rarely organizations actually go through this process in a formal, written way.

Doing so will take you a long way towards creating your vision statement—BUT it's not enough alone. If it was, all bakeries, for example, would have the same vision statement which is hardly inspiring!

💡TIP: If you are not sure where your organization wants to be in the future, you can use different tools, like SWOT or SOAR analysis , that will help you formulate your vision and future-oriented goals.

Step 2: Define what unique twist your organization brings to the above outcome

Very few products or services these days are truly new—most are more like reinventions of something that exists already, but with a different approach, focus, or spin.

At some point in your organization's lifespan, someone will have believed that the reason that THIS organization would be successful where others have failed, was because of.........something.

You need to define that something!

Let's take our bakery example. So far, our vision statement looks pretty generic, along the lines of customers enjoying our bread. But why will they enjoy our bread more than the bread from the place next door?

Is it because we use centuries-old traditions passed through generations of our family? Because we only use premium grade locally sourced ingredients? Whatever your unique selling point is, let it shine through in your vision statement.

Step 3: Apply some high-level quantification

Ironically, a common problem with a vision statement is that it's too visionary. With no possible end in sight (or a totally unrealistic one) the initial inspiration derived from a solid vision statement can quickly turn to frustration or even cynicism among employees and customers.

That said, this doesn't mean you should put numbers or any financial metrics in your vision statement —this will come later in your planning process .

However, you still want to add some high-level quantification to make it achievable.

Sticking with our bakery example, we might want to refine our target audience to 'every customer who walks through the door' . That's fine, or maybe we want to be bolder: 'every customer within walking distance of a store'.

The quantification we apply could also be industry-specific. If you're a B2B, are you shooting for small businesses or multinationals, for example?

Step 4: Add relatable, human, 'real world' aspects

Your vision statement by this point should be getting pretty close to finished. But one final trick you can apply to help make it even more memorable is to add a real-life aspect.

This will allow people to conjure up a solid mental image to associate with your vision statement.

Let's look at two different vision statement examples. Which of the following do you think is likely to be more memorable?

a) To have every working person in the world using Microsoft product

b) A Microsoft-powered computer on every desk

We would argue that (b) is more memorable because as you read this, you're actually visualizing a computer sitting on a wooden desk in a room.

There's nothing wrong with (a), but it's highly conceptual and thus difficult to transform into a mental picture. Let's look at another example:

"Ensure that every customer who leaves our store does so smiling." 

Here, using the word 'smiling' instead of 'happy' is powerful because it conjures a mental image of a person smiling.

It won't always be possible to bring this level of tangibility to a vision statement, but if it is, we strongly encourage you to do so.

Putting it all together

Following our 4-step process, the final vision statement of our bakery would look something like this:

Producing and selling locally sourced cakes and pies that are so delicious and satisfying , that every customer who leaves our store does so with a smile.

If we deconstruct it into the various steps, we can see each at work as follows:

Step 1 - The output Step 2 - The twist Step 3 - The quantification Step 4 - The human connection

Even if yours doesn't look like this at the end, following the process above will help you to bring structure and purpose to your effort.

Final check

Our tip for creating a good vision statement is to use our formula, which we explain below, in conjunction with the 4-step framework. 

Ask yourself the following questions to check if your vision statement checks all the boxes of a good vision: 

• Is it C lear? 
• Is it A mbitious, but not seemingly unattainable? 
• Is it S timulating? 
• Is it C oncise?
• Is it too A bstract? 
• D uration: Is it limited to a specific time range? 
• Does it E ncourage you to take action?

While it’s essential to focus on what makes a vision statement effective, it's equally important to be aware of common pitfalls to avoid.

Here are some key mistakes to steer clear of when writing your vision statement:

Mixing up vision and mission statement

One of the most common errors is confusing the mission statement with the vision statement. Remember, a mission statement outlines what your organization does today and how it plans to achieve its goals, while a vision statement describes where you see your company in the future . Keep these distinct to ensure clarity and effectiveness.

Combining vision and mission statement into one

Avoid the temptation to merge your vision with your mission statement. This can dilute the purpose of each and create confusion. A vision statement should inspire and provide a long-term view, whereas a mission statement should be more action-oriented and focused on the present.

Being too vague or generic

A vision statement that is too broad or generic fails to inspire and guide. Avoid using vague language or clichés that could apply to any organization. As we saw in our step-by-step formula, make your vision statement specific to your company, highlighting what sets you apart and where you aim to be in the future.

So, while keeping all these tips in mind, let's look at some vision statement examples and analyze where they fit so you can either use them as inspiration or use them to avoid making the same mistake when crafting your own vision statement.

Here are some real-life examples of vision statements that, in our opinion, could do with a little tweaking. For each, we will explain what could be done better.

"Provide maximum value for our shareholders whilst helping our customers to fulfill their dreams."

If this was your vision statement → Well, let's hope it isn't. That's a classic mission statement example that describes HOW the company will achieve its vision. 

"Our company vision is to make every brand more inspiring and the world more intelligent by 2023."

If this was your vision statement → You would want to make it more specific and relatable. Is it realistic that 'every brand' will use the services of this company? How about 'making the world more intelligent.' Can you be more specific on which brands? What does it mean to make the world more intelligent? That said, 'making brands more inspiring' has potential—it’s specific and meaningful.

"We aspire to be the most admired and valuable company in the world."

If this was your vision statement → We’d suggest rethinking it. This is too vague and generic.  Which company doesn't want to be the most admired and most valuable? Your vision statement should be more specific than that. 

"We are committed to achieving new standards of excellence by providing superior human capital management services and maximizing the potential of all stakeholders - clients, candidates, and employees - through the delivery of the most reliable, responsive..." [and it goes on, but that's probably enough]...

If this was your vision statement → You’d want to make it clearer and more tangible. Phrases like 'new standards of excellence,' 'superior human capital management,' and 'maximizing potential' are full of buzzwords and vague concepts. A good vision statement should be memorable and inspiring, not filled with jargon.

We know we’re being a bit harsh, but hopefully, these examples highlight some common pitfalls to avoid when creating your own vision statement.

First, let's revisit the bakery vision statement example from the previous sections:

"Producing and selling locally sourced cakes and pies that are so delicious and satisfying, that every customer who leaves our store does so with a smile."

This is a great example that follows our 4-step fail-proof formula, but there are many ways to craft an effective vision statement. Let’s explore some other inspiring vision statements that, while they don’t adhere to our exact formula, still manage to create an engaging and memorable company vision: 

Vision statement: To be Earth's most customer-centric company, Earth's best employer, and Earth's safest place to work. 

Vision statement : To be one of the world's leading producers and providers of entertainment and information.

Vision statement : A global force for Learning-through-Play. 

We love this one because it's short, sweet and easy to remember.

Vision statement : To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world's transition to electric vehicles.

📚Want to see more examples of a great vision statement? Check this article with 35 vision statement examples from top companies, such as Patagonia, Microsoft, Netflix, and Starbucks. 

How To Effectively Communicate Your Company Vision? 

Let's say you've finally crafted the perfect vision statement that makes everyone in the C-suite proud. Marketing updated the website, ran a PR campaign, and posted across all company social media and internal channels. The new direction is making waves in the company, but as time passes, everyone forgets about it and gets on with their business-as-usual. 

If you have a vision but take no action, your organization has no future.

In other words, you need to keep the company's vision top of mind 24/7/365 if you want to achieve it. Consistent communication is the key to success.

Cascade is a powerful strategy execution tool designed to help organizations plan, execute, and track their strategy in one central location. Having everything in one place, enables organizations to keep their vision, mission, and company values top of mind.

In Cascade, you can add your vision statement, mission statement, and company values not only at the company level but also at the team level. This flexibility allows different teams to have specific elements tailored to their unique goals and challenges while still aligning with the overall organizational strategy.

Different teams within an organization may have unique functions and objectives that require tailored vision and mission statements. For example, the Marketing team might focus on being the most innovative in brand strategy, while the Sales team might aim to be the most customer-centric in the industry. These specific visions help teams align their daily activities with their broader goals and maintain a strong sense of purpose.

Another best practice is to integrate your vision into daily operations and decision-making processes. Encourage leaders at all levels to reference the vision statement when setting goals , planning projects, and making strategic decisions. This integration helps embed the vision into the organizational fabric, making it a constant guide for all activities.

You can also include your vision in every company-wide meeting. Here at Cascade, we make sure to run the all-hands meeting every week. Here's what our agenda usually looks like: 

• Drive alignment around company vision and overall strategy 
• Communicate the strategy priorities 
• Share updates and progress toward key business goals
• Celebrate our accomplishment 
• Establish two-way communication between employees and executives 

Turn Your Vision Into A Strategic Advantage 

You may have a top-flight board and a great executive team, but the success of your organization depends on your leadership. Your vision for the future needs to be clear and strong so people can understand it and join forces behind it.

In short, unity and a laser-sharp focus are what separate winning businesses from losers these days.

To ensure your vision drives business growth, use Cascade to centralize your strategy so that you can be 100% sure that every team and department aligns with the overarching vision. This focus on strategy execution transforms your vision from a statement into actionable steps that drive business growth.

See Cascade in action! Create a free forever account or schedule a call with our strategy experts for a personalized tour and discover how you can transform your vision into reality.

🎁Don’t forget to download our free Vision Statement Toolkit and our eBook with +100 vision statement examples for inspiration!

Editor's note:

This article is part of our ‘How to Write a Strategy' series:

• How To Write A Strategic Plan: The Cascade Model
• How to Write a Good Vision Statement (This Article)
• How To Create Company Values
• Creating Strategic Focus Areas
• How To Write Strategic Objectives
• How To Create Effective Projects
• How To Write KPIs

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• How to write a vision statement: Steps ...

How to write a vision statement: Steps and examples

The vision statement is designed to inspire employees, compel investors, and engage the imaginations of your customers. It paints a picture of your company's future and the impact you want your business to have on the world.

It takes work and creativity to write an inspiring vision statement. Here, we'll break down the elements of a great vision statement, guide you through the process, and walk through a few examples of excellent vision statements and explain what makes them great.

What is a vision statement?

A vision statement is your company’s guiding beacon. It zooms out to give perspective on the overarching reasons for your company's mission. Rather than articulating the specifics of your business operations, the vision statement describes how your company seeks to impact and improve the world around it.

Vision statement vs. mission statement

While both statements help define your company's character and personality, there are some key differences between a vision statement and a mission statement.

The mission statement describes what your company does in the present. It's comprised of three parts: what you do, how you do it, and why you do it. 

A vision statement outlines the company's long-term goals and aspirations for the future in terms of its long-term growth and impact on the world. Your mission defines what your organization does and what you stand for, while your vision statement speaks to your goals and ideals for the future. 

Characteristics of a great vision statement

Vision statements are like snowflakes—each one is unique to its company in length, form, structure, and scope. Your vision statement should reflect your company's personality. However, there are a few traits that all great vision statements share. No matter how unique a statement is in terms of size, shape, or structure, a good vision statement should be:

The purpose of a vision statement is to inspire employees, investors, and customers to believe in your company's mission. Great vision statements are aspirational and ambitious. They convey a sense of passion for the ideal future toward which the company is working.

Though your vision needs to be ambitious in order to be inspiring, it shouldn't be so far out of reach that it feels impossible. You want to choose something that your company will have to strive for, but a completely unattainable goal isn't a vision—it's a fantasy.

A vision statement connects your company mission to your goals, but it isn’t a goal in and of itself. If your vision statement feels too finite or specifically achievable, try to zoom out and broaden the scope of your vision.

Don’t try to cram every detail of your vision into your vision statement—be strategic in selecting the ideas that feel the most relevant and compelling to your stakeholders . You might dream of someday having offices in every major city in the world, but your vision statement should focus on aspirations that speak to your company's mission and purpose.

Vision statement writing tips

Here are a few best practices to keep in mind as you start writing your vision statement:

Collaborate. The vision statement should reflect the character of your entire company, and there's no better way to accomplish this than to write the statement alongside key members of your team. Gather leaders from across the organization to participate in vision statement brainstorms, and run drafts by these same people to get buy-in on your final vision statement.

Write first, edit later. Don't try to write a succinct, well-crafted vision statement right out of the gate. Put everything you think of down on paper, no matter how small. You may not see the value in a particular idea when it crosses your mind, but if you write it down anyway, it may spark better ideas later on.

Keep your own vision statement separate. Many people have personal vision statements that reflect their individual goals, and if you're a business owner, our own vision statement may overlap strongly with the vision of your company. It's important to keep your personal aspirations and your company's vision separate, so that your company's vision statement is something that your entire company can relate to and feel represented by. 

Avoid buzzwords and jargon. Using "industry-speak" makes a brand feel aloof and inaccessible, even to people within the industry. Plain language is always more powerful than jargon, so if you find yourself falling back on buzzwords, isolate the phrase in question and picture a friend or family member asking, "What does this actually mean?" Write or record the explanation you would give to that person and use that language to replace the buzzwords in your vision statement.

Avoid ambiguity. Vision statements don't have to be concrete the way a mission statement should be, but you want to avoid using words that could potentially be interpreted in a way that changes the entire vision statement's meaning. You won't be there to clarify or offer context to everyone who reads your statement, so it needs to be able to stand on its own.

7 steps to write your company's vision statement

There's a lot more to crafting a great vision statement than just writing a few sentences. In order to create a statement that's truly aspirational and inspiring, you're going to need to do a little bit of work. Here's our seven-step process to write a great vision statement:

1. Identify important stakeholders

Your vision statement speaks on behalf of your entire company, so make a list of co-founders, fellow executives, and high-level employees who can help you craft and refine your statement so that it represents your organization as a whole. Getting buy-in from company leaders is also a smart strategic move—the more they believe in the vision statement, the better they'll model it in their daily work and communicate it to their own departments and teams.

Make a second list of stakeholders that represent your vision statement's audience. This list may consist of personas rather than actual people, and should include:

Board members

Partner organizations

Different customer personas

Shareholders

Depending on your industry, this list may be longer or shorter; the main point is to write down a basic overview of the group of people you're writing for. If you're only thinking about your customers, your vision statement may not feel as relatable to employees or might not inspire potential funders to invest. Check your drafts against this list to make sure it feels applicable to all of your key stakeholders.

2. Start with a list of keywords

Ultimately, you're aiming to craft a few concise sentences—and the process of crafting those sentences will be a lot easier if you have a "word bank" of sorts to draw from as you write. Hold an open brainstorming session with your internal stakeholders to come up with a keyword list. 

Make sure your keyword list is comprehensive by subdividing it into smaller categories and making sure you have a good list of keywords for each. At a minimum, you should collect keywords related to:

Your product or service

Your mission and values

Your company's goals and initiatives

Your company's long-term strategic plan

Adjectives that describe your company, product, teams, community, and ideal future (e.g. expert, innovative, affordable, inspiring)

Adverbs that describe the way in which your company operates (e.g. flexibly, sustainably, cooperatively, fearlessly)

Just like your list of stakeholders, the number and type of keyword lists you should generate will vary depending on your industry and company. The important thing is to create a document filled with keywords that you can draw from as your writing, if you get stuck trying to communicate an idea, or if you need to replace some jargon-y text.

3. Answer foundational company questions

In addition to your keywords document, take time during your brainstorm to answer the following questions:

What is our organization’s main purpose?

What are our company’s main strengths?

What are our company values?

Why does what we’re building matter?

How do we want to make a difference as a company?

What is our vision for our company culture ?

What are our most ambitious goals?

What impact do we want our company to have on the world?

What are our company wants? What about company needs?

If our company succeeded in everything it set out to do, how would the world be different?

4. Sort your answers by importance

By the time you're finished brainstorming, you should have a lot of stuff written down.Put all of this content aside for a few days, so that your mind is clear when you return for the next step: deciding what goes in your vision statement and what gets left on the cutting room floor.

Sit down with your vision statement tiger team and a highlighter and review everything you have written down. Highlight ideas and phrases that your group feels are the most important to your company, and cross out items that you're ready to eliminate from consideration (however, don't throw this content out entirely—everything you brainstormed can be helpful in creating other important documents, like your core values, roadmap, or business plan). 

5. Write your company's vision out longform

At the end of step four, you'll have a smaller "word bank" of your most important phrases, ideas, keywords, and answers to foundational company questions. Your next step will be to organize these ideas into sentences that flow logically and are ordered according to your company's priorities.

Right now, don't worry about length—focus instead on communicating your vision in a way that makes sense, touches all of the key points you want to include, and feels relatable to your stakeholders and your audience. It's much easier to edit a long but comprehensive statement than it is to bulk up a statement that's missing pieces.

6. Step back and evaluate

Before you go through the work of editing your vision down to size, take a step back and look at your vision paragraph from afar. This is another point where you may benefit from setting it aside for a few days and returning with fresh eyes.

As you review your vision paragraph, check for the following things:

Is it ambitious enough? Your paragraph should feel aspirational, not like a finite goal to be accomplished.

Is it too ambitious? Make sure you strike a balance between idealistic and unrealistic.

Does it accurately reflect your organization? Run your paragraph by internal stakeholders who weren’t involved in creating it, and as for their feedback on what may be missing, what parts may be unnecessary, or how certain ideas may be phrased more effectively.

Does it make sense? Have friends and family members read your paragraph to confirm that it makes sense to the average reader.

7. Write your final vision statement

Once you've adjusted your vision paragraph and made the changes you wanted to make, it's time to edit your vision paragraph down to a vision statement. In many cases, your paragraph may naturally shrink as you solicit and implement feedback from others, and you may even want to specifically ask for opinions on how your paragraph could be more concise.

Here are a few ways to shorten your vision paragraph:

Eliminate what's unnecessary. Now that you've stepped away from your paragraph a few times and gotten a few rounds of feedback, are there any phrases or ideas that don't feel as necessary as they did when you wrote it? Cut any parts that feel lackluster or less impactful than the rest of the paragraph.

Look for synonyms. Are there any areas where you used several words to say something that there's already a word for? For example, you might replace the phrase "give people the ability to," with "provide access."

Edit each concept individually. Chop your paragraph into sentences and chop your sentences into phrases. Pick up each small segment on its own and see if you can come up with a shorter way to phrase it. It helps if you evaluate the smaller segments out of order—hopping around or going backwards piece by piece will help you notice things that your brain smooths over when you're reading a full sentence.

When your vision statement is finished, bring it back around to your stakeholders to get final feedback and make any finishing tweaks. 

Vision statement examples

There's no way around it—writing a vision statement is hard, especially if it's your first time doing so. Before you get started, or if you get stuck and need to spark some new ideas, take a look at some of these example vision statements for inspiration. 

Note that not all companies have both a mission and a vision statement. Some companies combine the two into a single small paragraph that touches on tangible objectives (mission) as well as more long-reaching aspirations (vision). In some cases, companies won't label either statement, encasing them in a broader page dedicated to "purpose," "who we are," or another similar title.

Here, we've gathered mission and vision statements for a few companies that have publicly set both. 

Mission: To act in the public interest, BBC serves all audiences through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain.

Vision: To be the most creative company in the world.

Mission: IKEA offers a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at low and accessible prices.

Vision: To create a better everyday life for the many people.

Southwest Airlines

Mission: Southwest connects people to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel.

Vision: To become the world’s most loved, most flown, and most profitable airline.

Mission: Hasbro creates the world's best play and entertainment experiences.

Vision: To make the world a better place for all children, fans and families.

Mission: To make things universally accessible and useful, Google organizes the world's information.

Vision: To significantly improve the lives of as many people as possible.

Mission: To harness the next wave of innovation and solve customers’ toughest challenges, VMware uses disruptive technologies like edge computing, AI, blockchain, machine learning, Kubernetes, and more.

Vision: To build a sustainable, equitable and more secure future for all.

Use your vision statement to help you grow

A company's vision statement is a living document—it should adapt and change as your company achieves its business goals and sets new ones, grows in size, expands its offerings, and updates its mission. Revisit your vision statement once every year or so to make sure it still accurately reflects your company's ideal future; if not, adjust it! 

But for now, enjoy the fact that your vision statement is written. Share it with your team, announce it to your customers, and use it to proudly guide your company forward.

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The Beginner’s Guide to Vision and Mission Statements

Running a successful business involves careful planning and focus. Part of the process includes setting goals and determining a clear-cut purpose.

Two elements critical in defining your business objectives are your vision statement and mission statement. These documents state and summarize your short-term and long-term goals, which is also why the lines get blurry with them. 

Each statement serves a different purpose: a mission statement describes what a company wants to do now ; a vision statement outlines what it wants to do in the future .

Let’s dive deeper into vision and mission statements to understand why they’re crucial for your business and discuss how you can create these documents for your own business.

What is a Vision Statement?

A vision statement is a brief, clear, and definitive description of a company‘s aspirations and the kind of impact it aims to create. Think of it as a guiding beacon that tells people within the organization what the business wants to accomplish and what will happen once they achieve that vision. 

It helps facilitate internal decision-making and determines the intended direction of the organization. You can also use it to describe the future of the business while simultaneously emphasizing its overall purpose.

To put things into perspective, a vision statement tells you what you want to become and then gives you a sense of direction to achieve it. 

• What are your hopes and dreams and goals for your business?
• Are there any problems your business can solve for the greater good?
• What kind of change are you trying to bring?

As you may have realized, vision statements are future-oriented. But because it has a direct and transcendent nature, they are written in the present tense. It tries to encapsulate the strategic goals for a company and informs everyone what the company values most.

What is a Mission Statement?

A mission statement explains an organization’s core objectives, values, and aims concisely and descriptively. It’s a declaration that defines the daily activities of an organization and how every person working within it will contribute to that overall mission.

The primary purpose of a mission statement is to drive a company toward its goals. In addition to outlining what you do and the core components of your business, it tries to clarify objectives and how you can fulfill them. The idea here is to motivate and inspire a team to consistently advance toward a common goal.

Consider the following questions when writing your mission statement:

• What do you do?
• Who do you do it for?
• How do you serve them?

A mission statement is affirmative, so they typically start with “We provide…” or “We offer…“. You can also use it as a performance standard to help employees make better decisions.

The Basics of Vision and Mission Statements

This section will detail the basics—differences, similarities, and other nuances—of vision and mission statements. Knowing this will help you better understand what goes into making a good vision and mission statement.

Vision Statement vs. Mission Statement

Vision and mission statements are essential documents with different objectives.

A vision statement outlines what you want to become and how you want to impact society and its people. Whereas a mission statement is more present-focused and summarizes the primary goals, purposes, and values of an organization.

Put simply, a mission statement speaks to today, while a vision statement speaks to the future. Let’s take a look at Google‘s vision and mission statements to highlight this difference.

The company‘s vision statement is: “ To provide access to the world’s information in one click. ” 

Despite being short and to the point, Google effectively puts forward its ambitious long-term aspiration to provide people with the world’s information as quickly and efficiently as possible (“in one click”).

On the other hand, Google’s mission statement is: “ To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. ” 

This statement aims to guide the company’s daily operations and inform everyone that Google’s primary job is to organize information to make it accessible and useful. Notice how it also complements the vision statement.

As you can see, while the vision statement is aspirational and more focused on the “why,” the mission statement is actionable and outlines the “what” and “how.” That’s how the documents differ from each other.

Collaborative Working 

Companies need vision and mission statements to define their purpose and stand out from their competitors. But before they develop them, they must know and be able to articulate their long-term and short-term objectives.

Both documents work together to keep a company focused on meeting pre-established goals and play a significant role in strategic planning. 

Every component of a vision and mission statement encourages involved parties to take productive efforts to boost efficiency while simultaneously aligning them to work toward achieving the same purpose. They also help attract the right talent, create an appropriate work culture, and increase productivity levels to achieve success.

On the contrary, a poorly written vision and mission statement present various challenges and setbacks. It’s because they lack detailed insights that are otherwise necessary to guide employees during operations and decision-making. 

Drafting A Vision Statement

As a vision statement is your end goal, you must clearly lay out your vision of the future you’re trying to build. It’s also why it makes sense to write your vision statement before your mission statement.

To write a vision statement, start by revisiting the different components of your business or marketing plan, including your elevator pitch, business goals, company values, SWOT analysis, business story, and brand identity.

Once you have it all together, distill everything into one sentence to create the vision statement and show the world what your company is working toward. 

Fitting everything in a single line is going to be difficult, but it isn’t impossible. A good way to start is by answering the following questions:

• What is the ultimate purpose of your business?
• What kind of problems do you want to solve through your product or service?
• How does your business aim to make the world better?
• How would you describe your hopes and dreams for the business’s impact?
• What change do you inspire to bring?

Next, work on distilling your answers down to the essentials. Remember, use clear language and concrete wording—similar to an elevator pitch.

The thought process is similar when writing a mission statement.

Drafting A Mission Statement

A mission statement is the core of all your operations that lists everything you must do to reach your vision—which you established in your vision statement. When done right, this document can become the driving force for your company, giving your team a common goal.

Essentially, your mission statement should define your plan of attack, drawing the route to your destination. To do this, consider the following:

• What conditions must be met to make your vision a reality?
• What do you have to do in your day-to-day to fulfill those conditions?
• Who do you serve, and how do you do it?
• How does your business help to make your vision real for your customers?

If you find it difficult to answer these questions, go through your target audience and buyer personas, buying cycle, and so on. Once that’s done, condense all your answers down into a single strong statement.

Again, cut out any jargon and use simple, meaningful language. The mission statement should be one to three sentences maximum, and never more than 100 words. Ideally, the shorter the better.

3 Tools to Improve Your Vision and Mission Statement

Since vision and mission statements answer crucial questions—why, how, and what—these documents are also a crucial component of your business plan. Read on as we discuss some of the best tools you can use to improve these documents.

Market and Vision Statement Templates

The internet is filled with vision and mission worksheet templates. All you need to do is answer various questions to discover details related to your business and then structure the answers to create the documents.

Take a look at Smartsheet’s mission statement template, for instance. It has two columns that explain what you need to consider and then an empty column to jot down answers—pretty straightforward, making it easier for you to create an effective one.

Vision and Mission Statement Generators

Vision and mission statement generators are tools designed to provide you with the necessary assistance to write good statements. However, most of them can’t produce truly useful statements because they don’t have the relevant information.

HoneyBook generator is one such tool.

While they cannot capture the true essence of how unique your vision and mission statement should be, they aren’t entirely useless. You can use these generators to get a better understanding of the tone and wording of these documents. Plus, use it for inspiration to get out of your head and see some new ideas that may spark something for you.

Business Plan Services

Remember how we mentioned a vision statement and mission statement are a vital part of a business plan? This is why online business plan services like LivePlan and Bizplan offer services to write these documents.

These services are similar to business plan software. The only difference is that they offer business and legal specialists who can help you gain a better understanding of the more complex aspects of your business, which, in turn, will make it easier for you to draft your vision and mission statements.

5 Tricks for Writing a Good Vision and Mission Statement

Let’s take a look at a few vision and mission statements best practices to help you create amazing ones for your business.

Clearly Define Your Future

Set up a meeting with your team and ask everyone to define the perfect state of being for your organization—why the company exists and its purpose. Write it down and find words that truly articulate your future goals and plans.

Remain in Sync

Ensure your vision and mission statements are in sync and connected by using words that resonate with your employees as well as third parties. It’s best to write your vision statement first and then use it as a guide when writing your mission statement.

Make Them Memorable and Achievable

Your vision and mission should be a stretch but always within reach. Draft them in a way that makes them to the point and easy to remember. Try to think of something that gives the reader goosebumps and encourages them to take immediate action without making them sound impossible or fanciful.

Align Them With Your Goals

Although this goes without saying, make sure you write statements that align with your goals. Whenever you change your goals and objectives, revisit your vision and mission and make the necessary changes. You may find yourself tweaking your mission statement more often than your vision statement.

Think About the Future 

Imagining your future five or ten years down the line is particularly important for your vision statement. But knowing your end goal will also help you draft a better mission statement to outline what steps you should take immediately to get there. 

We highly recommend conducting a gap analysis to compare current performance to desired performance. The end result will give you a better understanding of how or where your organization is struggling—and where there are opportunities to grow.

What to Do Next

After writing your vision and mission statement, your next step should focus on developing specific objectives to help you achieve your mission and vision. These objectives include specific measurable results, fulfilling which will help you accomplish your broad goals.

Create an action plan or a business plan that details how you plan on implementing the strategies and what actionable steps you’ll take to bring about changes in all the relevant sectors.

How to Write a Mission Statement + 10 Great Examples

17 min. read

Updated May 10, 2024

Why is an effective mission statement so valuable? It’s worth taking a minute to ask what it is about certain brands that keep us coming back. What is it about them that makes us spend more time, money, or effort over other options? Is it the price? Maybe the convenience? Or is it something more?

The brands and businesses that we really connect with do more than just supply a product or service . They showcase a purpose, a mission that we can get behind. This can be displayed in how they interact with customers, the organizations and communities they support, and even the way they develop their products.

And there’s no better way for a business owner to showcase this purpose, than through a well-written mission statement.

On this page

• What is a mission statement?

Mission statement or vision statement?

• Why write a mission statement?
• How to write a great mission statement
• 10 Examples of Great Mission Statements

A mission statement is a simple action-oriented statement that explains your company’s purpose. It summarizes what your company does for customers, employees, and owners, and typically includes general descriptions of your organization, its core function, and its goals. In short, you’re explaining what you do and why you do it within a mission statement.

Depending on the focus of your business, your mission statement may be even broader. Explaining not just how you serve your customers and employees, but your community and the world at large. Some businesses even opt to separate this larger aspiration into what’s known as a vision statement.

A vision statement is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a vision for the direction of your company and what it aspires to be. 

These two statements aren’t really interchangeable. They both reflect the purpose and goals of your business, but serve completely different purposes. Your mission statement is the roadmap to achieve your vision. Your vision statement is a much broader picture of the aspirations for your business. 

These can be completely separate written statements for your business, or they can be combined into a more comprehensive mission statement. Having all three does allow you to utilize them for different business purposes, so it may be worth developing variations over time.

Speaking of variations, it’s important to note that your mission statement will likely evolve over time as your business grows and changes. So, don’t be afraid to make adjustments when it seems necessary, and avoid looking for the perfect version of your mission statement. 

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I’ve had a 30-year love-hate relationship with mission statements. I’ve read thousands. I love it when a mission statement defines a business so well that it feels like strategy—which does happen—and I hate it when a mission statement is generic, stale, and completely useless. 

Just because a traditional business plan often includes a mission statement isn’t a reason to do one. If it’s not going to be useful for you and help guide your business, don’t bother. The vast majority of the mission statements are just meaningless hype that could be used to describe any business.

Don’t fall into the trap of writing a mission statement just because some checklist or expert said you had to. There are actually sites that poke fun at how most mission statements use vague, high-sounding phrases to say nothing. You should write a mission statement if you want to add clarity to your business goals and you want to get your employees, investors, and customers to understand what your organization is all about. 

Developing your company’s first mission statement, or writing a new or revised one, is your opportunity to define the company’s goals, ethics, culture, and norms for decision-making. The daily routine of business gets in the way sometimes, and a quick refresh with the mission statement helps you take a step back and remember what’s most important: the organization has a purpose. 

So how do you make a useful mission statement? Over the decades I’ve spent reading, writing, and evaluating business plans , I’ve come up with a process for developing a useful mission statement, and it boils down to these five steps.

1. Start with a market-defining story

A really good market-defining story explains the need, or the want, or—if you like jargon—the so-called “why to buy.” It defines the target customer or “buyer persona .” And it defines how your business is different from most others, or even unique. It simplifies thinking about what a business isn’t, what it doesn’t do.

Imagine a real person making the actual decision to buy what you sell. Why do they want it? How did they find your business? What does it do for them? The more concrete the story, the better. And keep that in mind for the actual mission statement wording: “The more concrete, the better.”

This isn’t literally part of the mission statement. Rather, it’s an important thing to have in your head while you write the mission statement. It’s in the background, between the words. If you’re having trouble getting started, make a quick list of what your company does and doesn’t do.

2. Define what your business does for its customers

Start your mission statement with the good you do. Use your market-defining story to suss out whatever it is that makes your business special for your target customer .

Don’t undervalue your business: You don’t have to cure cancer or stop global climate change to be doing good. Offering trustworthy auto repair, for example, narrowed down to your specialty in your neighborhood with your unique policies, is doing something good. So is offering excellent slow food in your neighborhood, with emphasis on organic and local, at a price premium.

This is a part of your mission statement, and a pretty crucial part at that—write it down.

If your business is good for the world, incorporate that here too. But claims about being good for the world need to be meaningful, and distinguishable from all the other businesses. Add the words “clean” or “green” if that’s really true and you keep to it rigorously. Don’t just say it, especially if it isn’t important or always true.

For example, Apple Computer’s 2020 mission statement is:

“Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms—iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS—provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it..”

That one obviously passes the test of defining the company with flying colors. Nobody could mistake that mission for generic hype. And it’s an interesting change from the early mission as defined by founder Steve Jobs:

“To make a contribution to the world by making tools for the mind that advance humankind.”

Ikea, on the other hand, starts its mission statement with something that could be any company anywhere. “Our vision is to create a better everyday life for the [sic] many people.” To its credit, it goes on to define a “rest of the mission” that could only be IKEA:

“We make this possible by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.”

And note, in this mission statement, how Sweetgreen incorporates a world vision into a product-oriented mission statement:

“Founded in 2007, Sweetgreen is a destination for delicious food that’s both healthy for you and aligned with your values. We source local and organic ingredients from farmers we know and partners we trust, supporting our communities, and creating meaningful relationships with those around us. We exist to create experiences where passion and purpose come together.”

3. Define what your business does for its employees

Good businesses are good for their employees too or they don’t last. Keeping employees is better for the bottom line than turnover. Company culture matters. Rewarding and motivating people matters. A mission statement can define what your business offers its employees.

My recommendation is that you don’t simply assert how the business is good for employees—you define it here and then forever after make it true.

Qualities like fairness, diversity, respect for ideas and creativity, training, tools, empowerment, and the like, actually really matter. However, since every business in existence at least says that it prioritizes those things, strive for a differentiator and a way to make the general goals feel more concrete and specific.

Don’t worry about being fully unique

With this part of the mission statement, there’s a built-in dilemma. On the one hand, it’s good for everybody involved to use the mission statement to establish what you want for employees in your business. On the other hand, it’s hard to do that without falling into the trap of saying what every other business says.

Stating that you value fair compensation, room to grow, training, a healthy, creative work environment, and respect for diversity is probably a good idea, even if that part of your mission statement isn’t unique. That’s because the mission statement can serve as a reminder—for owners, supervisors, and workers—and as a lever for self-enforcement.

If you have a special view on your relationship with employees, write it into the mission statement. If your business is friendly to families, or to remote virtual workplaces, put that into your mission.

You may not need to focus on employees

And this is rare in mission statements. The vast majority are focused on messaging for customers. My recommendation here is not the norm. I include it because it’s good practice, even though not common.

While I consulted for Apple Computer, for example, that business differentiated its goals of training and empowering employees by making a point of bringing in very high-quality educators and presenters to help employees’ business expertise grow. That was part of the culture and, to my mind, part of the mission; but it wasn’t part of the mission statement. It could have been.

American Express, however, includes the team in its mission:

“We have a mission to be the world’s most respected service brand. To do this, we have established a culture that supports our team members, so they can provide exceptional service to our customers.”

4. Add what the business does for its owners

In business school, they taught us that the mission of management is to enhance the value of the stock. And shares of stock are ownership. Some would say that it goes without saying that a business exists to enhance the financial position of its owners, and maybe it does. However, only a small subset of all businesses are about the business buzzwords of “share value” and “return on investment.”

In the early years of my business, I wanted peace of mind about cash flow more than I wanted growth, and I wanted growth more than I wanted profits. So I wrote that into my mission statement. And at one point I realized I was also building a business that was a place where I was happy to be working, with people I wanted to work with; so I wrote that into my mission statement, too.

However, this element too, as with the suggestion about including employees, is unusual. Few mission statements do it. That’s understandable, since most mission statements are outward-facing only, aimed at customers and nobody else.

Still, some of the best mission statements incorporate a much broader sense of mission that includes, or at least implies, the mission of ownership.

Warby Parker, an eyewear company, does a great job at voicing a higher mission that includes customers, employees, and owners.

“Warby Parker was founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty objective: to offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price while leading the way for socially-conscious business.”

5. Discuss, digest, cut, polish, review, and revise

Good mission statements serve multiple functions, define objectives, and live for a long time. So, edit. This step is worth it.

Start by considering developing a full mission statement for internal use and using a customer-facing subset for general publication. That’s common. Many companies have segmented mission statements, with sections set aside and categorized by type or goal. Use bullet points or sections if that works for you. Part of the reason people confuse mission with mantra and vision is that many businesses use them together, and many others also redefine them to fit their context. So what a company does for customers is often called vision, despite the formal definition.

Remember, form follows function, in mission statements, as in all business writing. Make it work for your business. Or don’t do it at all. If you want to call it a vision, and that works for employees and customers, then do that.

Cut out general terms

As you edit, keep a sharp eye out for the buzzwords and hype that everybody claims. Cut as much as you can that doesn’t apply specifically to your business, except for the occasional special elements that—unique or not—can serve as long-term rules and reminders. Unique itself, the word, means literally, the only one in the world. Use it sparingly. Phrases such as “being the best possible,” “world-class,” and “great customer service” mean little because everybody uses them. Having great customer service is way harder than writing that into a mission statement.

Read other companies’ mission statements, but write a statement that is about you and not some other company. Make sure you actually believe in what you’re writing—your customers and your employees will soon spot a lie.

Then, listen. Show drafts to others, ask their opinions and really listen. Don’t argue, don’t convince them, just listen. And then edit again.

And, for the rest of your business’s life, review and revise it as needed. As with everything in a business plan, your mission statement should never get written in stone, and, much less, stashed in a drawer. Use it or lose it. Review and revise as necessary, because change is constant.

• Great Mission Statements: 10 Examples

If you’re looking for some inspiration to get you started on your own mission statement, here are a few of my favorites.

1. Southwest Airlines

“The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit.”

What’s most interesting about Southwest’s mission statement is that they don’t mention anything about getting from point A to point B. Their mission is all about how they differentiate what, these days, can be seen as a commodity experience. They also focus on their own employees and the “spirit of the company”, not just the customer experience.

2. Urban Outfitters

“A lifestyle retailer dedicated to inspiring customers through a unique combination of product, creativity and cultural understanding. Founded in 1970 in a small space across the street from the University of Pennsylvania, Urban Outfitters now operates over 200 stores in the United States, Canada, and Europe, offering experiential retail environments and a well-curated mix of women’s, men’s, accessories and home product assortments.”

Urban Outfitters focuses on the experience that they deliver and the focus on what they do. Their mission drives what their stores look like and what their goal is: to inspire. They also nod to their heritage of starting small and growing.

“At Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) we believe a life outdoors is a life well-lived. We believe that it’s in the wild, untamed and natural places that we find our best selves, so our purpose is to awaken a lifelong love of the outdoors, for all.”

REI’s mission focuses mostly on what it wants to do for its customers, but hidden in the mission statement is a mission to preserve the environment as well. Their focus on “getting outside” is what creates a connection between them and their customers.

4. Starbucks

“To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.”

Starbucks expands on its mission statement by stating its core values. This is really an extension of the mission statement and explains how they focus on their customers, how they grow their company, and how they work with employees. You can read their values here .

5. Walgreens

“Walgreens’ mission is to be America’s most-loved pharmacy-led health, well-being, and beauty retailer. Its purpose is to champion everyone’s right to be happy and healthy.”

Walgreen’s mission really defines their goals: what they want to achieve and in what product categories they want to achieve it in. They also bring in their broader purpose when they talk about “everyone’s right to be happy and healthy.”

“Make work-life simpler, more pleasant, and more productive.”

While Slack’s mission statement is short, it implies a lot. “Work” doesn’t just mean their customer’s work, it means their own work at their company. Their mission statement serves them both internally and externally.

7. The Coca Cola Company

“Refresh the world. Make a difference.”

Coca Cola takes a slightly different approach with a statement of purpose and then a vision statement. Their purpose is essentially their mission statement and says a lot for being so short. They want to refresh people in both body and spirit while making a positive impact on the world. Their vision also implies their goal of serving the entire world’s population which hits on their corporate and shareholder goals.

8. Patagonia

“We’re in business to save our home planet.”

Another short mission statement that says so much more than you would think at first glance. First and foremost, Patagonia doesn’t say that they are a non-profit – they state that they’re a business. And, this implies that they need to be a strong, healthy business to meet their goal of saving the planet. Their mission applies to their employees, their customers, their products, and their activism.

9. charity: water

“charity: water is a nonprofit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries.”

charity: water’s mission statement is clear and to the point – it simply describes what it does and who it does it for. For most non-profit mission statements, this is enough.

 10. Asana

“Asana’s mission is to help humanity thrive by enabling the world’s teams to work together effortlessly.”

Similar to other mission statements, Asana blends a message about what they do with a higher goal of enhancing the world outside of their company. Yet, they still hint at their target market and goals of being a world-wide company, thus improving the lives of their employees and shareholders.

Tim Berry is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software , a co-founder of Borland International, and a recognized expert in business planning. He has an MBA from Stanford and degrees with honors from the University of Oregon and the University of Notre Dame. Today, Tim dedicates most of his time to blogging, teaching and evangelizing for business planning.

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@media(min-width: 1024px){.css-hqxvux{max-width:100%;}} 22 vision statement examples to help you write your own.

When launching a startup, founders typically have an idea of what they want to achieve — a vision of what success will look like. During the strategic planning process, it’s important to put this vision into concrete terms. Not only does a vision statement clarify your thoughts, but it helps employees and stakeholders understand what the business has set out to accomplish. No matter what the business, a good mission and vision statement can inspire and motivate employees to make that vision a reality.

Whether it’s your first or fifth business, writing a compelling vision statement can be challenging. Below, we'll share how to write a vision statement — one that inspires your employees and positively impacts your business — and we'll look at a few vision statement examples to help you get started. 

What is a vision statement? 

A personal mission statement and personal vision statement can be used to guide our decision-making and help us stay focused to meet our long-term goals. Company statements are no different. A company vision statement is one of your most important business documents, along with your mission statement and core values. Although it’s easy to confuse the three, each one is unique and serves its own purpose. 

Core values are the organization’s long-term beliefs and principles that guide employee behavior. A mission statement deals with “why” an organization exists, while a vision statement outlines “what” that existence will eventually look like. A mission statement has to do with what the organization is doing in the present, while a vision statement focuses on the future. Mission statement examples include L’Oreal’s “Offering all women and men worldwide the best of cosmetics innovation in terms of quality, efficacy, and safety.” Conversely, Disney’s vision for itself is “to be one of the world’s leading producers and providers of entertainment and information.”

Primarily intended for internal employees and shareholders, a vision statement describes what an organization aspires to be. It helps to think of a vision statement as part roadmap, part inspiration. By outlining a long-term vision, rather than just short-term goals, a vision statement helps give the organization shape and purpose. 

Why it’s important to have a vision statement.

Despite the importance of a vision statement, many companies choose to operate without one. Some simply combine their mission and vision into one general document. Others do away with the idea altogether, thinking that corporate visions are vague statements that serve no actual purpose. 

Furthermore, studies show that highly aligned organizations grow revenue 58% faster, and are 72% more profitable than ones that are unaligned. If an organization doesn’t have a vision or a clear idea of what it wants, it will greatly limit its opportunities and have a difficult time inspiring employees to stay committed.  

How to write a vision statement.

Writing a vision statement may seem like a daunting task. It’s read by every employee and shareholder, and greatly impacts the success of the organization. And a vision statement takes time and thought. When done well, a vision statement can provide the encouragement your company needs to achieve its goals. To streamline the process, keep the following steps in mind while crafting your vision statement:

1. Determine who will help write your vision statement.

When starting out, it’s likely you and your partners will be responsible for writing your company’s vision statement. Once you start hiring, you can ask managers and employees to contribute additional insights. Interviewing a range of individuals will help create a vision statement that integrates and speaks directly to the entire organization. 

2. Project your goals for the future.

Imagine your company five or ten years down the line. The outcome you envision — your dream for the future, your success as a company — should be captured in the vision statement. Keep in mind that the statement should only include the vision, not an actual step-by-step plan for implementing solutions. 

The following questions can help you clarify your vision: 

• Where do we want the organization to go? 
• What can we realistically achieve?
• What problem does the organization intend to solve?
• What are the changes we believe the organization can make for individuals? For the industry? 
• How will things be different if the vision is realized?
• What phrases or keywords describe the type of organization and outcome we want?

3. Stick to the specifics.

A generic vision statement — one that sounds like it could apply to any company — will not be enough to motivate your team. Vision works best when it’s specific and describes an end goal only your organization can provide. Don’t be afraid to dream big. A lukewarm vision will only yield lukewarm results. So it’s important to be bold, and even risky, when writing your vision statement. 

4. Keep it short and simple.

While it should be specific, a vision statement shouldn’t be overly detailed. It should be concise. Start by jotting down all of your ideas, and then pare those down to the essentials. Keeping just one or two key points helps create a clear vision that’s easy for everyone to focus on and fulfill. Stay away from technical terms and jargon, and use the present tense. Rather than trying to write something catchy, aim for clarity. A great vision statement works best when it’s simple, memorable, and inspirational. 

Revisit your vision often as your company evolves.

A vision statement sets an organization’s sights on the future. However, once that future is reached, the vision needs to continue moving forward. Your vision statement is a living document, not a set of static sentences. It plays an important part in your overall strategic plan for a certain time frame. It should therefore be regularly updated to reflect your organization’s current purpose. 

Constantly communicate your vision.

Once you have a vision statement that articulates your end goal, make sure it’s clearly communicated. A vision is more effective when your entire organization takes it to heart. Commit the proper resources and time toward realizing the vision you’ve set. This can mean investing in seminars and training or launching a new product. It can also include offering the lowest possible prices, entering new markets, or exploring other areas of opportunity. A good way to help everyone align with a company's vision statement is by inviting them into the process. Ask for employees’ input, and suggest ways to incorporate the vision into their work. Then, make sure to recognize or reward individuals for their standout contributions.

Vision statement examples.

Sometimes, seeing what works for notable companies is just the inspiration you need to create your own vision statement. Below are some inspiring vision statements from today’s top companies:

Concept-based vision statements.

Some vision statements are based on concepts of what the company hopes to be or achieve in the future. This can be a general statement focused on customers, or a position the company wants to hold within the industry. Below are a few examples of concept-based vision statements:

• BBC: “To be the most creative organization in the world”
• Disney: “To make people happy.”
• Google: “To provide access to the world’s information in one click”
• IKEA: “To create a better everyday life for the many people”
• Instagram: “Capture and share the world’s moments”
• LinkedIn: "Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce”
• Microsoft: “To help people throughout the world realize their full potential”
• Nike: “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world”
• Oxfam: “A just world without poverty”
• Shopify: “To make commerce better for everyone”
• Sony: "To be a company that inspires and fulfills your curiosity.”
• TED: “Spread ideas”
• Tesla: “To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy”
• Uber: “We ignite opportunity by setting the world in motion”
• Whole Foods : “To nourish people and the planet.”

Quality-based vision statements.

Other common vision statements are focused on internal goals. These include the type of products and services the company hopes to provide as they grow. Quality-based vision statements can also relate to company culture and operations. The following are some examples from actual United States companies in different industries:

• Amazon: “Our vision is to be earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.”
• Avon: “ To be the company that best understands and satisfies the product, service, and self-fulfillment needs of women—globally.”
• Ben & Jerry’s: “Making the best ice cream in the nicest possible way”
• Ford: “People working together as a lean, global enterprise to make people’s lives better through automotive and mobility leadership.” 
• IBM: “To be the world’s most successful and important information technology company. Successful in helping our customers apply technology to solve their problems. Successful in introducing this extraordinary technology to new customers. Important because we will continue to be the basic resource of much of what is invested in this industry.”
• McDonald’s: “To move with velocity to drive profitable growth and become an even better McDonald’s serving more customers delicious food each day around the world.”
• Nordstrom: “To serve our customers better, to always be relevant in their lives, and to form lifelong relationships”
• Starbucks: “To establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow.” 
• Warby Parker: “We believe that buying glasses should be easy and fun. It should leave you happy and good-looking, with money in your pocket. We also believe that everyone has the right to see.”
• Zappos: “To provide the best customer service possible. Deliver 'WOW' through service”

Keep a clear vision.

Even if it’s just a few sentences, a vision statement provides a lot of value. Not only does it outline the company’s desired outcome, but it can communicate intentions and hopes for the future. The best part is that a vision statement changes with your organization. When a vision is reached or updated, it’s time to create a new vision statement. This encourages everyone toward greater goals, and opens your company to more possibilities.

@media(min-width: 1024px){.css-hqxvux{max-width:100%;}} Ready to bring your vision to life? Brex can help.

Difference Between Mission and Vision Statements: 25 Examples

• Written By Britt Skrabanek
• Updated: September 23, 2024

Mission. Vision. Values. 

You’ve probably heard that phrase (or something similar) a thousand times. But they’re actually three distinct concepts.

The lines especially blur between mission and vision. And when it comes to the drive and direction of your company, it’s essential to know their distinction from one another. So what’s the real difference between mission and vision statements?

In this in-depth guide, we’ll compare and contrast mission and vision statements. We’ll break down each one’s definition and then discuss the best 25 brand examples that demonstrate their differences. Through that, you’ll be able to better understand and define your company’s essence and direction with confidence and clarity.

The Difference Between a Mission and Vision Statement

This is the easiest way to break it down:

• The mission statement focuses on today and what the organization does to achieve it.
• The vision statement focuses on tomorrow and what the organization wants to become.

While companies commonly use mission and vision statements interchangeably, it’s important to have both. Because having purpose and meaning is critical for any business, one doesn’t work without the other.

What is a Mission Statement?

Your mission statement drives the company. It’s the core of the business. From it stems your company’s objectives and what it takes to reach those objectives. Ultimately, it shapes your company’s entire culture.

Mission statement questions look like:

• What do we do?
• Whom do we serve?
• How do we serve them?

This trickle-down effect of a mission statement confirms its value at any company. A solid mission sets up your content operations for success by starting your team all at the same place and motivating them to work together to reach the same end goal.

On the other hand, a weak mission — or no mission at all — can have the opposite effect. Picture this: silos, miscommunications, flailing, feeling unmotivated. And, imagine what that does to a company. Scary, right?

For content marketers

Your content marketing strategy supports your company’s mission statement — think of it as the HOW of what you do.  It helps keep you on track. Through it, you stay true to your brand and your goals. Every piece of content you create should be rooted in your mission statement, from the tone of voice to the call to action .

What is a Vision Statement?

Your vision statement gives the company direction. It is the future of the business, which then provides the purpose.

The vision statement is aspirational- it’s about what you want to become.

Vision statement questions look like:

• What are our hopes and dreams?
• What problem are we solving for the greater good?
• Who and what are we inspiring to change?

The vision statement promotes growth, both internally and externally. A strong vision helps teams focus on what matters the most for their company. It also invites innovation. A purpose-driven company envisions success as a whole because they know what success means for their company.

On the flip side, a lack of vision is a road to nowhere for a business. Imagine this: stagnation, outdated processes, moving without purpose, feeling uninspired. Can a company even survive without a clear vision? You know the answer to that one.

The content vision supports the company’s vision statement — it’s the WHY of what you do. This helps you stay forward-thinking, true to your beliefs, and true to your purpose. Every piece of content you dream up should fly high with your vision statement, from the inception of an eBook to the lofty blog traffic milestone.

Brands That Get It: 25 Mission and Vision Statement Examples

So, what do great mission and vision statements actually look like? Here are 25 companies that get them right, with the brand loyalty to prove it.

Mission: To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.

Vision: To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.

Why it works:  What better word than “accelerate” in a mission to serve as the driving force behind what Tesla does. While boldly stating “best in the century” reflects loftier dreams in the vision.

Mission:  We strive to offer our customers the lowest possible prices, the best available selection, and the utmost convenience.

Vision:  To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.

Why it works:  Amazon’s mission is cut-and-dry about what it offers to customers. The vision takes the offerings further, saying their company will offer “anything” customers want.

Mission:   We’re in business to save our home planet.

Vision: A love of wild and beautiful places demands participation in the fight to save them and to help reverse the steep decline in the overall environmental health of our planet.

Why it works: Patagonia’s mission and vision statements show a deep commitment to improving lives and saving the planet through its products. They do a great job of using the Noble Edge Effect .

Mission:  Spread ideas.

Vision: We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives, and, ultimately, the world.

Why it works:  The TED mission to “spread ideas” is a simple demonstration of how they serve. The vision is all about impact, and how spreading ideas invokes change in the world.

Mission:  To connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.

Vision:  To create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.

Why it works:  LinkedIn succinctly captures what they do (connect) and who they serve (the world’s professionals) in their mission. While the vision encompasses every working person in the world.

Mission:   To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

Vision:  To provide access to the world’s information in one click.

Why it works:  Google may seem complex, but its mission clarifies that organization and accessibility are what they offer. Their vision statement is about improving accessibility in the future “in one click.”

Mission:  We reimagine the way the world moves for the better.

Vision:  Smarter transportation with fewer cars and greater access. Transportation that’s safer, cheaper, and more reliable; transportation that creates more job opportunities and higher incomes for drivers.

Why it works:  Uber “transports,” so it is the perfect actionable verb for their mission. The vision dives deeper into how their transportation services exist for the greater good of everyone.

Mission: To create a world where anyone can belong anywhere, and we are focused on creating an end-to-end travel platform that will handle every part of your trip.

Vision: Belong everywhere.

Why it works: The Airbnb mission says, “We help you feel at home,” while encapsulating the company’s goals for the future. They explore a deeper sense of belonging in the vision, tapping into the universal human desire their company aims for.

Mission: Delight our customers, employees, and shareholders by relentlessly delivering the platform and technology advancements that become essential to the way we work and live.

Vision:  If it is smart and connected, it is best with Intel.

Why it works: Intel promises to deliver the most technologically advanced products in its mission. Their vision uses more boastful language, illustrating great confidence in the future of their solutions.

Mission:  We build cars, symbols of Italian excellence the world over, and we do so to win on both road and track. Unique creations that fuel the Prancing Horse legend and generate a “World of Dreams and Emotions.”

Vision:  Ferrari, Italian Excellence that makes the world dream.

Why it works:  “We build to win” in Ferrari’s mission focuses on the strength and quality of their product. In this ambitious vision, their cars will reach the pinnacle of “Italian Excellence.”

Mission: Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs everywhere, making opportunities more inclusive for all.

Vision: Our vision is to radically shift the global economy toward independent entrepreneurial ventures.

Why it works: GoDaddy positions itself as the entrepreneur’s champion, making opportunity and success attainable for all.

Caterpillar

Mission: To provide the best value to customers, grow a profitable business, develop and reward people, and encourage social responsibility.

Vision: Be the global leader in customer value.

Why it works: Caterpillar explains both their “how” and their “why” in their mission statement: By providing affordable and high-quality products to customers, they will continue to grow their business, recognize and reward employees, and make a positive impact on the environment. Their vision reaffirms their commitment to providing value.

Mission:  To attract and attain customers with high-valued products and services and the most satisfying ownership experience in America.

Vision:  To be the most successful and respected car company in America.

Why it works:  Toyota’s mission and vision statements demonstrate what they are known for: products and services. Even in a highly competitive industry, their vision states that they will become the best car company in the country.

Mission: We will devote our human resources and technology to creating superior products and services, thereby contributing to a better global society.

Vision: To inspire the world with our innovative technologies, products, and designs that enrich people’s lives and contribute to social prosperity by creating a new future.

Why it works: Samsung wants to improve people’s lives by creating exceptional and innovative products, which they make clear in both their mission and vision statements.

Mission:  To empower and engage people around the world to collect and develop educational content under a free license or in the public domain, and to disseminate it effectively and globally.

Vision:  Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge. That’s our commitment.

Why it works:  Wikimedia’s mission motivates its team to move toward a common goal of empowerment and engagement. Their vision paints a future world where their company’s commitment makes a lasting impact.

Mission:  To be the world’s favorite destination for discovering great value and unique selection.

Vision:  Our vision for commerce is one that is enabled by people, powered by technology, and open to everyone.

Why it works: When you break eBay’s mission and vision statements down, you see that eBay’s mission uses “destination” to show their virtual company as a real place people come to. An ongoing focus on people and technology gets into the “why” of their vision.

Mission:  Offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.

Vision: To create a better everyday life for many people.

Why it Works:  The mission here focuses on the functionality of IKEA’s products and the affordability of their customers. In the vision, the IKEA team has a true sense of purpose in “creating a better everyday life.”

Mission: Shape the future of the internet by creating unprecedented value and opportunity for our customers, employees, investors, and ecosystem partners.

Vision:  Changing the way we work, live, play, and learn.

Why it works:  Cisco decided to blend its mission and vision statements. Language like “shape the future” is more vision-oriented, but the mission talks about the people they serve.

Mission:  A company that inspires and fulfills your curiosity.

Vision: Using our unlimited passion for technology, content, and services to deliver groundbreaking new excitement and entertainment, as only Sony can.

Why it works:  Sony gives a customer-focused touch to its mission by using “your.” The “unlimited passion” and “groundbreaking entertainment” messaging in their vision demonstrate innovation.

Southwest Airlines

Mission: The mission of Southwest Airlines is a dedication to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit.

Vision: To be the world’s most loved, most efficient, and most profitable airline.

Why it works:  Southwest Airlines tells us right up front that quality customer service is their mission. Their vision is highly aspirational across the board in saying they want to be “the most” of everything.

Mission: Our mission is to provide insightful solutions that drive value and success for our clients by allowing them to focus on their business.

Vision:  Be the world’s authority on helping organizations focus on what matters.

Why it works: ADP puts its clients at the forefront of its mission and vision statements. After all, their clients’ success is what makes them successful.

Kaiser Permanente

Mission: Kaiser Permanente exists to provide high-quality, affordable healthcare services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve.

Vision:  We are trusted partners in total health, collaborating with people to help them thrive and creating communities that are among the healthiest in the nation.

Why it works:  Saying “exist” sounds more like a vision statement, but the rest of the mission says what Kaiser Permanente does. In the vision, “thrive” and “healthiest” are big words that show their impact.

Mission:  The mission of Coinbase is to create an open financial system for the world.

Vision:  Digital currency will bring about more innovation, efficiency, and equality of opportunity in the world by creating an open financial system.

Why it works:  Coinbase didn’t sugarcoat what they do in their mission statement, did they? And, in the vision, their message speaks well to the change their company will bring one day.

Mission:  To give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.

Vision:  People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what’s going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them.

Why it works:  Facebook’s mission is focused on the community their platform promises. Their vision talks about why community matters, interweaving how they will “bring the world closer together” from the mission.

Whole Foods

Mission: Our purpose is to nourish people and the planet. We’re a purpose-driven company that aims to set the standards of excellence for food retailers. Quality is a state of mind at Whole Foods Market.

Vision: Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet.

Why it works:  This mission uses repetition throughout to reinforce the quality that Whole Foods is known for. Making everything “whole” in their vision binds their company to a set of beliefs that they complete people’s lives.

More Mission Statements From Top Brands:

• Adidas — To be the best sports company in the world.
• CalArts — CalArts is a multidisciplinary community of artists. Our ongoing educational endeavor is grounded in openness, experimentation, critical engagement, and creative freedom. Through artistic practice, we transform ourselves, each other, and the world.
• Coca-Cola — To refresh the world in mind, body, and spirit; to inspire moments of optimism and happiness through our brands and actions; to create value and make a difference.
• Dunkin’ Donuts — Everything we do is about you. From chefs who create exciting new flavors to crew members who know exactly how you want your drink—we prioritize what you need to get you on your way. We strive to keep you at your best, and we remain loyal to you, your tastes, and your time. That’s what America runs on.
• Goodwill — Goodwill works to enhance people’s dignity and quality of life by strengthening their communities, eliminating their barriers to opportunity, and helping them reach their full potential through learning and the power of work.
• L’Oréal — L’Oréal has set itself the mission of offering all women and men worldwide the best of cosmetics innovation in terms of quality, efficacy, and safety. By meeting the infinite diversity of beauty needs and desires all over the world.
• McDonald’s — Our mission is to make delicious feel-good moments easy for everyone.
• The Met — The mission of The Metropolitan Museum of Art is to collect, preserve, study, exhibit, and stimulate appreciation for and advance knowledge of works of art that collectively represent the broadest spectrum of human achievement at the highest level of quality, all in the service of the public and in accordance with the highest professional standards.
• Microsoft — Our mission is to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.
• MIT — The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.
• NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) — NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.
• Nike — Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world. *If you have a body, you are an athlete.
• Northwestern University  — Northwestern is committed to excellent teaching, innovative research, and the personal and intellectual growth of its students in a diverse academic community.
• Oprah Winfrey Network — OWN’s mission is to create multiple platforms for women, men, and their families with a purpose and a passion: to celebrate life, inspire and entertain, empower viewers around the world to live their best lives, and by doing so, lift the lives of those around them in ever-widening circles.
• Pepsi — Create more smiles with every sip and every bite.
• Shopify — Making commerce better for everyone.
• Starbucks — To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.
• Target — To help all families discover the joy of everyday life.
• Walt Disney Company — The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds, and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.

Know Who You Are and Where You’re Going

The mission statement focuses on today and what we do, and the vision statement focuses on tomorrow and what we want to become. Both are important to a company’s survival.

Call it the essence, beating heart, or the defining characteristic — whatever you call it, make sure your mission and vision statements are clearly defined and understood for the sake of your content and your company.

Get a content mission and a content vision statement down on paper. Share it with your team members. Then you can measure your future content efforts against the two. Although they are not slogans or taglines themselves , they should definitely help inform them and all your content.

Knowing who you are and where you’re going is the foundation of an organization’s success. So, who are you? And, where are you going?

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What Is a Vision Statement? 25 Vision Statement Examples

A vision statement almost sounds mystical. But it’s not supernatural, far from it. Rather, a vision statement is a foundational business document.

There’s a lot of paperwork that clutters the office of any organization, but the vision statement is unique from the rest. Often confused with a mission statement , the vision statement has a different purpose. A vision statement looks toward the future, but a mission statement talks about what the company is doing in the present.

What Is a Vision Statement?

A vision statement is a business document that states the current and future objectives of an organization. A company’s vision must align with its mission, business plan , strategic plan, and organizational culture. A vision statement isn’t only used in business; nonprofits and government offices also use them to set strategic goals.

Vision statements aren’t necessarily set in stone. They can be returned to, reviewed and revised as necessary. Any changes should be minimal, however, because a vision statement is a guideline for a company’s strategic plan , so it must be thoroughly reviewed.

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Vision Statement Template

Use this free Vision Statement Template for Word to manage your projects better.

The business vision of an organization might change over time, as companies adapt to their business environment and external factors that might affect their ability to achieve their mission. Using a SWOT analysis is a good way to gauge the internal and external factors that shape the business environment of a company.

A vision statement doesn’t have any particular length. However long it is, the vision statement is formally written and is used as a reference in company documents to serve as a guide for short and long-term strategic planning. The best way to learn about vision statements is to look at examples. We’ve gathered 25 vision statement examples from the best companies in the world to help you write your own.

What Is the Purpose of a Vision Statement?

As stated above, a vision statement is an integral part of an organization because it aligns with its mission, core values, and culture. It also guides the strategic plan because it sets future goals. Similar to a mission statement, a vision statement it’s a living document that’s referred to as a lodestar to lead a company to its next innovation and so, all the projects and programs executed by the project management office (PMO) should be aligned with it.

Related: Free Project & Tracking Templates for Excel

There are different approaches when it comes to writing a vision statement, as companies have unique core values. For example, a motivational vision statement will both motivate existing employees and also drive talent to the company. They’ll want to work at a place with a business vision that aligns with their personal values. A strong vision statement also works to help differentiate your company. All companies want to become profitable, but a company can create a unique vision statement that’s appealing to its customers and employees.

Free Vision Statement Template

Feel inspired? Ready to make your own vision statement? Download our free vision statement template for Word and start refining your vision. There’s even guiding questions to help you get started.

Why Is it Important to Have a Vision Statement?

Vision statements are one of the most important documents you can create for your business because they set a common goal for everyone in your organization. Once you get your employees on the same page, it will be easier to lead them toward success.

Types of Vision Statements

In addition to the traditional business vision statement, there are other types of vision statements, such as project, product and even personal vision statements.

Project Vision Statement

A project vision statement is used to guide a project, motivate the project team and further inspire those involved. Like any vision statement, it’s short but should be powerful to communicate the project’s aim. It’s not specific or directional but delivers the end goal of the project which must be aligned with the strategic goals of a company. In that sense, the project team can use the project vision statement as a guide to follow and help them make decisions that align with the overall project vision.

Product Vision Statement

A product vision statement is also a guide and a tool to motivate and inspire product development teams. It tends to look toward the future to expose where the product will be in a number of years. Therefore, a product vision statement goes beyond what the product is currently, but its vision shouldn’t be unrealistic. While there’s no standard length, like any vision statement, the product vision statement should be short and to the point.

Personal Vision Statement

A vision statement isn’t restricted to the realm of industry, you can make one for your own purposes. A personal vision statement simply focuses on your personal values, strengths and goals. While you can use a personal vision statement for your professional life, it’s also commonly focused on life-long goals. As with any vision statement, use it to keep you on track and make the right decisions to direct you to that transformational achievement. Then, you should make an action plan to make your personal vision come true.

Vision Statement vs. Mission Statement

The vision statement and mission statement are both equally important for a company as they complement each other and guide the direction of your company. The main difference between them is that the mission statement describes what your company does, while your vision statement explains what the company attempts to achieve in the future.

On the other hand, their main similarity is that they both need to align with your company’s core values and culture because all these elements make up your company’s identity and differentiation factors.

Vision Statement vs. Purpose Statement

The vision statement comes before the purpose statement and it outlines where you want to be. First, you have to conjure it. You’re not there yet, but keeping the vision in sight allows you to get there in time.

A purpose statement is the why, it’s the reason you want to achieve the vision that’s your goal. You have to answer the question of why you want to achieve this vision. Therefore, the purpose statement is about the overall values.

There’s also a mission statement, which often joins these other two statements. The mission statement is about how you’ll achieve your goals. This allows you to make a plan, create steps to implement it and track your progress towards achieving that vision statement.

25 Vision Statement Examples

The best way to learn about vision statements is to look at real-life vision statement examples. We’ve gathered 25 vision statement examples from the best companies in the world to help you write your own. These examples prove that a vision statement isn’t a templated document that only differs from other organizations by the branded logo on top of it.

• IKEA: “Our vision is to create a better everyday life for many people.”
• Nike: “Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world. (*If you have a body, you are an athlete.)”
• McDonald’s: “To be the best quick service restaurant experience. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile.”
• Amazon: “We strive to offer our customers the lowest possible prices, the best available selection and the utmost convenience.”
• Walmart: “Be the destination for customers to save money, no matter how they want to shop.”
• Google: “To provide access to the world’s information in one click”
• Microsoft: “To help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential.”
• Facebook: “People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what’s going on in the world and to share and express what matters to them.”
• Coca-Cola: “Our vision is to craft the brands and choice of drinks that people love, to refresh them in body and spirit.”
• Starbucks: “Treat people like family, and they will be loyal and their all.”
• Tesla: “To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.”
• Samsung: “Inspire the world with our innovative technologies, products and design that enrich people’s lives and contribute to social prosperity.”
• Netflix: “Becoming the best global entertainment distribution service.”
• Zoom: “Zoom is for you.”
• Patagonia: “We’re in business to save our home planet.”
• Oxfam: “A world without poverty.”
• Disney: “To be one of the world’s leading producers and providers of entertainment and information.”
• Instagram: “Capture and share the world’s moments.”
• LinkedIn: “Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.”
• Meta: “Give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.”
• Shopify: “To make commerce better for everyone.”
• Uber: “We ignite opportunity by setting the world in motion.”
• TED: “Spread ideas”
• American Express: “Become essential to our customers by providing differentiated products and services to help them achieve their aspirations.”
• Sony: “To be a company that inspires and fulfills your curiosity.”

How to Write a Vision Statement

Every company has a unique vision statement, but the process is similar for most of them. Here are some steps to help you write your own.

1. What Are the Core Values of Your Company?

The core values of your company define its identity and how it interacts with the communities and the environment. It’s important to understand them to define your company vision.

2. What’s Your Company Mission?

Understanding what your company does and how it operates is essential to planning for the future.

3. Understand Your Company Culture

A strong company culture is an essential part of the success of any business. That’s why your vision must be aligned with it, otherwise, your strategic planning won’t work.

4. Identify Current Strategic Goals

Before you think about future goals, you must understand where your organization currently stands. Your vision might be a long-term plan that sets goals for the next 5 to 10 years, but those goals need to be realistic. You can use a SWOT matrix to get a better idea of the competitive environment of your business.

5. Define Future Goals

Think about what you’d like your company to achieve in the next 5-10 years based on the current status of your business and create a strategic plan to achieve your goals.

6. Write Your Vision Statement

Now that you have an idea of the main elements that are involved in the process of writing your vision statement, you can create one that fits your organization.

Best Practices for Writing a Vision Statement

There’s no template for writing a vision statement, however, a common structure for successful ones includes these traits:

• Be concise: This isn’t the place to stuff a document with fluff statements. It should be simple, easy to read and cut to the essentials so that it can be set to memory and be repeated accurately.
• Be clear: A good rule of thumb for clarity is to focus on one primary goal, rather than trying to fill the document with many ideas. One clear objective is also easier to focus on and achieve.
• Have a time horizon: A time horizon is simply a fixed point in the future when you’ll achieve and evaluate your vision statement. Define that timeline .
• Make it future-oriented: Again, the vision statement isn’t what the company is presently engaged in but rather a future objective of where the company plans to be.
• Be stable: The vision statement is a long-term goal that should, ideally, not be affected by the market or technological changes.
• Be challenging: That said, you don’t want to be timid in setting your goals. Your objective shouldn’t be too easy to achieve, but also it shouldn’t be so unrealistic as to be discarded.
• Be abstract: The vision statement should be general enough to capture the organization’s interests and strategic direction.
• Be inspiring: Live up to the title of the document, and create something that will rally the troops and be desirable as a goal for all those involved in the organization.

Because the vision statement is a foundational business document that will guide the company’s strategic planning direction for years to come, consider using project planning tools and brainstorming techniques to get input from everyone on the team. That way, you’ll get greater buy-in from the company, and you’ll widen your net for collecting business vision ideas.

Using ProjectManager to Write a Vision Statement

Writing a vision statement is a project in itself, and one that should be treated with some weight. A vision statement informs the direction, morale and spirit of the organization: you need it to be inspiring.

To help you craft the ideal vision statement, try ProjectManager . Our subscription model gives you several entry points. Then you can create collaborative task lists, so you can brainstorm with other leaders in the organization regarding your direction. Create a task, and add subtasks, so you can take everything into account when making your vision statement. Plus, you can add comments and files to tasks, so collaboration can stay focused and localized.

Once you’ve crafted a vision statement that inspires your team, the real work begins. To achieve that vision, you’ll need the right tools. ProjectManager is online project management software with tools like online Gantt charts, task lists and kanban boards to help you complete projects and make a name for yourself. Take a free trial of our award-winning software and see how it can help you realize your vision .

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How to Write a Mission Statement for Business Plan With Examples

Mission and Vision Statement Templates

• December 15, 2023

Every business is as unique as its audience. Each one strives to put its best foot forward, especially when it comes to customers.

While there are countless marketing strategies—social media, content, email—all of the above marketing materials are linked to the business’s common purpose.

This is where a mission statement comes in. A business plan mission statement displays the purpose and values of a business, giving a clear message to customers about what your business is about.

But writing a mission statement that’s catchy and concise is a task. So, in this article, let’s see how to write a mission statement and why you need it.

What is a mission statement?

A mission statement is a short actionable statement that specifies your company’s core purpose, principles, and goals. It states the value your company creates for your customers, employees, stakeholders, and owners.

In short, it’s a snippet representing why your business exists and what it does.

People often use mission and vision statements interchangeably, but they are different. Let’s see how.

Mission statement vs. vision statement

Your mission statement focuses on what you do and how you do it. It details the organization’s current purpose, core values, and primary objectives. This provides a framework for the organization’s day-to-day operations.

In contrast, a vision statement describes where you aim to reach in the future. It outlines the long-term goals and the desired future position of the company. A clear vision statement inspires and motivates stakeholders by offering a clear and compelling future direction.

Now that we’ve clarified the difference between a mission statement and a vision statement, let’s dive into why the mission statement is so important.

Why is a mission statement important?

Mission statements are necessary for any business. They not only guide internal operations but also communicate the company’s purpose to external people.

Here are some of the reasons why you need to have a great mission statement in a business plan:

Gives clear direction

A mission statement outlines the company’s purpose. Thus, it acts as a guiding star for decision-making and strategic planning, ensuring that all actions align with the company’s core values and primary goals.

Inspires and motivates employees

A well-crafted mission statement can inspire and motivate employees by providing them with direction. It also helps them understand how their roles will contribute to the company’s goals, especially the larger ones, encouraging unity among them.

Engages customers

A concise mission statement communicates the business’s values and company’s goals to customers, helping to build trust and loyalty. It tells customers what the organization stands for and why they should choose its products or services over competitors.

Supports marketing efforts

A mission statement can enhance branding and marketing efforts by clearly conveying the business’s identity and purpose. It helps create a strong, recognizable brand that resonates with customers, investors, and other audiences, boosting the business’s market position.

Now that you know the importance of the mission statement, let’s dive deep into learning how to write one.

How to write a mission statement for your business plan?

A company’s mission statement is barely three sentences long. But, ironically, its simplicity makes it so tricky to write.

Here are the following steps that make it easy for you to write a mission statement:

Step 1: Ask the right questions

Before you begin the mission statement writing process, understand your business in its entirety. Articulating the answers to the following questions can be helpful:

• In what industry are you working?
• Who’s your target audience?
• What are your offerings?
• What are your unique selling propositions (USPs)?
• What customer problems do you solve through your offerings?
• What’s the value you deliver through your product or services?
• What’s your brand personality?
• What are your competitive advantages?

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Step 2: Organize the answers

After answering all the above questions, organize them into the following categories:

The value you add to your customers

List down how you make your customers’ lives better. It can be through your products, the methods you use to deliver them, or through non-profit work and community service.

For instance, if you own a green tea brand, you add value to your customers by providing healthy beverages. Additionally, if you support recycling, you provide a sense of ethical consumerism.

The value you add to your employees

Here, write down how you create value for your employees.

These could be the:

• Employee retention strategies you employ
• Benefits and perks you offer
• Work culture in your company
• Training programs you offer

The value you add to your owners

Here’s the thing: Not many mission statements talk about the owners and stakeholders.

However, it can be beneficial to state how your business adds value to them. Why? Doing so can be a subtle indication to prospective investors that they might want to be associated with your company.

For example, “ Our mission is to deliver exceptional value to our customers while ensuring significant returns and growth opportunities for our owners and stakeholders. ”

The impact you want to create

Here, state the mission you want to achieve in the long run through your offerings. State the impact you aim to create via value addition for your target audience, employees, owners, and stakeholders.

Remember the green tea brand example? The goal of such a company could be to promote a healthy lifestyle and advocate for sustainability.

Step 3: Draft, edit, and review

Once you have organized all the answers, start creating drafts of your mission statement. Don’t make it a lengthy essay; remember, a good mission statement is supposed to be short and simple. Below are the components you need to incorporate in your mission statement.

Key elements of a great mission statement

• Core values: Mention how you create and deliver value to your customers, employees, investors, and society at large.
• Inspiration: Define the motive for people to follow you. Why do they want to buy from you, work with you, or invest in you?
• USP: Highlight the unique aspects that make the organization distinct and valuable.
• Target audience: Identify the primary stakeholders or target audience the organization serves. This could include customers, employees, shareholders, or the community.

Without a mission statement, you may get to the top of the ladder and then realize it was leaning against the wrong building. – Dave Ramsey

Step 4: Update when needed

It’s necessary to keep updating your mission statement to align with your company’s current situation.

As your business grows and evolves, so do your company’s goals , target audience, and guiding principles. Therefore, regularly revisiting and revising your mission statement ensures that it reflects the current company’s vision and direction.

A strong and concise statement can keep your investors hooked and inspire your team. Don’t just write buzzwords. A mission statement should be accurate, ambitious, ethical, and achievable.

Make it a practice to review your mission statement frequently—at least once a year or whenever significant changes occur in your business. This proactive approach helps maintain alignment between your mission and your company’s path forward.

Mission statement examples of popular brands

A well-written mission statement tells everything about your company. Here are some examples of well-crafted mission statements by famous companies:

1. Starbucks

To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.

In the first part of the statement, Starbucks describes the work culture it promotes and the customer service delivered. The second part points to its mission of growing and expanding.

To provide the best in cosmetics innovation to women and men around the world with respect for their diversity.

L’Oréal’s mission statement is simple and direct focusing on two aspects.

One: Provide the best products.

Two: Promote inclusivity by creating products for a diverse population.

To bring the best personal computing products and support to students, educators, designers, scientists, engineers, businesspersons, and consumers in over 140 countries around the world.

Apple’s mission statement doesn’t have much wordplay and clearly conveys the point. It emphasizes three key aspects: its products, its audience, and its scope of business.

To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.

Amazon aims to satisfy customers the most by providing a vast selection of products and making shopping easy. This is exactly reflected in the company’s mission statement.

5. Microsoft

To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

Microsoft’s mission statement is simple yet powerful. It concentrates on empowering individuals and organizations by providing them with the technology to reach their full potential.

To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world. If you have a body, you are an athlete.

Nike’s mission statement focuses on inspiring all levels of athletes and the inclusivity of everyone as an athlete. Besides that, they also emphasis innovation in sportswear.

To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.

This statement is about forward-thinking. It’s all about speeding up the use of sustainable energy solutions.

To entertain, inform, and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds, and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.

Disney’s mission statement emphasizes its commitment to creating magical experiences for audiences worldwide. Through their iconic brands, creative talents, and innovative technologies, Disney aims to delight and inspire people of all ages, shaping the entertainment world.

To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

Google’s mission statement is loud and clear. It emphasizes organizing all the information available globally and making it accessible to everyone.

To give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.

Meta’s mission statement is empowering and inclusive. It emphasizes providing people with the tools to build communities and fostering connections to bring the world closer together.

In summary, a mission statement is the essence of a business in under 30-40 words. It shows what your business is all about and why it matters.

However, creating a mission statement along with a solid business plan is necessary yet challenging. Consider using software like Upmetrics to ease your journey of business planning and financial forecasting.

Upmetrics guides you step-by-step, helping you create a clear and effective mission statement with a business plan that sets you up for success.

Start crafting yours today with Upmetrics and see where it takes you!

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with step-by-step Guidance & AI Assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who decides the mission statement.

Founders, the CEO, or the chairperson frame a mission statement. Many times, such people even team up to develop a mission statement. This team consists of senior and board members who know the company inside out.

Can we change the mission statement?

Changing a mission statement is uncommon but possible. So yes, if the mission changes over the course of years, companies may change their mission statements. The change could be for rebranding purposes, a change of product or services, a change of target audience, a change of authority, or so on.

If the company changes, does the mission statement change too?

If the company’s mission has changed, then yes. However, the company’s change can mean many things, like:

• Has the product and services changed?
• Has the target audience changed?
• Has the authority changed?

Sometimes, the change of the company also means the presence, absence, or change of a merger and/or association. In any case, the company can change its mission statement.

How important is it to have a mission statement?

An effective mission statement is a necessity. Through it, you answer some of the most important business questions like why does your company exist? What change is it trying to make in society? How does the world benefit from its existence? Answers to such questions keep you and your team on track.

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

Reach Your Goals with Accurate Planning

15 Mission Statement Examples For Your Business

Updated: May 31, 2024, 8:28pm

Table of Contents

What is a mission statement, examples of mission statements, bottom line, frequently asked questions.

When buying new shoes, choosing a birthday gift or deciding what podcast to listen to, most of us reach for the same brands over and over. Why? Because in addition to offering quality products, they also have a compelling story that resonates with us and feels meaningful. That’s the power behind a strong mission statement—the ability to influence consumers to support certain brands because they feel a connection. We’re looking at some of the best mission statements and why they work so well.

A brand is the sum of how a product or business is perceived by those who experience it: customers, employees, investors and media. Creating a mission statement that explains the purpose of your business allows you to shape that perception and provide an almost instant connection. A mission statement not only explains what your company does, but also the why behind it.

How Do You Write a Mission Statement?

When creating an outline for your mission statement, there are four steps to follow, each of which will help you craft the strongest, clearest statement for sharing the “why” behind your business.

1. Explain what your business does In simple terms, write down exactly what your business does, offers or provides. Include how you solve a problem and why you bring value.

2. Describe how you do it Sourcing local supplies? Capturing customers’ demographics accurately? The next step is to list out your business processes and what makes them stand out from the competition.

3. Capture your why Think about why you started your business in the first place, and what impact you hope to make. Customers want to know the backstory for a brand and why they should feel swayed to support it.

4. Bring everything together Taking everything from the first three steps, find the common threads and link everything together. You want to have the most concise mission statement possible, so drop anything that feels out of place or doesn’t add value. There’s no hard and fast rule about the length of a mission statement, but sticking with one memorable phrase or sentence is usually the best option.

“To inspire, educate and outfit for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship.”

Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI) is known for not only its high-quality outdoor products, but also for being a steward of the environment. The customer-centric co-op sums up its values and addresses its target audience, while also sharing what it sells.

2. American Express

“To become essential to our customers by providing differentiated products and services to help them achieve their aspirations.”

With a wide range of potential and current customers, American Express manages to help everyone feel included in its mission statement. It is offering products and services for all, no matter what your income level, elite status or dreams may be.

“To keep human connection at the heart of commerce.”

Etsy is all about less automation and more personalization. The global marketplace for creative products seeks to offer unique items and services that buyers can’t find anywhere else. Via its mission statement, the company is speaking directly to consumers who are seeking a personal experience.

4. audiochuck

“Creating top-of-the-line content that drives advocacy and change.”

With thousands of podcasts to choose from, having a mission that goes above and beyond profit is a smart way to differentiate yourself. The audiochuck brand shares that it is not only offering high-quality content, but that it also seeks to make a difference in the world.

5. Life is Good

“To spread the power of optimism.”

With its signature logo splashed all over shirts and hats, Life is Good wants its goals to be heard loud and clear. The quick phrase is all about spreading positivity, as evidenced not only through its mission statement, but also by the fun phrases and graphics that accompany its products.

“To inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow.”

With such a simple concept—small bricks that join together to form creations—LEGO wants its customers to know that it understands what they are hoping for. Building is for everyone and it is going to keep offering products that provoke imagination for builders of all ages.

7. Dunkin’ Donuts

“We strive to keep you at your best, and we remain loyal to you, your tastes and your time. That’s what America runs on.”

Consistency is key, especially when it comes to food and beverages. Dunkin’ makes it clear that it knows how people want their products to taste, how fast they need a coffee and that you can count on it to deliver on both counts.

8. Norwegian Cruise Line

“Provide exceptional vacation experiences, delivered by passionate team members committed to world-class hospitality and innovation.”

When investing in travel, consumers love knowing they will receive heightened service and extraordinary adventures. Norwegian’s mission statement assures travelers that they will get more than their money’s worth on an NCL cruise, and that it will be an experience like no other.

9. No Kid Hungry

“We believe that every child in the United States needs—and deserves—healthy food in order to grow and thrive.”

No Kid Hungry is straight and to the point, and that is exactly why its mission statement works so well. “They believe that every child deserves access to healthy food? I do too!” Speaking directly to people’s beliefs makes them all the more likely to click on the donation button.

“Spread ideas, foster community and create impact.”

TED smartly integrates several keywords that instantly draw people in and motivate them to learn more about the company. It is directing its statement towards people who are curious to discover, hope to connect with other like-minded individuals and activate change.

11. The Hartford

“Underwriting human achievement.”

With an excellent play on words, the property and casualty insurance group establishes what it does, both literally and figuratively. The Hartford wants its customers to achieve greatness, and it is here to support them through both services and loyalty.

12. Warby Parker

“To offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price while leading the way for socially conscious businesses.”

Want cool glasses at a great price? Also want to support a business that is socially conscious? Warby Parker checks both boxes with a mission statement that sums up its desire to be a profitable business that offers customers quality products while simultaneously seeking to do good.

“To offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.”

IKEA’s mission statement doesn’t bother with lofty goals or veiled innuendos. It offers completely honest, transparent verbiage that outlines exactly what it does and whom it does it for.

“Maintaining a global viewpoint, we are dedicated to supplying products of the highest quality, yet at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction.”

Honda makes it crystal clear that it is a global company, offering products for everyone, no matter where they live. It also wants you to know that it understands that high quality doesn’t always necessarily mean high prices, so you should definitely consider it when looking for your next vehicle.

15. LG Electronics

“We wish to maintain our hard-earned reputation for bringing added value to the lives of consumers.”

LG wants customers to know two things right away: it has a solid reputation and its products add value to your life. Sharing a mission statement that manages to brag a little while offering peace of mind at the same time is a wise strategy to help the company stand out.

Mission statements are an important part of a business’s strategic planning process, as they provide a summation of the “why” behind a brand. When sitting down to create one, companies need to be thoughtful not only about what they include, but also about what they don’t mention. With more choices than ever, consumers desperately want to feel a connection with the business they are supporting. The best mission statements help establish that connection by sharing why they exist and how their offerings can help.

What is a mission statement?

A mission statement uses anywhere from a few words to a full paragraph to describe not only what your company does, but also why and how. It provides a way to connect quickly and authentically with customers, employees, investors and the media.

How do you write a mission statement?

When writing a mission statement, start by writing down what your business does, as well as your why and your how. Narrow the focus as much as possible to get rid of the extra fluff that isn’t necessary and doesn’t help draw attention.

How is a brand’s mission statement different from its values?

Mission statements focus on explaining the “why,” while a brand’s values describe what the business believes in and stands for.

Should a mission statement be included in an executive summary?

The executive summary is found at the start of the business plan, and one of its first components should be the mission statement, where you provide a few sentences on what the company’s purpose is. Read our guide for some assistance in creating a comprehensive executive summary for your business plan .

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Laura is a freelance writer specializing in small business, ecommerce and lifestyle content. As a small business owner, she is passionate about supporting other entrepreneurs and sharing information that will help them thrive. Her work has been featured on Angi, Scary Mommy and Cubby.

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Vision, mission and company values: what they are and how to define them

Before starting a startup you need to know, with absolute certainty, what you want to achieve from your new entrepreneurial adventure. To trace the route you will have to follow to achieve all the results you have set for yourself are mission and company vision , two terms that have now firmly entered the common business jargon but which still generate more than a misunderstanding. Too often, in fact, there is a tendency to confuse these two concepts, which, although linked together, refer to two distinct aspects of an entrepreneurial activity.

Having clear ideas about the precise meaning of company mission and company vision is important because it is what allows you to identify the short and long-term goals of your company and, above all, how you can achieve them. The two terms, in short, express what you propose to become and how you intend to be able to do so.

However, to fully understand the meaning of these two concepts and thus be able to define and exploit them in the best possible way within your business, it is advisable that you also take into consideration the corporate values , i.e. those values that you intend to support and that they will guide your every decision-making process and the work of your business.

Let’s proceed in order and clarify each of these aspects.

Corporate vision: definition and examples

The definition of corporate vision refers to the ambitions and dreams that are behind an entrepreneurial adventure , that is, the purpose for which it was started and is being carried out. On a more specific level, this concept identifies what your company wants to become in the future and, even more precisely, what it will look like in the long term.

Precisely because the corporate vision describes the status that the company intends to achieve in the future, it is very important that you identify it when your business project is still being defined and is just starting to take shape. In fact, every subsequent marketing action of yours will only make sense if it is oriented towards an ultimate goal to be conquered.

Worry that your vision is, from the outset, as concrete and realistic as possible, but know that in any case, over time, the company’s vision can still be revised, improved and updated in progress.

In this regard, it is worth mentioning a famous example of a corporate vision: when Bill Gates founded Microsoft in 1975, his initial vision was “Get a computer in every home and on every desk”. Over the years, his company has managed to achieve this and, therefore, that vision has been superseded by a new purpose: “To give people the ability to use any device to get what they want, anytime, anywhere”.

It is very important that the company vision is precise and clear for everyone , both externally (from suppliers to customers, from competitors to the media) and internally: a strong vision allows employees to identify and feel more involved in the project and a greater cohesion of the work team almost always translates into better results. Not only that: since the vision is based on the values of the company, expressing its ideals and defining its role within the company, it is advisable for the entire team to be aware of this and share the same philosophy.

To further clarify the concept of corporate vision, it is possible to mention further examples, in addition to that of Microsoft just mentioned: remaining in the same area, Google ‘s vision is “Providing access to information in the world in a single click” , while for Apple it is “Making the best products in the world and leaving the world itself better than it was found” and for Amazon it is “Being the most customer-centric company in the world and building a place where people can find and discover everything they might want to buy on the web “.

Company mission: definition and examples

The definition of corporate mission , as mentioned, is connected to the vision, but expresses a different concept: unlike the vision, which refers to a dimension projected into the future, the mission of a company, in fact, focuses on the present , describing what the company does and why it does it. In other words, therefore, the company mission describes how the objectives set with the vision are translated in everyday life into concrete actions taken to achieve them.

The differences between vision and company mission certainly do not end with the temporal aspect: with the former, in fact, you translate your dreams and ambitions into a declaration of intent, but it is with the latter that you bring the discourse back into a dimension much more practical and concrete , that is, that of daily operations. Like and more than the vision, therefore, the company mission is able to guide and inspire the work of all staff, describing in a more practical way the values and actions that must arise from them.

Not only that: for the same reason, the mission manages to convey an even clearer image of your brand identity to the outside world. It is up to you to know how to handle this advantage with extreme care, because it could prove to be a double-edged sword: your mission statement, thus exposed, could be subject to criticism in the event that your actions fail to reflect in a manner faithful to the corporate values you declared.

Again, some examples may be able to shed more light on the difference between vision and mission and, that is, on the distinction between what a company wants to be and how it wants to achieve this aspiration.

For this purpose, it is useful to take the brands already mentioned above as a reference: Google ‘s corporate mission is “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful”, Apple ‘s is “Bringing the best products and offering the best support to students, teachers, designers, scientists, entrepreneurs and customers in more than 140 countries around the world “while Amazon ‘s mission is” To offer customers the lowest prices, the widest selection and the greatest value.”

Corporate values: definition and examples

By now it will be clear to you that the corporate mission and vision both refer to corporate values, whose synthetic definition, not surprisingly, mentions precisely those two concepts. Company values, in fact, can be defined as all those principles set out in the vision and mission .

Thanks to the corporate values, all the souls that make up the company are able to align themselves with the same philosophy, which, again through them, can be communicated more explicitly even externally. The real challenge for you, once you have identified the company values, will be knowing how to communicate them effectively internally and externally: a declaration of intent, even if perfect, is useless if it remains unknown to most and, in the same way, an incorrectly formulated mission statement risks exposing the brand to criticism.

The list of examples of corporate values is potentially endless, but there are some recurring ones, even among the big brands mentioned above. Among the corporate values that, more frequently, companies consider relevant, stand out, for example, honesty (i.e. acting in a reliable and transparent manner), fairness (treating everyone with equal dignity) and responsibility (accepting responsibility for one’s own actions).

In addition to these, it is also possible to mention other more “practical” recurring corporate values, such as the quality of the products or services offered and what can be summarized as a promise to customers and which refers, specifically, to the loyalty that can be established between what is promised to customers and what is actually proposed. Pay attention to this aspect too, because it is able to contribute decisively to the success of your business.

Vision, Mission and values: how to define them and how to write them

Now you know the definition of corporate mission and vision and also that of corporate values. It is not enough: it is essential, in fact, that you know how to translate these concepts into practice, in relation to your new business activity.

To define your corporate vision, you need to ask yourself some very specific questions: what does your company do? What are your values? What is your purpose? What problem are you going to solve? What is the scenario you want to create?

The answers to this whole series of questions will allow you to write your vision, which must represent the ideal image of your company and, therefore, aim high towards ambitious goals , but without losing touch with reality .

Another tip: when writing your business vision, don’t think about selling a product or promoting a specific service. Instead, worry about being clear and concise : limit yourself to one or two sentences and avoid any kind of ambiguity .

Define a time horizon for your goals, but think about a vision that is as evergreen as possible: as explained above, your vision may also be updated over time, but it is always better to avoid the risk of being too dependent on market developments.

Like the vision, the mission also answers a series of questions. Some of them are linked to what has just been said: who are you and why are you on the market? What are your goals? Who are your customers? Other questions are, however, more practical: what situation do you have to create to ensure that your goals are achieved? What tools will you need to use?

Reasoning on the history of your company and on how and why it was born, on what contributions it can offer to society and on what are the values that direct its daily operational activity can help you become aware of what your company is and what it does, for whom and for what reason. Don’t forget, though, to keep yourself practical.

Reflect on your Unique Value Proposition , that is the distinctive element that makes your company different and better than the competition, and make sure that the product or service you offer truly responds to the promised benefits and advantages. Or, as Walt Disney would say,

“Make sure you never do less than your best.”

Defining the company mission and vision in the best possible way is very important because it allows you to identify short and long-term goals, to understand what resources are needed to achieve them and, consequently, to establish an adequate budget, to build your team in the best possible way and to improve your product or service.

To guide you in all these decisions, as stressed several times, it is essential that you define your corporate values in a precise manner, writing your “ declaration of values “. This answers other very specific questions: what are the values in which you believe and for which you wish to be recognized? How do you put your corporate mission and vision into practice?

A very useful tool for determining corporate values is the model of Richard Barrett , founder of the so-called Barrett Values Center : this model has identified about 100 values that can be defined as “universal”, divided into 7 areas that refer to humans needs and motivations. Find the ones that best identify you and your company.

Here is a quick overview of the Barrett Values Center:

Your task does not end with the drafting of the “declaration of values”. Sharing it with all the people involved, both inside and outside the company, is in fact, as already pointed out, extremely important: you must not forget that this is precisely what allows anyone who comes into contact with you to know who you are, what does it represent and why.

Nicola Zanetti

Founder B-PlanNow® | Startup mentor | Startup consulting & marketing strategist | Leading startup to scaleup | Private angel investor | Ecommerce Manager | Professional trainer | Book writer

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17 Seriously Inspiring Mission and Vision Statement Examples (2024)

Money is a by-product of value .

So, to thrive in the long run, businesses must remain focused on producing value.

However, it’s easy to lose sight of value creation and get sidetracked by other things like profit margins, expanding your product catalogs , or competitors.

To become a runaway success, businesses must have a purpose that unites and inspires people – “make more money” won’t do the trick. As the author Simon Sinek said , “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

This is why organizations create mission and vision statements.

These statements unify the organization and keep everyone focused on what really matters – because if you get these things right, the profits will follow.

This post will give you an introduction to the two statements. Plus, we’ll share some great mission and vision statement examples to help inspire your own. 

Now, let’s dive in.

What is a Mission Statement?

A mission statement is a short summary of an organization’s core purpose, focus, and aims. This usually includes a brief description of what the organization does and its key objectives.

What is a Vision Statement?

A vision statement is a short description of an organization’s aspirations and the wider impact it aims to create. It should be a guiding beacon to everyone within the organization and something which underpins internal decision-making and determines the intended direction of the organization.

Mission Statement vs Vision Statement: What’s The Difference?

In short: The mission is the “ what ” and the “ how ,” and the vision is the “ why .”

The mission statement defines what an organization does and includes tangible goals which the organization strives to accomplish. The vision statement, meanwhile, should clarify the aspirations of the organization and define the direction it’s heading in.

Many organizations combine the two statements to form one clearly defined reason for existing that unites the efforts of everyone involved.

Does Your Business Need Mission and Vision Statements?

Mission and vision statements are signposts.

Effective mission and vision statements will unify the focus of an organization – for the organization and their target audience .

Okay, but what if you’re only just starting a business ?

Well, whether you’re a massive corporation or a solopreneur , you can use mission and vision statements to gain clarity and ensure that you consistently make decisions in line with your ultimate goals.

These statements also help you develop a stronger brand that differentiates you from the competition.

Now, let’s look at some examples.

Mission and Vision Statement Examples

For quick reference, here are 17 examples of mission and vision statements from highly successful businesses:

• Tesla : To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
• Nike : Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world. *If you have a body, you are an athlete.
• MVMT : Style shouldn’t break the bank.
• Warby Parker : To offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price, while leading the way for socially conscious businesses.
• Shopify : Make commerce better for everyone, so businesses can focus on what they do best: building and selling their products.
• Patagonia : Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.
• IKEA : To create a better everyday life for the many people.
• TED : Spread ideas.
• Amazon : To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.
• Southwest Airlines : To become the world’s most loved, most flown, and most profitable airline.
• Google : To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
• Asos : Become the world’s number-one destination for fashion-loving 20-somethings.
• Loreal : To provide the best in cosmetics innovation to women and men around the world with respect for their diversity.
• Bulletproof : Help people perform better, think faster, and live better.
• Honest Tea : Create and promote great-tasting, healthy, organic beverages.
• Starbucks: To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.
• Passionfruit: Create inclusive clothing and accessories that enable you to show your pride all year round while giving back to our community.

17 Inspiring Mission and Vision Statements Explained

Now you know what they are and how they serve organizations, let’s take a closer look at these mission and vision statement examples and draw out the key components.

Mission statement: To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.

Vision statement: To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.

Tesla’s mission and vision statements are a class act.

Their mission statement clearly defines their core goal: “To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century.” Then it tells you how they intend to accomplish that goal: “By driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.”

It’s simple and it works.

However, it’s Tesla’s vision statement that stands out.

The car company’s clever use of the world “accelerate” helps to enliven their lofty aspiration. This vision statement also showcases their drive (pun intended) for sustainable energy and how it steers (pun intended) the business.

It also allows them room to explore and develop their other set of energy solutions, Powerwall, Powerpack and Solar Roof.

All in all, Tesla’s vision for sustainable energy is one that resonates with countless people around the world.

Mission statement: Create groundbreaking sports innovations, make our products sustainably, build a creative and diverse global team, and make a positive impact in communities where we live and work.

Vision statement: Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world.

*If you have a body, you are an athlete.

Nike’s mission statement might sound run-of-the-mill, but it effectively sums up what they aim to do and how they aim to do it.

Take note of the words that declare Nike’s underlying company values: Innovation, sustainability, diversity, and community.

However, it’s Nike’s vision statement that has captured the hearts of millions.

“To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world” sounds a little vague at first. It’s Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman’s addition that hits you right in the feels: “If you have a body, you are an athlete.”

Bowerman’s statement staunchly stands up against body-shaming and is a powerful call for inclusion. And it’s not hard to see this shape Nike’s philosophy and marketing:

As a result, Nike’s vision statement is transformed into a moving sentiment that impacts every person who reads it. It’s also one of the best vision statement examples for business owners to use for inspiration.

Mission and vision statement: We were founded on the belief that style shouldn’t break the bank. Our goal is to change the way you think about fashion by delivering premium designs at radically fair prices.

MVMT have combined their company mission statement and vision statement and addressed it directly to customers.

It begins with the vision: “Style shouldn’t break the bank.”

This business vision statement cuts straight to the point and perfectly sums up MVMT’s key selling proposition of high-quality fashion watches at low prices.

The statement then goes on to explain the mission.

First, they tell you what they aim to achieve: “Change the way you think about fashion.” Then, they tell you how they intend to do it: “By delivering premium designs at radically fair prices.”

It’s short, punchy, and music to customers’ ears.

4.  Warby Parker

Mission statement: Warby Parker was founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty objective: To offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price, while leading the way for socially conscious businesses.

Vision statement: We believe that buying glasses should be easy and fun. It should leave you happy and good-looking, with money in your pocket. We also believe that everyone has the right to see.

Warby Parker’s mission statement reminds us of why it was founded and then reveals its aims for a better future.

Note their core business aim: “Offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price.”

In the vision statement, they address the core problems consumers face when purchasing glasses: It can be annoying, boring, costly, and still leave you anxious about whether or not they look good.

Instead, they aim to solve these problems and make buying glasses easy, fun, pleasing, and inexpensive.

Both statements also mention Warby Parker's dedication to providing glasses to people in need around the world.

Vision statement: Make commerce better for everyone, so businesses can focus on what they do best: building and selling their products.

Shopify’s vision statement begins with their overarching vision: to make commerce better for everyone.

Then they promote the reason why they’re driven to remove the hassle and complications of managing an ecommerce website: so businesses can focus on what’s most important to them.

Shopify’s business mission statement and vision are clear: empower businesses.

6. Patagonia

Mission and vision statement: Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.

Patagonia starts with the basis of their success in business: high-quality products .

Then they explain their environmental stance in three points which explain their aim to make their business as environmentally friendly as possible and actively combat the environmental crisis.

Patagonia goes on to say, “a love of wild and beautiful places demands participation in the fight to save them.”

And the business isn’t afraid to put their money where their mouth is. The company donates at least 1% of its sales to hundreds of grassroots environmental groups around the world.

If you’re looking for vision and statement examples that clearly articulate a company’s values and goals, this is one right here.

Mission statement: Offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.

Vision statement: To create a better everyday life for the many people.

IKEA’s mission statement is clear and to the point.

Note the use of the words, “wide range,” “well-designed,” “functional,” and “prices so low.” If you’ve ever been to IKEA you’ll know how well they’ve managed to embody these attributes.

IKEA’s vision statement focuses their mission statement into one singular purpose: “To create a better everyday life for the many people.”

Both statements use inclusive phrasing that solidifies IKEA’s commitment to being accessible to “as many people as possible.”

Mission statement: Spread ideas.

Vision statement: We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world.

TED , which stands for “technology, education, and design,” managed to boil down their entire mission into two simple, yet powerful words: “Spread ideas.”

With such a simple, highly focused mission, it’s easy to see how the TED brand has become a global phenomenon in recent years.

It’s a truly great mission statement that focuses all of their efforts.

“Everything we do – from our Conferences to our TED Talks to the projects sparked by The Audacious Project, from the global TEDx community to the TED-Ed lesson series – is driven by this goal: How can we best spread great ideas?”

In what could be considered their vision statement, TED goes on to explain that they “believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world.”

Mission statement: We strive to offer our customers the lowest possible prices, the best available selection, and the utmost convenience.

Vision statement: To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.

Amazon ’s mission statement sums up the three things that have made them loved by millions: low prices, a huge selection, and incredible convenience.

Like all great mission statements, it shines a light on the values that bring success.

Amazon’s vision statement brings these elements together into one unified goal: “To be Earth’s most customer-centric company.”

10. Southwest Airlines

Mission statement: The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit.

Vision statement: To become the world’s most loved, most flown, and most profitable airline.

Southwest Airlines is all about customer service .

Their mission statement summarizes this dedication to customers and highlights the importance of one-to-one interactions between staff and customers.

So it’s no surprise that Southwest’s vision statement is “to become the world’s most loved, most flown airline.”

However, although they heavily emphasize customer service , they don’t forget to mention the thing which allows the company to exist in the first place: profit.

Google’s mission statement perfectly summarizes what they aim to do.

Take note of the last word: “useful.”

Google understands that it doesn’t matter how well organized or accessible information is if it can’t be readily applied in life.

Their mission statement is brilliant.

But unfortunately, Google doesn’t seem to have a vision statement that clarifies the reasons why they want to organize the world’s information for everyone to use.

Mission statement: Become the world’s number-one destination for fashion-loving 20-somethings.

Asos’ mission statement solidifies their purpose by voicing exactly what they want to achieve.

In what could be considered their vision statement, they go on to say, “We focus on fashion as a force for good, inspiring young people to express their best selves and achieve amazing things. We believe fashion thrives on individuality and should be fun for everyone.”

The addition gets a little vague in places, such as wanting young people to “achieve amazing things” – I mean, don’t we all?

However, it successfully showcases their brand image and their passion for individuality and expression .

Mission statement: To provide the best in cosmetics innovation to women and men around the world with respect for their diversity.

Loreal’s mission statement comprises two key parts.

The first lays out their dedication to providing the best in cosmetics innovation. The second is all about inclusivity.

This is key.

They aim to include people from all over the world, “with respect for their diversity.”

And despite most companies marketing cosmetics solely to women, Loreal is looking to the future as gender stereotypes break down.

This type of sensitivity and awareness will position Loreal for long-term success.

14. Bulletproof

Mission and vision statement: “Help people perform better, think faster, and live better using a proven blend of ancient knowledge and brand new technologies, tempered by research, science, and measured results from our customers, top athletes, and medical professionals.”

Bulletproof has combined their vision and mission in one short paragraph.

It starts with their purpose: “Help people perform better, think faster, and live better.” Then it goes on to explain exactly how they plan to do it: Using ancient knowledge, brand new technologies, and science.

Sure, it’s a little wordy.

But it gets to the heart of why Bulletproof exists and how they plan to make an impact on the world as a business.

As a result, Bulletproof’s mission and vision statement is well-suited to unify everyone in the company and guide their decisions.

15. Honest Tea

Mission statement: Honest Tea seeks to create and promote great-tasting, healthy, organic beverages. We strive to grow our business with the same honesty and integrity we use to craft our recipes, with sustainability and great taste for all.

Honest Tea’s mission statement aims to live up to their brand name.

It starts by explaining what it is they do, and by doing so, they also tell you what they don’t do: chemical-laden, artificially produced beverages.

They’re talking directly to their target market and conferring their key selling proposition: beverages that are great-tasting and healthy.

They go on to showcase their values by using words like honesty, integrity, and sustainability.

And this brand doesn’t just talk the talk – they walk the walk.

Each year, the company publishes a Mission Report in an effort to be transparent about their business practices.

16. Starbucks

Mission statement: To inspire and nurture the human spirit—one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.

Another short and sweet mission statement that tells a lot about the company.

Starbucks doesn’t use big sentences or fancy words to communicate its goals. It uses clear, simple, and direct language to express what the company wants to be and for whom.  

They aspire to be known for more than just coffee by creating a culture of warmth and exclusivity.

In other words, Starbucks wants to ensure that anyone who comes through its doors feels welcomed and at home.

17. Passionfruit

Mission statement : We strive to create inclusive clothing and accessories that enable you to show your pride all year round while giving back to our community.

The folks at Passionfruit strive to promote the idea that pride is not just a one-day event.

Rather than making their mission statement about trendy clothes for the LBGTQ+ community, they promote the idea that pride is an everyday expression of oneself.

And by doing so, they remind people that the brand is aligned with LBGTQ+ values and supports the community by giving back.

All in all, it’s clear that Passionfruit wants everyone to recognize the truth for the queer community and spread inspiration – we’ll take it.

Done right, mission and vision statements are powerful things.

They can unify an entire organization’s efforts and be the signpost that continually focuses everyone’s efforts on the things that truly matter.

The key to great mission and vision statements is clarity.

Remember, a mission statement is the “ what ” and the “ how ,” and the vision statement is the “ why .”

Plus, it doesn’t matter how large or small your business is, every business can benefit from strong mission and vision statements.

If you’re considering writing a mission or vision statement for your business, start with your core values. Then, consider the wider impact you hope to have on the world through your customers.

What’s your business’s mission or vision statement?

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Goals and Objectives for Business Plan with Examples

Published Nov.05, 2023

Updated Sep.14, 2024

By: Jakub Babkins

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Table of Content

Every business needs a clear vision of what it wants to achieve and how it plans to get there. A business plan is a document that outlines the goals and objectives of a business, as well as the strategies and actions to achieve them. A well-written business plan from business plan specialists can help a business attract investors, secure funding, and guide its growth.

Understanding Business Objectives

Business objectives are S pecific, M easurable, A chievable, R elevant, and T ime-bound (SMART) statements that describe what a business wants to accomplish in a given period. They are derived from the overall vision and mission of the business, and they support its strategic direction.

Business plan objectives can be categorized into different types, depending on their purpose and scope. Some common types of business objectives are:

• Financial objectives
• Operational objectives
• Marketing objectives
• Social objectives

For example, a sample of business goals and objectives for a business plan for a bakery could be:

• To increase its annual revenue by 20% in the next year.
• To reduce its production costs by 10% in the next six months.
• To launch a new product line of gluten-free cakes in the next quarter.
• To improve its customer satisfaction rating by 15% in the next month.

The Significance of Business Objectives

Business objectives are important for several reasons. They help to:

• Clarify and direct the company and stakeholders
• Align the company’s efforts and resources to a common goal
• Motivate and inspire employees to perform better
• Measure and evaluate the company’s progress and performance
• Communicate the company’s value and advantage to customers and the market

For example, by setting a revenue objective, a bakery can focus on increasing its sales and marketing efforts, monitor its sales data and customer feedback, motivate its staff to deliver quality products and service, communicate its unique selling points and benefits to its customers, and adjust its pricing and product mix according to market demand.

Advantages of Outlining Business Objectives

Outlining business objectives is a crucial step in creating a business plan. It serves as a roadmap for the company’s growth and development. Outlining business objectives has several advantages, such as:

• Clarifies the company’s vision, direction, scope, and boundaries
• Break down the company’s goals into smaller tasks and milestones
• Assigns roles and responsibilities and delegates tasks
• Establishes standards and criteria for success and performance
• Anticipates risks and challenges and devises contingency plans

For example, by outlining its business objective for increasing the average revenue per customer in its business plan, a bakery can:

• Attract investors with its viable business plan for investors
• Secure funding from banks or others with its realistic financial plan
• Partner with businesses or organizations that complement or enhance its products or services
• Choose the best marketing, pricing, product, staff, location, etc. for its target market and customers

Setting Goals and Objectives for a Business Plan

Setting goals and objectives for a business plan is not a one-time task. It requires careful planning, research, analysis, and evaluation. To set effective goals and objectives for a business plan, one should follow some best practices, such as:

OPTION 1: Use the SMART framework. A SMART goal or objective is clear, quantifiable, realistic, aligned with the company’s mission and vision, and has a deadline. SMART stands for:

• Specific – The goal or objective should be clear, concise, and well-defined.
• Measurable – The goal or objective should be quantifiable or verifiable.
• Achievable – The goal or objective should be realistic and attainable.
• Relevant – The goal or objective should be aligned with the company’s vision, mission, and values.
• Time-bound – The goal or objective should have a deadline or timeframe.

For example, using the SMART criteria, a bakery can refine its business objective for increasing the average revenue per customer as follows:

• Specific – Increase revenue with new products and services from $5 to $5.50.
• Measurable – Track customer revenue monthly with sales reports.
• Achievable – Research the market, develop new products and services, and train staff to upsell and cross-sell.
• Relevant – Improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, profitability and cash flow, and market competitiveness.
• Time-bound – Achieve this objective in six months, from January 1st to June 30th.

OPTION 2: Use the OKR framework. OKR stands for O bjectives and K ey R esults. An OKR is a goal-setting technique that links the company’s objectives with measurable outcomes. An objective is a qualitative statement of what the company wants to achieve. A key result is a quantitative metric that shows how the objective will be achieved.

OPTION 3: Use the SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for S trengths, W eaknesses, O pportunities, and T hreats. A SWOT analysis is a strategic tool that helps the company assess the internal and external factors that affect its goals and objectives.

• Strengths – Internal factors that give the company an advantage over others. 
• Weaknesses – Internal factors that limit the company’s performance or growth. 
• Opportunities – External factors that allow the company to improve or expand. 
• Threats – External factors that pose a risk or challenge to the company.

For example, using these frameworks, a bakery might set the following goals and objectives for its SBA business plan :

Objective – To launch a new product line of gluten-free cakes in the next quarter.

Key Results:

• Research gluten-free cake market demand and preferences by month-end.
• Create and test 10 gluten-free cake recipes by next month-end.
• Make and sell 100 gluten-free cakes weekly online or in-store by quarter-end.

SWOT Analysis:

• Expertise and experience in baking and cake decorating.
• Loyal and satisfied customer base.
• Strong online presence and reputation.

Weaknesses:

• Limited production capacity and equipment.
• High production costs and low-profit margins.
• Lack of knowledge and skills in gluten-free baking.

Opportunities:

• Growing demand and awareness for gluten-free products.
• Competitive advantage and differentiation in the market.
• Potential partnerships and collaborations with health-conscious customers and organizations.
• Increasing competition from other bakeries and gluten-free brands.
• Changing customer tastes and preferences.
• Regulatory and legal issues related to gluten-free labeling and certification.

Examples of Business Goals and Objectives

To illustrate how to write business goals and objectives for a business plan, let’s use a hypothetical example of a bakery business called Sweet Treats. Sweet Treats is a small bakery specializing in custom-made cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and other baked goods for various occasions.

Here are some examples of possible startup business goals and objectives for Sweet Treats:

Earning and Preserving Profitability

Profitability is the ability of a company to generate more revenue than expenses. It indicates the financial health and performance of the company. Profitability is essential for a business to sustain its operations, grow its market share, and reward its stakeholders.

Some possible objectives for earning and preserving profitability for Sweet Treats are:

• To increase the gross profit margin by 5% in the next quarter by reducing the cost of goods sold
• To achieve a net income of $100,000 in the current fiscal year by increasing sales and reducing overhead costs

Ensuring Consistent Cash Flow

Cash flow is the amount of money that flows in and out of a company. A company needs to have enough cash to cover its operating expenses, pay its debts, invest in its growth, and reward its shareholders.

Some possible objectives for ensuring consistent cash flow for Sweet Treats are:

• Increase monthly operating cash inflow by 15% by the end of the year by improving the efficiency and productivity of the business processes
• Increase the cash flow from investing activities by selling or disposing of non-performing or obsolete assets

Creating and Maintaining Efficiency

Efficiency is the ratio of output to input. It measures how well a company uses its resources to produce its products or services. Efficiency can help a business improve its quality, productivity, customer satisfaction, and profitability.

Some possible objectives for creating and maintaining efficiency for Sweet Treats are:

• To reduce the production time by 10% in the next month by implementing lean manufacturing techniques
• To increase the customer service response rate by 20% in the next week by using chatbots or automated systems

Winning and Keeping Clients

Clients are the people or organizations that buy or use the products or services of a company. They are the source of revenue and growth for a company. Therefore, winning and keeping clients is vital to generating steady revenue, increasing customer loyalty, and enhancing word-of-mouth marketing.

Some possible objectives for winning and keeping clients for Sweet Treats are:

• To acquire 100 new clients in the next quarter by launching a referral program or a promotional campaign
• To retain 90% of existing clients in the current year by offering loyalty rewards or satisfaction guarantees

Building a Recognizable Brand

A brand is the name, logo, design, or other features distinguishing a company from its competitors. It represents the identity, reputation, and value proposition of a company. Building a recognizable brand is crucial for attracting and retaining clients and creating a loyal fan base.

Some possible objectives for building a recognizable brand for Sweet Treats are:

• To increase brand awareness by 50% in the next six months by creating and distributing engaging content on social media platforms
• To improve brand image by 30% in the next year by participating in social causes or sponsoring events that align with the company’s values

Expanding and Nurturing an Audience with Marketing

An audience is a group of people interested in or following a company’s products or services. They can be potential or existing clients, fans, influencers, or partners. Expanding and nurturing an audience with marketing is essential for increasing a company’s visibility, reach, and engagement.

Some possible objectives for expanding and nurturing an audience with marketing for Sweet Treats are:

• To grow the email list by 1,000 subscribers in the next month by offering a free ebook or a webinar
• To nurture leads by sending them relevant and valuable information through email newsletters or blog posts

Strategizing for Expansion

Expansion is the process of increasing a company’s size, scope, or scale. It can involve entering new markets, launching new products or services, opening new locations, or forming new alliances. Strategizing for expansion is important for diversifying revenue streams, reaching new audiences, and gaining competitive advantages.

Some possible objectives for strategizing for expansion for Sweet Treats are:

• To launch a new product or service line by developing and testing prototypes
• To open a new branch or franchise by securing funding and hiring staff

Template for Business Objectives

A template for writing business objectives is a format or structure that can be used as a guide or reference for creating your objectives. A template for writing business objectives can help you to ensure that your objectives are SMART, clear, concise, and consistent.

To use this template, fill in the blanks with your information. Here is an example of how you can use this template:

Example of Business Objectives

Our business is a _____________ (type of business) that provides _____________ (products or services) to _____________ (target market). Our vision is to _____________ (vision statement) and our mission is to _____________ (mission statement).

Our long-term business goals and objectives for the next _____________ (time period) are:

S pecific: We want to _____________ (specific goal) by _____________ (specific action).

M easurable: We will measure our progress by _____________ (quantifiable indicator).

A chievable: We have _____________ (resources, capabilities, constraints) that will enable us to achieve this goal.

R elevant: This goal supports our vision and mission by _____________ (benefit or impact).

T ime-bound: We will complete this goal by _____________ (deadline).

Repeat this process for each goal and objective for your business plan.

How to Monitor Your Business Objectives?

After setting goals and objectives for your business plan, you should check them regularly to see if you are achieving them. Monitoring your business objectives can help you to:

• Track your progress and performance
• Identify and overcome any challenges
• Adjust your actions and strategies as needed

Some of the tools and methods that you can use to monitor your business objectives are:

• Dashboards – Show key data and metrics for your objectives with tools like Google Data Studio, Databox, or DashThis.
• Reports – Get detailed information and analysis for your objectives with tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, or SEMrush.
• Feedback – Learn from your customers and their needs and expectations with tools like SurveyMonkey, Typeform, or Google Forms.

Strategies for Realizing Business Objectives

To achieve your business objectives, you need more than setting and monitoring them. You need strategies and actions that support them. Strategies are the general methods to reach your objectives. Actions are the specific steps to implement your strategies.

Different objectives require different strategies and actions. Some common types are:

• Marketing strategies
• Operational strategies
• Financial strategies
• Human resource strategies
• Growth strategies

To implement effective strategies and actions, consider these factors:

• Alignment – They should match your vision, mission, values, goals, and objectives
• Feasibility – They should be possible with your capabilities, resources, and constraints
• Suitability – They should fit the context and needs of your business

How OGSCapital Can Help You Achieve Your Business Objectives?

We at OGSCapital can help you with your business plan and related documents. We have over 15 years of experience writing high-quality business plans for various industries and regions. We have a team of business plan experts who can assist you with market research, financial analysis, strategy formulation, and presentation design. We can customize your business plan to suit your needs and objectives, whether you need funding, launching, expanding, or entering a new market. We can also help you with pitch decks, executive summaries, feasibility studies, and grant proposals. Contact us today for a free quote and start working on your business plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the goals and objectives in business.

Goals and objectives in a business plan are the desired outcomes that a company works toward. To describe company goals and objectives for a business plan, start with your mission statement and then identify your strategic and operational objectives. To write company objectives, you must brainstorm, organize, prioritize, assign, track, and review them using the SMART framework and KPIs.

What are the examples of goals and objectives in a business plan?

Examples of goals and objectives in a business plan are: Goal: To increase revenue by 10% each year for the next five years. Objective: To launch a new product line and create a marketing campaign to reach new customers.

What are the 4 main objectives of a business?

The 4 main objectives of a business are economic, social, human, and organic. Economic objectives deal with financial performance, social objectives deal with social responsibility, human objectives deal with employee welfare, and organic objectives deal with business growth and development.

What are goals and objectives examples?

Setting goals and objectives for a business plan describes what a business or a team wants to achieve and how they will do it. For example: Goal: To provide excellent customer service. Objective: To increase customer satisfaction scores by 20% by the end of the quarter. 

At OGSCapital, our business planning services offer expert guidance and support to create a realistic and actionable plan that aligns with your vision and mission. Get in touch to discuss further!

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The Purpose of Mission and Vision Statements in Strategic Planning

Businesses often make or rewrite their strategic plans when the organizational structure is changing, or as a way to respond to changing market conditions. Change can be a difficult process and employees sometimes require time to get on on board with the decision-making process. One tool that can help is the clear articulation of the company's mission and vision statement. Articulating and repeating the positives of the move toward change in the organization will help employees stay engaged and motivated in the process.

What is Strategic Planning?

Change is an essential component of strategic planning. This involves moving the organization or program forward to create or change something. Some plans are created out of the need for the organization to move in a certain direction, and other plans develop organically. Mission and vision statements will be important to help communicate the goals of the plan to employees and the public.

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Role of the Mission Statement

More for you, how to celebrate successes in the workplace, the role of ethics & responsibilities in leading innovation & change, the differences between vision and mission objectives, how to create organizational values statements, steps of transformational leadership.

Leaders should emphasize the current mission statement to employees, which clarifies the purpose and primary, measurable objectives of the organization. A mission statement is meant for employees and leaders of the organization. Strategic plans may involve changing the mission statement to reflect a new direction of the organization. Highlighting the benefits of the change and minimizing the deficits will help employees and the public buy into the change.

Another way to look at it is that mission statements describe the company's mission as it is now and for the near future. So if the company is undergoing major changes, it would make sense to revise the mission statement so it is current.

Role of the Vision Statement

Like mission statements, vision statements help to describe the organization's purpose. Vision statements give direction for employee behavior and help provide inspiration. Strategic plans may require a marketing strategy, which could include the vision statement to also help inspire consumers to work with the organization.

A vision statement is a view into the future with hope and a positive outlook. It describes a company's inspirational, long-term plan for what they'll be able to accomplish, who they will help, and how the company will then be perceived. It's often out of reach for now, but not so far out of reach as to be unattainable. The vision statement gives everyone a description of what they're working towards.

Purposes of Strategic Planning

Strategic planning will likely have its successes and failures. Leaders should celebrate the little successes toward meeting objectives, which are part of the mission and vision statement. The mission statement will help measure whether the strategic plan aligns with the overall goals of the agency. The vision statement helps to provide inspiration to employees. Employees who feel invested in the organizational change are more likely to stay motivated and have higher levels of productivity.

Encouraging Continued Engagement

A successful change will involve communicating and repeating mission and vision statements, which helps prevent people from becoming discouraged in the event of small failures along the way. Leaders should continue to highlight the strengths of the strategic plan and involve important stakeholders in the process. Engaging employees and volunteers will help them to recognize and take ownership of the change. Involving employees also helps to provide more minds to prevent possible problems.

Examples to Consider

Many companies have vision and mission statements that don't serve them well. Still, there are companies with outstanding statements. LinkedIn is a good example:

Notice how LinkedIn's vision statement refers to "every member of the global workforce." That's a huge goal that won't be accomplished in the near future. Maybe never. But it is inspiring and makes employees want to achieve it.

The mission statement, on the other hand, is achievable. By connecting professionals, they give them the contacts they need to make them more productive and successful.

Now consider the example of Southwest airlines:

There's no question Southwest's vision statement is for the future. Many people currently love Southwest, but everyone in the world? Hardly. Will they ever be "most loved, most flown, and most profitable"? That's a lot to ask of any business. But by striving for all three, they're encouraging employees to be at their best

Southwest's mission statement is much more down-to-earth, current and achievable. Their employees have the choice to dedicate themselves to having the highest quality service, to be warm and friendly, proud and filled with company spirit.

• Mind Tools: Mission Statements and Vision Statements
• Inc.: 6 Principles for Communicating a Powerful Change Vision
• Entrepreneur: 4 Techniques for Crafting a Mission Statement Worth Remembering
• ClearVoice: Difference Between Vision and Mission Statements: 25 Examples

Madison Hawthorne holds a bachelor's degree in creative writing, a master's degree in social work and a master's degree in elementary education. She also holds a reading endorsement and two years experience working with ELD students. She has been a writer for more than five years, served as a magazine submission reviewer and secured funding for a federal grant for a nonprofit organization. Hawthorne also swam competitively for 10 years and taught for two years.

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How to Develop a Strategic Plan that Aligns with Your Mission, Vision, and Values 

• Research & Insights

Your mission, vision, and values are the cornerstones of your organization. They define your purpose, your goals, and your guiding principles. But how do you translate these lofty ideals into a concrete plan for action? That’s where strategic planning comes in.  

Strategic planning is an essential process for any organization that wants to achieve its goals. It’s a way of thinking about the future and making sure that your organization is well-positioned to meet the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.  

A good strategic plan should be aligned with your mission, vision, and values. This means that your plan should be designed to help you achieve your mission, realize your vision, and live up to your values.  

Here are a few steps you can take to develop a strategic plan that aligns with your mission, vision, and values:

Define your mission, vision, and values.

The first step is to be clear on what your organization stands for. What is your purpose? What are your goals? What are your guiding principles? Once you have a clear understanding of your mission, vision, and values, you can start to develop a plan that will help you achieve them.

Analyze your internal and external environment.

The next step is to take a look at your internal and external environment. This will help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). Your internal environment includes things like your resources, your people, and your culture. Your external environment includes things like the market, the competition, and the economy.

Set strategic goals.

Once you have a good understanding of your SWOT analysis, you can start to set strategic goals for your organization. These goals should be ambitious but achievable, and they should be aligned with your mission, vision, and values.

Develop strategies and tactics.

Once you have set your strategic goals, you can start to develop strategies and tactics for achieving them. These strategies and tactics should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Implement and monitor your plan.

Once you have developed your strategic plan, it’s important to implement it and monitor your progress. Make sure that your plan is being implemented as intended, and make adjustments as needed.  

Developing a strategic plan that aligns with your mission, vision, and values is not an easy task, but it is an essential one. By taking the time to do this, you can ensure that your organization is on the right track to achieving its goals.  

Here are some additional tips for developing a strategic plan:  

• Get input from stakeholders. It’s important to get input from all stakeholders in your organization when developing your strategic plan. This will help you ensure that the plan is realistic and achievable.  
• Communicate your plan effectively. Once you have developed your strategic plan, it’s important to communicate it effectively to all stakeholders. This will help everyone understand the plan and their role in implementing it.  
• Monitor your progress regularly. It’s important to monitor your progress regularly and make adjustments to your plan as needed. This will help you ensure that you are on track to achieving your goals.  

By following these tips, you can develop a strategic plan that will help your organization achieve its mission, vision, and values.  

In addition to the steps above, here are some resources that you may find helpful:  

• The Balanced Scorecard:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_scorecard  
• The Strategyzer:  https://www.strategyzer.com/  
• Harvard Business Review: Strategic Planning:  https://hbr.org/topic/strategic-planning  

By taking the time to develop a strategic plan that aligns with your mission, vision, and values, you can ensure that your organization is on the right track to success.  

At Dame Leadership, we offer  Strategic Planning Services . Contact us today at 717-524-4265 to help you create a vision and strategy for your organization so you can move forward with purpose.    

See Related Articles: How To Measure The Results Of Your Strategic Plan , Strategic Planning for Business Success , When is the Best Time to Create a Strategic Plan? , 6 Ways to Measure Your Strategic Plan , 4 Pitfalls of Strategic Planning

How to Begin? Contact Dame Leadership Today

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Chapter 2: Leading Strategically

Vision, Mission, and Goals

Learning Objectives

• Define vision and mission and distinguish between them.
• Know what the acronym SMART represents.
• Be able to write a SMART goal.

The Importance of Vision

Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion. —Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric

Many skills and abilities separate effective strategic leaders like Howard Schultz from poor strategic leaders. One of them is the ability to inspire employees to work hard to improve their organization’s performance. Effective strategic leaders are able to convince employees to embrace lofty ambitions and move the organization forward. In contrast, poor strategic leaders struggle to rally their people and channel their collective energy in a positive, focused direction.

As the quote from Jack Welch suggests, a vision  is one key tool available to executives to inspire the people in an organization ( Figure 2.2 “The Big Picture: Organizational Vision” ). An organization’s vision describes what the organization hopes to become in the future. Well-constructed visions clearly articulate an organization’s aspirations. Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful (Edwards, 2012). Google expands on its mission by listing “Ten things we know,” including “Focus on the user and all else will follow,” “It’s best to do one thing really, really well,” and  “Fast is better than slow” (Google Inc., 2014).

This brief but powerful statement emphasizes several aims that are important to Google, including excellence in customer service, and setting high standards for employees and Google’s products. McDonald’s brand mission is “to be our customers’ favourite place and way to eat. Our worldwide operations are aligned around a global strategy called the Plan to Win, which centre on an exceptional customer experience – People, Products, Place, Price and Promotion. We are committed to continuously improving our operations and enhancing our customers’ experience.”  To be effective, this mission statement must filter down to all employees and inspire them to adopt that mission. (Edwards, 2012).

One limitation of such all-encompassing goals is that front line and operational employees will not relate or connect with the goals, and will disengage from the process – flavour of the month…. The CEO/management team who can effectively translate the high-level objectives to on-the-ground activities will have good success in engaging staff! Of course, a strong element of walk-the-talk is required by management as well.

The results of a survey of 1,500 executives illustrate how the need to create an inspiring vision creates a tremendous challenge for executives. When asked to identify the most important characteristics of effective strategic leaders, 98 percent of the executives listed “a strong sense of vision” first. Meanwhile, 90 percent of the executives expressed serious doubts about their own ability to create a vision. Not surprisingly, many organizations do not have formal visions. Many organizations that do have visions find that employees do not embrace and pursue the visions. Having a well-formulated vision that employees embrace can therefore give an organization an edge over its rivals.

Mission Statements

At WestJet, Clive Beddoe and his team developed its mission statement: “To enrich the lives of everyone in WestJet’s world by providing safe, friendly and affordable air travel.” A mission such as WestJet’s states the reasons for an organization’s existence. Well-written mission statements effectively capture an organization’s identity and provide answers to the fundamental question “Who are we?” While a vision looks to the future, a mission captures the key elements of the organization’s past and present.

Organizations need support from their key stakeholders, such as employees, owners, suppliers, and customers, if they are to prosper. A mission statement which engages stakeholders will help develop an understanding of why they should support the organization and  make clear what important role or purpose the organization plays in society – also called a “social license to operate.” Google’s mission, for example, is “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Google pursued this mission in its early days by developing a very popular Internet search engine. The firm continues to serve its mission through various strategic actions, including offering its Internet browser Google Chrome to the online community, providing free email via its Gmail service, and making books available online for browsing.

In ancient times, Aesop said, “United we stand, divided we fall.” This provides a helpful way of thinking about the relationship between vision and mission. Executives ask for trouble if their organization’s vision and mission are divided by emphasizing different domains. Some universities have fallen into this trap. Many large public universities were established in the late 1800s with missions that centered on educating citizens. As the 20th century unfolded, however, creating scientific knowledge through research became increasingly important to these universities. Many university presidents responded by creating visions centered on building the scientific prestige of their schools. This created a dilemma for professors: Should they devote most of their time and energy to teaching students (as the mission required) or on their research studies (as ambitious presidents demanded via their visions)? Some universities continue to struggle with this trade-off today and remain houses divided against themselves. In sum, an organization is more effective to the extent that its vision and its mission target employees’ effort in the same direction.

Pursuing the Vision and Mission through SMART Goals

An organization’s vision and mission combined offer a broad, overall sense of the organization’s direction. To work toward achieving these overall aspirations, organizations also need to create goals —narrower aims that should provide clear and tangible guidance to employees as they perform their work on a daily basis. The most effective goals are those that are

M easurable,

A chievable,

R ealistic, and

T ime-bound.

An easy way to remember these dimensions is to combine the first letter of each into one word: SMART ( Figure 2.4 “Creating SMART Goals” ). Employees are in a much better  position to succeed to the extent that an organization’s goals are SMART.A goal is specific if it is explicit rather than vague. WestJet’s vision is that “By 2016, WestJet will be one of the five most successful international airlines in the world providing our guests with a friendly caring experience that will change air travel forever.”

A goal is measurable to the extent that whether the goal is achieved can be quantified. WestJet’s goal of being one of the five most successful international airlines in the world by 2016 offers very simple and clear measurability: Either WestJet will be in the top five  by 2016 or they will not.

A goal is aggressive  if achieving it presents a significant (as opposed to easy) challenge to the organization. A series of research studies have demonstrated that performance is strongest when goals are challenging but attainable. Such goals force people to test and extend the limits of their abilities. This can result in reaching surprising heights.

WestJet committed to growing responsibly and ensuring that it is an environmentally sustainable airline, and supports the IATA goal of carbon neutral growth in its industry beyond 2020. WestJet already operates one of the most modern and fuel-efficient fleets in North America.

Achieving carbon neutral growth will be a challenge for WestJet requiring the combined efforts of the airline and its supplier partners such as aircraft manufacturers, airports and government.  In 2012, WestJet reported that “Our significant investments in fleet and technology have greatly improved our aircraft fuel efficiency and ability to operate our business more cost effectively. Between 2000 and 2012, we improved our fuel efficiency by 44.8 per cent per revenue tonne kilometre. The resulting fuel savings are equivalent to the amount of fuel that would have been used to fly a Boeing Next-Generation 737 from Calgary to Toronto and back approximately 44,135 times (based on our 2012 fuel usage).” (Quigley, 1994)

It is useful to know that  easily achievable goals are not only easy, but they tend to undermine overall motivation and effort by employees, Michelangelo said, “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” Consider a situation in which you have done so well in a course that you only need a score of 60 percent on the final exam to earn an A for the course. Understandably, few students would study hard enough to score 90 percent or 100 percent on the final exam under these circumstances Similarly, setting organizational goals that are easy to reach encourages employees to work just hard enough to reach the goals.

It is tempting to extend this logic and thinking to conclude that setting nearly impossible goals will encourage even stronger effort and performance from staff. However, people act rationally and tend to become  discouraged and give up  when faced with goals that realistically have little chance of being reached. If, for example, Starbucks had set a time frame of one year to regain a share price of $35, it would have attracted scorn. The company simply could not be turned around that quickly. Similarly, if WestJet’s fuel efficiency goal was 100 percent improvement, WestJet’s employees would probably not embrace it. Thus goals must also be realistic, meaning that their achievement is feasible.

Most of us have  found that deadlines are motivating and that they help you structure your work time. The same is true for organizations, leading to the conclusion that goals should be time-bound through the creation of deadlines. WestJet has set a goal to achieve a cumulative 45 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency for our 737 fleet by 2020, as compared to the 2000 base year. (WestJet, 2012)

The period after an important goal is reached is often overlooked but is critical. Will an organization rest on its laurels or will it take on new challenges? Starbucks provides an illustrative example.  In 2011, after a revamp of the company’s stores and services, the stock price was around $35. In early 2014, the price was in the $70 range.

Key Takeaway

Strategic leaders need to ensure that their organizations have three types of aims. A vision states what the organization aspires to become in the future. A mission reflects the organization’s past and present by stating why the organization exists and what role it plays in society. Goals are the more specific aims that organizations pursue to reach their visions and missions. The best goals are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.

• Take a look at the website of your college or university. What is the organization’s vision and mission? Were they easy or hard to find?
• As a member of the student body, do you find the vision and mission of your college or university to be motivating and inspirational? Why or why not?
• What is an important goal that you have established for your career? Could this goal be improved by applying the SMART goal concept?

Edwards, A. (2012). Mission Statements–World’s Top 10 Brands . Retrieved from http://communicatingasiapacific.com/2012/06/15/mission-statements-worlds-top-10-brands/

Google Inc. (2014). Ten things we know to be true .  Retrieved from https://www.google.com.sg/about/company/philosophy/

Quigley, J. V. (1994). Vision: How leaders develop it, share it, and sustain it. Business Horizons , 37 (5), 37–41.

WestJet Airlines Ltd. (2012). WestJet 2012 Global Reporting Initiative report [PDF] . Retrieved from https://www.westjet.com/pdf/global-reporting.pdf

Image descriptions

Figure 2.2 image description: The Big Picture: Organizational Vision.

An organization’s vision describes what the organization hopes to become in the future. Visions highlight the values and aspirations that lay at the heart of the organization. Although vision statements have the potential to inspire employees, customers, and other stakeholders, vision statements are relatively rare and good visions are even rarer. Some of the visions being pursued by businesses today are offered below.

• Alcoa – to be the best company in the world – in the eyes of our customers, shareholders, communities and people.
• Avon – to be the company that best understands and satisfies the product service and self-fulfillment needs of women – globally.
• Chevron – to be the global energy company most admired for its people, partnership and performance.
• Google – to develop a perfect search engine.
• Kraft Foods – helping people around the world eat and live better.
• Proctor and Gamble – be, and be recognized as, the best consumer products and services company in the world.

[Return to Figure 2.2 ]

Figure 2.3 image description: Missions.

While a vision describes what an organization desires to become in the future, an organization’s mission is grounded in the past and present. A mission outlines the reasons for the organization’s existence and explains what role it plays in society. A well-written mission statement captures the organization’s identity and helps to answer the fundamental question of “who are we?” As a practical matter, a mission statement explains to key stakeholders why they should support the organization. The following examples illustrate the connections between organizations and the needs of their key stakeholders.

• Harley Davidson: we fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling, by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles and branded products and services in selected market segments.
• Westjet: to enrich the lives of everyone in Westjet’s world nu providing safe, friendly and affordable air travel.
• Starbucks: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time. It has always been, and will always be, about equality.
• Mountain Equipment Co-op: we help people enjoy the benefits of self-propelled wilderness-oriented recreation.
• Fender Musical Instrument: to exceed the expectations of music enthusiasts worldwide.

[Return to Figure 2.3]

Figure 2.4 image description: Creating SMART Goals.

While missions and visions provide an overall sense of the organization’s direction, goals are narrower aims that should provide clear and tangible guidance to employees. The most effective goals are those that are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound). SMART goals help provide clarity, transparency, and accountability. Westjet’s goal is “to enrich the lives of everyone in Westjet’s world by providing safe, friendly and affordable air travel. By 2016, we strive to be one of the top five airlines in the world as measured through key metrics such as on time performance, safety, profitability and guest satisfaction.

Westjet’s goals fit the SMART acronym.

• Specific: Westjet strives to be among the top five international airlines. In contrast, “the best” would be vague, making it difficult to decide if a goal is actually reached.
• Measurable: Westjet identifies the key metrics: on-time performance, safety, profitability and guest satisfaction. Westjet is able to measure its progress relative to its targets.
• Achievable: Westjet lists achievements to date in working towards the goals. A series of research studies show that performance is strongest when goals are challenging but attainable.
• Realistic: Westjet states support for the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) goals of a cumulative global average improvement in fuel efficiency of 1.5 per cent per year through to 2020. Reaching a goal must be feasible for employees to embrace it.
• Time-bound: Westjet’s timeline is “By 2016.” Deadlines are motivating and they create accountability.

[Return to Figure 2.4]

Media Attributions

• Figure 2.1: Attribution information for all included images is in the chapter conclusion.
• Figure 2.2: Attribution information for all included images is in the chapter conclusion.
• Figure 2.3: Attribution information for all included images is in the chapter conclusion.

What the organization hopes to become in the future.

Narrower aims that organizations pursue to serve their visions and missions.

Mastering Strategic Management - 1st Canadian Edition Copyright © 2014 by Janice Edwards is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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What is a vision statement?

Based on your goals and aspirations, a vision is the desired image of what you want your business to become in the future.

A vision statement provides you and your employees with direction, purpose, motivation and inspiration to achieve the desired outcome for your business.

What is the purpose of a vision statement?

A vision statement is an important part of your business strategy. It provides you with insights on where your business is heading by providing long-term direction. Your vision statement also aligns with the mission, core values and culture of your business.

A vision statement answers three key questions:

• Where do you want your business to be in the future?
• What is the purpose of your business?
• What impacts do you want your business to have on your customers, community and/or the world?

How to create a vision statement

Each business has a unique vision statement, but the process of preparing and writing a vision statement is similar for most of them. Let us look at some steps that will help you prepare a vision statement.

Writing a vision statement requires analysing both internal and external aspects of your business as well as the current state of your business and where you want it to be in the future.

Your vision should be aligned to fundamental aspects of your business. Answer the following questions to assist you with this process:

• What are the core values of your business?
• What is your business mission?
• What is the business culture that you want to cultivate?
• What are your business’s current and future goals?
• Where do you see your business in ten years' time?

Brainstorming

It’s important to get your staff involved in brainstorming and sharing ideas for a vision statement. Key staff can provide helpful insights on the business aspects mentioned above and the brainstorming process creates a sense of shared purpose, cohesiveness and direction.

Components of a good vision statement

Now that you have your answers ready, it’s time to develop your vision statement. Before you start writing, consider the following components which will aid you in writing an effective statement.

Make sure your vision statement is:

• concise and clear (make the vision statement simple and easy to read)
• brief (stick to the essentials)
• future-oriented (a vision statement focuses on the future long-term goals and destination)
• ambitious but realistic (keep in mind your resources)
• inspiring and emotive (you want the vision statement to inspire and motivate people).

Examples of vision statements

Regardless of your business size or industry, a vision statement tells you where you want your business to be in the future and clarifies the path forward to achieve your objectives. Below are some examples of vision statements from businesses:

Using your business vision statement

As your business grows and expands, revisiting your vision statement can provide you with insights into the direction your business is going and whether you are on the right path to achieving your desired aspirations.

You can also use your vision statement in your marketing and promotional materials, either by having it on display in your place of business, posted on the business webpage/social media accounts, or incorporated as part of your business brand.

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Practice Management Tips

How to Write a Chiropractic Business Plan

If you’re planning to launch your own chiropractic clinic, a business plan is essential for guiding your practice’s growth and setting a clear direction.

As motivational speaker Brian Tracy explains, “Every minute you spend in planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1,000% return on energy.”

The best part: creating a solid business plan doesn’t have to be difficult.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the essentials of writing a chiropractic business plan. We’ll cover what a business plan is, how to choose the right niche for your practice, and the key components of a comprehensive plan. We’ll also explore strategies for keeping your practice on course.

By the end, you’ll have a straightforward, actionable recipe for building a plan that will save you minutes, hours, and maybe even years in achieving your dream of a thriving chiropractic practice.

What is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a tool for establishing your vision, setting achievable goals, and taking steps to reach them.

Essentially, a chiropractic clinic business plan is your guide to making informed decisions . From choosing the perfect location to developing strategies to get new patients , your business plan will distill ideas into actionable steps. It’ll also prompt you to anticipate potential obstacles and opportunities, ensuring you’re prepared to course-correct as needed.

So, what are the key elements to include in a solid business plan?

• An executive summary
• A description of your services
• Market analysis
• Financial projections
• A clear strategy for growth

Step 1: Select a Niche for Your Chiropractic Practice

Selecting a niche for your chiropractic clinic is a crucial first step in setting the foundation for your clinic’s success. Your niche will help define the focus of your services, shape your marketing strategies , and influence how potential patients perceive your practice. Consider honing in on a specific area of expertise and positioning your clinic to meet the unique needs of your target audience – this will differentiate your chiropractic practice in a competitive market.

Here’s how to approach it:

• Understand your strengths: List your skills, interests, and areas of expertise. What aspects of chiropractic care are you most passionate about?
• Research the market: Next, dive into research to understand the needs and preferences of your potential patients. What specific chiropractic services are in demand in your area? Are there particular demographics or health concerns you can address more effectively than others?
• Understand the competition: Take a closer look at existing chiropractic clinics in your area. What services do they offer? How are they positioned in the market? Identify gaps in their offerings to pinpoint opportunities that differentiate your practice.
• Niche selection: With your listed strengths, market insights, and competitive landscape in mind, you can now choose a niche that aligns with your expertise and meets an unmet need in your community. Whether it’s sports injuries, back pain, or a specific therapeutic technique, selecting the right niche will set the stage for a focused and successful practice.

Step 2: Write Your Chiropractic Business Plan

Now that you’ve done your research, it’s time to put pen to paper.

This section should include:

Let’s break down the essential sections:

Executive Summary

The executive summary is the opening section of your business plan and serves as a concise overview of your clinic. Its purpose is to quickly inform readers – whether potential investors, partners, or stakeholders – about your practice’s goals and how you plan to achieve them .

• Your clinic’s planned location.
• A brief description of your clinic’s mission.
• The services you’ll offer.
• Your target market.
• A brief overview of your marketing plan .
• A summary of your financial outlook and projections.
• A description of your investment needs, if appropriate.

Tip: Although it’s the first section of your business plan, it’s often easier to write it last . As it’s essentially a summary of the other sections in your business plan, it makes sense to draft it after you’ve written the details for the other sections.

The objectives section lays out the specific results your practice aims to achieve, which provides your practice with a sense of direction .

This part is crucial for articulating your goals and ensuring that everyone involved is aligned with your vision.

• Define the practice’s mission and vision: Start by articulating your practice’s mission and vision. Your mission should clearly state the purpose of your clinic, while your vision should describe the long-term impact you hope to achieve in the community. The services you provide: Detail the chiropractic services you offer, emphasizing any specialties that align with your chosen niche.
• Identify target market and demographics: Describe the specific patient demographics you intend to serve, like age groups, health conditions, or lifestyle needs.
• Competition: Outline who your competitors are, what they offer, and how your practice differs from theirs .
• Future growth: Set SMART goals for your clinic’s growth. These could include patient volume targets, revenue targets, staff you plan to hire , and plans for expanding services .

Market Analysis

A thorough market analysis is essential for understanding the environment in which your practice will operate. This section helps you assess your practice’s potential for success.

You’ll cover these key factors:

• A thorough market analysis: Describe the overall demand for chiropractic services in your area. Consider factors like population demographics, local health trends, and economic conditions.
• Identify competitors and their strengths: Take a deep dive into your competition. Specify who they are, what they do well, and where there might be opportunities for your clinic to offer something different or better.
• Analyze industry trends and opportunities: Describe the latest trends in the chiropractic industry. Whether it’s new treatment methods, technology, or patient preferences, understanding these trends can help you position your clinic for success.

The marketing section of your business plan outlines how you plan to attract and retain patients , and how you’ll track the success of those marketing efforts . The research you did to define your niche and target market will influence your marketing plan .

What Do You Want to Communicate?

Clearly state the key messages you want to convey about your practice. This could include your clinic’s unique approach to care, the benefits of the services you offer, and the values that guide your practice.

Explain why these messages matter to your target market. Highlight how your services meet their specific needs or solve their particular problems.

The Rates You Plan to Charge

Your pricing strategy plays a key role in attracting and retaining patients. Researching what other practices charge will help you develop a benchmark and ensure your rates are competitive. Consider your target market and the unique value you offer. Describe how your marketing approach will communicate the benefits of your services to patients so they understand the value they’re receiving.

Marketing and Promotion Strategies

Describe the promotional strategies you’ll use to attract new patients. These might include:

Service Packages

• Bundle offers: Create bundled service packages that provide a series of chiropractic sessions at a discounted rate.
• Specialized care packages: Develop packages tailored to specific patient needs, such as a “Sports Recovery Package” or a “Posture Improvement Package.” These targeted packages can address common issues in your niche and appeal to patients looking for specialized care.
• Sign-up specials: New patient discounts can be an excellent way to lower the barrier to entry and encourage people to try your services.
• Seasonal promotions: Run seasonal promotions that align with holidays or special events. For instance, offer a “New Year’s Health Reset” package at the start of the year or a “Back-to-School Posture Check” special in late summer.

How You Want to Communicate

Detail the channels you’ll use to reach potential patients and your strategies for tracking marketing success.

Consider a mix of:

• Social media : Outline your strategy for engaging with potential patients on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
• Website: Describe how your website will serve as a hub for information, patient education, and online appointment booking .
• Email: Email marketing campaigns and newsletters can be an effective and low-cost channel for staying connected with your current and potential patients.
• Offline marketing methods: Traditional marketing methods such as paper fliers and business cards are still shown to have significant success in certain quarters, so it’s certainly worth adding this avenue to your marketing strategy .
• Word-of-mouth: Discuss strategies for partnering with other healthcare providers in your area.

Step 3: Develop a Yearly Chiropractic Business Plan Template (for established practices)

As your chiropractic practice grows and becomes more established, it’s useful to have a yearly business plan to help ensure ongoing growth and success. This plan will help you stay focused on your long-term vision while setting achievable short-term goals.

To create your annual business plan:

Review Your Vision

Your vision ties into your objectives and is the foundation of your practice, guiding every decision you make. Review and refine your vision regularly to keep your practice aligned with your goals and ensure that your team remains focused on what truly matters.

Example of a vision statement for a chiropractic clinic:

“ We provide comprehensive, patient-centered chiropractic care and wellness services for individuals seeking to improve their overall health and well-being, with a focus on serving active adults and athletes in our community. “

Set One-Year Goals

Setting and tracking SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals is vital for maintaining momentum and measuring progress. These goals give your practice a clear direction and provide benchmarks to evaluate your success, especially if you review them year-on-year.

Practical Example of a One-Year SMART Goal:

“Increase the number of new patient referrals by 20% within the next 12 months by implementing a targeted referral program and enhancing our online presence.”

Create Monthly Targets

Break down your one-year goals into monthly targets to help you stay on track and make large goals feel more manageable. By working backward from your annual objectives, you can set realistic monthly milestones that keep your practice moving forward.

Practical Example for a Chiropractic Business:

“If your one-year goal is to increase patient referrals by 20%, your monthly target could be to secure 5 new patient referrals per month through direct outreach to referrers, networking events, and showcasing patient testimonials on your website (with documented consent from patients).”

Develop Strategies

To achieve your monthly targets, develop specific strategies that focus on key areas such as marketing, evaluating services, and improving internal procedures. These strategies will serve as your roadmap for reaching your goals.

Practical Examples for a Chiropractic Private Practice:

• Marketing/Sales: Launch a targeted digital marketing campaign to raise awareness about your specialized services.
• Evaluating services: Regularly review patient feedback to identify areas for improvement and implement necessary changes.
• Internal procedures: Streamline appointment scheduling and patient follow-up processes to enhance efficiency and patient satisfaction .

Create a List of Action Items

Finally, break down your strategies into actionable steps. This shortlist of tasks will guide your daily operations, ensuring that every team member knows their role in helping the practice achieve its goals.

Practical Examples for Chiropractors:

• Schedule weekly team meetings to discuss progress toward monthly targets.
• Develop procedures for referral management and train staff on how to handle incoming referrals.
• Update the website with patient testimonials and success stories.
• Implement a follow-up system to check in with patients post-treatment and encourage feedback.

A business plan is essential for guiding your chiropractic clinic toward sustained growth and success. It’s a blueprint for your envisioned business, helping you set clear objectives, navigate challenges, and seize opportunities as they arise.

Remember – it’s a living document. Flexibility and a willingness to adapt are crucial to staying aligned with your vision and achieving your long-term goals. With the right tools and mindset , you can build a thriving practice that meets both your professional aspirations and your patients’ needs.

This is where good practice management software comes in. By automating daily tasks , streamlining patient communication , and providing insights into your practice’s performance , the right chiropractic software can help keep your systems running smoothly.

Give Power Diary a try with a 14-day Free Trial (no credit card required) and experience how it can help you achieve your strategic goals. We’re behind you all the way!

*Important note from our Legal Eagles: We know you know this, but we need to say it anyway. The information in this article is general in nature and is not legal advice. The laws, regulations and professional guidelines relating to the use of reviews and testimonials can vary across jurisdictions, and health professions. If you’re unsure of the rules that apply to you, your professional association is often a good place to start.

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