Polishing a mission statement is something you can do in stages over time. The important thing is to have something down on paper which can guide you and the varied stakeholders in your new business. Here is my 4 letter mission statement template to get you started.
[b]Business[/b]At first, your mission statement might require 3 or more sentences to incorporate the essence of the Q&A below. It may seem 'too long' and not at all like some of the classy Fortune 500 versions.
Don't worry. That will come as you hone in on what is of course bringing your business, yourself and your customers together. You will Earn it over time, for sure!
1 - Excellence
I don't mean perfection - which will drive you nuts. I mean excellence. There is something in your character that wants to be truly perfect at what you do for your customers and for yourself.
Questions
a- What is it about this enterprise that you would enjoy becoming perfect at?
b- What is the excellence that you are offering your customers? (e.g. As a service, a stock or both.)
2 - Answers
Your customers have questions. They want answers. Collectively these customers create market demand. Your answers must fill part or all of their needs.
Questions
a- What are your customers top 3 burning questions?
b- What are your answers?
3 - Rewarding
Reward - as in 'Dead or Alive'?
Not really. But some businesses have ended up dead in the water because their mission statement whether didn't exist in the first place or there were too many opposing troops canceling each other out.
Now, from my old questions and your answers it should be easier to see what the rewards for your customers will be after doing enterprise with you.
Can you photo their happiness, satisfaction or at least great satisfaction in having spent time and money on you and your organization? If you can't yet see that, then revisit questions 1 and 2 again.
No, what I mean by 'rewarding' is what's in it for your employees (if you have them), your contractors (e.g. From elance.com) and other supporting vendors? There must be something that brings you all together beyond just money.
And what is the 'reward' that you get from becoming an entrepreneur - what with all those statistics about new enterprise startup failure rates.
You of course need to know Why you are doing this and work it into your mission statement so that it reflects what you are all about.
Questions
a- What do your business-side stakeholders get out of their connection with your business?
b- What's in it for you?
4 - Now
It of course is now. That's all you have.
Start living your mission statement the very moment you commit it to paper.
Some habitancy think their mission statement is something they sign off on years from now once it is "mission accomplished".
I don't think so.
The game starts now.
Mission Statement Template For New firm Owners - The 4 Letter Version
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