AVOID THESE 3 MISTAKES AND REVISIT YOUR MISSION STATEMENT TODAY!

How important is it to have a mission statement? Will it really make a difference in my business? VERY! And YES! You NEED to have a GREAT mission statement if you want your business and your life to be successful!! Avoid these 3 huge mistakes and let’s revisit your mission statement together. 

MISTAKE 1

Oftentimes business owners think that taking the time to develop a mission statement is not worth it. I’m here to tell you, it is WORTH IT!! When it comes to mission statements this is by far the biggest mistake business owners are making: no mission statement! If you do have a mission statement, GREAT. Let me ask though, is it inspiring and compelling to you and your team? Does your team know what your mission statement is? 

MISTAKE 2 

This is a mistake that costs your business HUGE in the long run. Have you included your team in developing your mission statement? At the very least, you need to know that your team feels inspired by the mission and that they feel a part of it! Each of your team members need to understand how their role has  purpose and meaning in relation to accomplishing the mission!

MISTAKE 3

Do you sometimes feel like you don’t know which way you are supposed to be headed? How do you make decisions when it comes to your time or the direction of your business? Well, if you are unsure about these two questions, you might not be using your mission statement to make decisions!! Your mission statement tells you WHAT, HOW, WHO, and WHY! Your mission statement will guide you in all of your decisions!  

Now, don’t sit in these mistakes and feel defeated. Revisit your mission statement today and get back on track in a way that will have you SUCCEED and THRIVE, not just survive.

CREATE IT, REDO IT, OR REVISIT YOUR MISSION STATEMENT

Ensure your mission statement is GREAT and includes the what, how, who, why. Don’t forget, if you are looking at your current mission statement, thinking, “oh we’ve never followed this”, or, “we don’t do these things”, then start again! Bring in your team and make it great again! Also, you need to go through a process to get your statement down to a nice, succinct couple sentences you need to first start with brainstorming! 

WHAT || This is a literal, “WHAT do you do?” If you own a medical aesthetic clinic, then that’s exactly what you do! You are not going to add something completely outside of that to your clinic! You aren’t going to have a medical aesthetic clinic AND offer accounting services. That’s TWO separate businesses! 

HOW || How do YOU accomplish your what? If you use the best quality products in the world to provide your what, then you can say that! Maybe you use only local products, or maybe you have the best customer experience. Whatever it is, it’s unique to YOU and it’s your HOW! 

WHO || There is the odd time where you don’t have to mention the who. However, if there is ANY, even the slightest ambiguity about who your ideal client is, then you need to make sure your WHO is in your statement! When you are researching your target market, here’s a tip: instead of simply using demographics, use your ideal clients’ psychographics! Psychographics get to the mind and heart of your ideal client. What is your ideal client thinking? What is a problem your ideal client trying to solve? 

WHY || DO NOT skip the WHY!! The why is going to keep you going through all the things you’re going to experience as a business owner and just as a human. Your why is going to be the time where there is tears. This is what keeps you going! Why are you getting up every morning? This is so IMPORTANT. Sit down. Think. Really think about why you do what you do. 

SHARE IT WITH EVERYONE

After you create your mission statement, you are going to use it everyday! Ensure your entire team knows and understands the mission statement. Take time to explain how it inspires YOU, or, have others who helped develop it share as well! Your team needs to love the mission statement and be inspired by it. Help your team see how their role helps to fulfill the mission. This will help your team to feel purpose and meaning in their role. As a TEAM, every part of the team counts. Your team will carry out their role with your mission statement in mind and therefore, help you fulfill your mission! 

Share your mission statement everywhere! You want your customers to understand what it is that you do and WHY! Ensure that it is posted all over your store or office for  everyone to be reminded of often. 

USE YOUR MISSION STATEMENT TO MAKE DECISIONS

After you create, redo, or update your mission statement you are going to use it to make decisions. It is a guide to remind you what you’ve decided you’re doing, who you’re doing it for, how you’re doing it, and importantly, WHY you’re doing what you do! As a leader, when we forget our WHY, it is so easy to be a crappy leader (and therefore get crappy results from your team and in your business), get off track with our most valuable activities, or even give-up! Your mission statement will help you help you choose your ideal clients, know what to say “no” or “yes” to, and will help you make SO many more important decisions. Your mission statement will re-inspire you, keep you aligned with your values, and challenge you to keep your word every time you read it! 

Before you make a decision, read over or think of your mission statement and ask yourself if this decision is in alignment with your mission! When you are considering hiring, opening a new location, or adding a new department, ask yourself, is this decision supporting our WHAT? Our HOW? Our WHO? and Our WHY!?

If you haven’t created your mission statement, there’s no better time  than now. Please take the time to do this for you, for your business, your team, and your customers! You might  not see it now, but trust me, this will make a HUGE difference in your business. You CAN trust me because it’s made a huge difference in my businesses over the years AND in the businesses and lives of those I’ve coached!