Framing a Mission Statement for Success

How to Build Flexibility into Your Business

I need to create a business statement.  It’s time to delve into it, learn how to do it and why it matters.

We go into business because we are all about freedom.  We have an idea or a skill. We want to do it the way we envision it, not limited by a boss.

Last week I talked about a personal mission statement.  Knowing what is most important to you gives you a strong framework to evaluate your priorities.

How you create your business statement is trickier than writing a personal statement.  A business statement needs to cover so much more, with a minimum of words.  However, not done properly, it could sink your freelance business in the end. 

Relevance Matters

Do you use a typewriter?  I learned to type on one in high school, two years before learning WordStar (bonus points if you knew what that was without looking it up.)  

IBM made typewriters.  They innovated and created the future.  Many typewriter manufacturers re-invented themselves.  Royal transitioned into cash registers and other office equipment.  Brother printers.  Sharp Electronics. 

Know a taxi driver?  Uber put a hurting on them virtually overnight. 

Kodak was in the film business.  If they thought of themselves in the picture preserving business, they would have adopted digital camera much sooner.  Remaining true to their core business too long, they went from the top to largely irrelevant.

If you narrow your focus too much, you risk failing innovation and losing sight of emerging trends.  As taxi companies learned, you could become irrelevant almost overnight.

Entrepreneur and author Tai Lopez, likes to warn people against falling in love with their current product.  Yes, it’s what they are known for, and it’s excellent.  But people are fickle.  Excellence means nothing when you lose relevance.

Flexibility to Innovate

Tony Robbins, entrepreneur, author, speaker, tells his conference attendees to keep an eye on the future.  Your business may look completely different ten or twenty years from now.  Don’t be afraid to try new things once you are stable and excellent with your products.

Think about it.  Twenty years ago, the internet was just gaining traction.  Many businesses didn’t have websites yet.  Now, most businesses do.  However, they also need a social media presence to stay engaged with their customers.

What is next?  Will you be there?  That flexibility needs to be a part of your business plan … and reflected in your business statement.

What to Write

So how does one write a powerful business statement that both define who you are today while remaining flexible to changes in the marketplace? 

Consider These Things

1. Who are you?  What do you value?  What particular talents, insights, and experience do you bring to the table?  Your personal statement is an asset.  If these don’t match, you add stress to the challenge.  Put all that together and create a unique selling point letting your client know why you are the best fit for them. 
2. Why are you in business?  Who is your customer?
3. What specific products do you offer now?
4. What is your vision?  Your clients need to know if you will be able to grow with them.

Express the heart of your company that will remain unchanged through various trends. Commit to ongoing relevance, coming back to change the specific services as appropriate. You will have a much better chance of creating and maintaining that raving fan base that fuels your success.

Weekly Business Challenge

Last week I said that I would complete my personal and business mission statements.  These are what I have come up with so far.  I will probably adjust them at some point.

Personal Mission Statement:

I seek to be the best version of myself as God created me to be.  Sharing lessons I have learned, I will seek to teach and encourage other through communication, prayer, and demonstrated faith as received through Christ Jesus.

Business Mission Statement:

At Copy By Design, we understand the right product, at the right time, has a profound effect on a person.  Using powerful copy, we give you the best chance to be that catalyst for your prospect.  Our words help you maintain ongoing connection for their continued growth and encouragement through relevant forms of media.

Last week, I also said that I would defrag my computer.  Turns out it's set to do that on a weekly basis.  Too bad.  I was hoping performance would improve.  Oh well.

I have worked on adding more people to my LinkedIn network, but I can’t say I spent enough time to get comfortable with it.  I’ll have to table that for now.

This week had a number of curve balls.  Some are potentially preventable, some are opportunities, and some are just life happening, though in a good way.

My challenge for this week will be to get an old project touched up and finally out.  Then I’ll need to make a plan for review and getting my certification.