How To Write a Great Mission Statement

Last updated on March 23, 2023 by Cameron Sheppard

Purpose is one of those subjects that is constantly debated by all kinds of people, up and down the social ladder: lazy schoolboys, 3 A.M. coffee junkies, introverted philosophers, and even the hotshot Wall Street businessmen.

But every business starts with a purpose, and how that purpose is made known to the public is through one of the mediums we see everywhere: a brand mission statement. In this article, I’ll detail the what, why, and how of mission statements. Let’s go.

Why are mission statements important?

Mission statements serve as the backbone to the things your business does. For example, the nonprofit organization Habitat for Humanity has a mission to “put God’s love into action,” and bring people together “to build homes, communities, and hope.” This mission motivates its actions to help people put a roof over their heads, and in doing so they helped over 7.1 million people in 2022 alone.

But for the reader, a mission statement helps them know what sets your business apart from the competition. This plays a big part in industries where there are hundreds of other businesses that do what you do, such as lawn care.

What a mission statement should do

A mission statement should provide the reader a reason why your business exists. Take a sustainable plastic-free water bottle company, for example. Why it exists might be described like this:

For you, to keep your water cool;
For the ones who follow, to keep the Earth cool.

You should also let the reader know what sets you apart from the competition. What makes the sustainable water bottle company different might go something like this:

For every bottle purchased, we donate a percentage to climate change relief funds across the world. Plus, you can put your name on it!

Naming my own water bottle seems like a pretty cool idea, and it’s rare to find elsewhere. Maybe I would be convinced to purchase from this company.

Key ingredients of a good mission statement

When it comes to writing a good mission statement, there are four core values you should keep in mind:

One business that illustrates these four values is PayPal (who has great branding by the way, if you want to learn more). Read the following mission statement from their Mission, Visions, & Values page:

“Our mission is to democratize financial services to ensure that everyone, regardless of background or economic standing, has access to affordable, convenient, and secure products and services to take control of their financial lives.”

Let’s analyze this statement by each core value:

That’s how you do a good brand mission statement.

The do’s and don’ts of mission statements

When writing a mission statement, you basically have the freedom to write anything. However, there are some guidelines you should follow so nothing is left on the table:

Final thoughts

I believe that everyone has a mission in life, and mine is to provide you with great written content to help you in all aspects of copywriting, branding, and web design. Have a good rest of your day.