What is Your Business Mission?

Without a clearly defined mission for your small business, you may find it very difficult to sustain steady long-term growth. Companies like Wal-Mart, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Whole Foods all purport deeply thought out mission statements. For instance, Wal-Mart’s slogan of “we sell for less” describes the company’s agenda in four simple words. So how can you create a small business mission to provide shape for your entrepreneurial plans?

One idea is to think “high concept.” In other words, figure out how to “pitch” your small business to other people in ten words or less. You don’t have to make a slogan at this point, but you should be able to encapsulate precisely what your business does for whom and at what cost. If it takes a paragraph or longer to explain how your business operates, you’re going to have a very challenging time locating your small business customer base.

The one exception here is small business entrepreneurs who service B2B. If you look to serve a very specialized marketplace, you may not need to encapsulate your mission as some high concept sound bite. That said, make sure that your agenda is crystal clear to your B2B customer constituency.

Another way to begin phrasing your small business mission statement is to conceive of the shape and structure of your enterprise several years down the line. You don’t necessarily need to plot out your 10 to 15 year strategy -- hopefully, your business will grow and change over time. But you should have a clear idea of what the end result of your small business statement will bring about.

If you interview successful Fortune 500 CEOs, nearly everyone will describe some twist on the idea that “beginning with the end in mind” generates results. Conversely, if your mission statement is too vague or relies too much on factors out of your control (or is too broad in scope), you’ll have a difficult times isolating the strategies and tactics you need to make your small business end game realized. For help constructing and editing your small business mission statement, take a look at the statements from successful businesses in your domain (or from businesses you seek to emulate).

Superpages Free Business Profile

Raise the profile of your business with this powerful selling tool. Online customers look for more than a name and number when they need goods or services. Use this method of free Internet advertising to show customers your vital business information.

Do you have questions? Call 866-311-4158 now to ask a superpages.com consultant about Online Advertising.