Follow these tips, steps and examples to construct a meaningful vision statement.
- Mission statements outline the “who” and “what” of your firm, whereas vision statements discuss the “why” of your organization.
- Vision statements are crucial because they identify a shared objective and course for your personnel.
- You may create a vision statement that is motivating, passionate, and in line with the values and objectives of your company.
- This article is for business owners who wish to develop a vision statement that highlights their corporate brand and explains their beliefs.
It might be difficult to explain your company, beliefs, and future ambitions in a vision statement for your organization. A vision statement is an important tool for motivating your staff and creating a company identity, even if many well-established businesses place more emphasis on their mission statements.
We’ll talk about the significance of vision statements and provide tools and best practices for creating a motivating vision statement that drives your growth plan.
What is a vision statement?
A vision statement is a written proclamation that outlines the meaning and goals of your company for all parties involved, particularly workers. It outlines the long-term outcomes that your business hopes to achieve. An early vision for Microsoft, for instance, called for “a computer on every desk and in every home.”
A company’s long-term goals are most clearly expressed in a company vision statement, according to Katie Trauth Taylor, owner and CEO of the writing firm Untold Content. It accomplishes the relatively high goal of condensing all the business’s wisdom into a single, powerful statement.
Because it explains the company’s overall objective, a vision statement is important. Businesses that have greater goals are more desirable to both present and potential workers.
Take the time to create a vision statement that captures your passion and inspires your team since it may have an impact on the long-term success of your business.
What’s the difference between a vision statement and a mission statement?
The purpose of a firm and its current status are communicated to stakeholders and members of the community through mission statements, which are grounded in the present. Future-focused vision statements are created to motivate staff members and provide guidance.
According to Paige Arnof-Fenn, founder and CEO of Mavens & Moguls, a worldwide strategic marketing consulting business, “the mission is about where you are now and why you exist, whereas the vision is about your aspirations for the future and how you will get there.” The team should be inspired by the goal to change the world and contribute to a cause greater than themselves.
Both mission and vision statements are essential for developing a brand. “A vision statement looks at the fulfillment of that goal,” said Jessica Honard, co-CEO of North Star Messaging + Strategy, a copywriting and messaging company that caters to entrepreneurs. “A mission statement focuses on the purpose of the business.
A vision statement should be your company’s compass even if its purpose and vision statements should be its fundamental components.
Jamie Falkowski, chief creative officer of marketing and communications business Day One Agency, said: “A vision is a goal; a mission is actionable.”
It may seem intimidating to write the ideal vision statement, but it doesn’t have to be. When writing your vision statement, abide by these recommendations and best practices.
Decide who will help you create your vision.
Choosing the person who will write the vision statement is the first stage in the process. You might be able to solicit opinions from everyone in a small firm. You might have to be more picky in a bigger organization to record a variety of staff voices.
Analyze the published documents from your firm.
Your company’s employee handbook, marketing brochures, and other publications most certainly already contain goals and values that have been created. Author and content, marketing, and media strategist Alison Brehme advised using this knowledge to direct your work.
A firm’s mission, purpose, goals, and values are all taken into consideration while developing a company vision, according to Brehme. Include these ideas and convictions in your vision statement.
To develop your vision, hold seminars.
The head of investor research and insights at Vanguard and former vice president of market research at branding and marketing company 160over90, Brandon Shockley, suggested holding workshops with important stakeholders who represented a cross-section of your organization. Then, he said, form teams, apply collaboration software to produce alternative iterations of the message, and solicit employee input on how well each version is received.
Obtain unique opinions.
Falkowski also recommended doing one-on-one interviews with various stakeholders to promote open communication. Employees can develop the vision statement using visual branding tools, shared themes, or a written description of the organization’s future.
Look at the mission statements of your rivals.
To find out how to set your company apart from those of your rivals, look at their vision statements. “How to Do a Competitive Analysis” is a related article.
Keep it succinct but profound.
A vision statement need to be brief—no more than one or two sentences. Your whole business should be able to immediately repeat it and, more importantly, comprehend it. A vision statement, however, needs to be more than just a clever slogan.
Falkowski remarked, “[It] can be clever and distinctive, but this is for your team and culture, not for marketing a particular product.”
Make a lengthier version that is only seen by the leadership.
If you believe that your vision cannot be completely expressed in a brief vision statement, don’t worry. A lengthier version can be made, but it shouldn’t be the one that is made public.
Let’s face it: Most corporate executives, let alone boards of directors, won’t be able to succinctly summarize their vision in one or two sentences. Shannon DeJong, owner of the brand consultancy House of Who, remarked, “That’s OK. “Prepare a comprehensive version of your vision that is only to be seen by the leadership. Consider the lengthy version as your go-to resource for understanding why you started your company in the first place.
Identify the main objectives for your company.
Taylor said that you should begin by outlining your company’s most ambitious objectives when creating your vision statement. “Zooming out on what your company and the world will look like if you achieve your long-term goals can help you review them in a collaborative context. The core of your vision statement is actually that zoomed-out image of your success.
Think about the potential worldwide influence of your business.
Honard suggested that you pose inquiries that take into account the potential size and influence of your company. “Once you’ve addressed these issues, a road map between your current and your future has been established.”
Honard utilizes the following inquiries to help customers come up with their vision statement:
- What long-term effects do I want my brand to have on my neighborhood, my sector, or the entire world?
- How will my brand eventually engage with consumers and clients?
- What will the culture of my company look like and how will that affect the lives of my employees?
Aim high.
Once you’ve gathered all the data and started writing, don’t be scared to dream big. Don’t worry about practicality right now; with the appropriate team and technology, it could be feasible to do what presently seems unattainable in the future. Work on developing a vision statement that captures the unique characteristics of your company and its goals.
Be unique, not cliched.
According to Shockley, there is nothing wrong with a vision statement that is bold, distinctive, or even unpopular. “A vision statement is likely to have average outcomes if it outlines a universal aim that everyone can support. Delivering a great experience is a goal that may be achieved in any setting, whether a hospital, bank, or health club.
Consider making a vision board for your brand.
Taylor advised making a brand vision board if you’re interested in advancing your idea. The motto of your business, a “who we are” and “what we do” section, a business vision statement, a list of your ideal clientele and their problems, your content mission statement, advertisements, goods, and SEO keywords are all included on a vision board.
Any employee in a firm may instantly turn to a vision board to recall the essential ideas that motivate the job, according to Taylor.
Shortcuts for writing your vision statement
The steps involved in formalizing your vision statement are summarized as follows:
- Consider the future five to ten years from now.
- Dream big and keep success in mind.
- Please use the present tense.
- Use language that is concise, straightforward, and jargon-free.
- Make it inspiring by injecting it with enthusiasm.
- Align it with the values and objectives of your company.
- Make a strategy for telling your staff about your vision.
- Be prepared to devote time and resources to the goal you set.
Your finished vision statement ought to give a clear indication of the direction your business is going in. Many of Honard’s customers, according to her, have utilized their vision statements to guide their overarching future objectives. For instance, they’ve increased their focus on a certain area of their brand that is helping to realize their vision or changed their focus to more clearly represent it. They’ve also embraced new marketing activities to help them achieve their goals.
What to omit from your vision statement
Your mission statement and vision statement shouldn’t be combined. Generally speaking, mission statements are simpler to create since they capture what you’re doing right now. Keep in mind that a mission statement describes what you are trying to achieve right now, but a vision statement describes what you want to achieve in the future.
Don’t overthink the words you use. Finding the correct words to use is one of the most difficult aspects of writing a vision statement. You can find yourself revising everything over and worrying about doing it correctly. Are your beliefs defined and your business identity highlighted in this statement or these sentences without sounding too general? Don’t get bogged down by the strain of precise phrasing; a clear and distinctive vision statement is an excellent beginning to start setting your company apart from the competition.
Using your vision statement
Choose the location and function of your vision statement inside your business. As a result, the procedure will become more than just a mental workout, according to Shockley. If you never actually incorporate your vision statement into your company culture, it is useless to put it in the lobby or advertise it on your firm’s social media pages.
The vision business statement has to be regarded as a component of your strategic strategy, according to Shockley. “It is an internal communication tool that assists in uniting and motivating your team to accomplish corporate objectives.”
A vision statement should be seen as a live document that will be reviewed and updated as a result. Most importantly, it needs to be addressed to your staff.
“You’ll never be able to carry out the vision if your staff don’t get into it,” said Keri Lindenmuth, director of marketing at the Kyle David Group, a provider of online and internet solutions. “Your staff should believe in the vision statement. Then and only then will they make choices and do things that are consistent with the mission of your company.
Resources and templates for vision statements
A variety of worksheets and templates that are available for downloading and provide a framework for creating a vision statement might be used if you need a bit more direction and advice.
You may want to use these five resources to improve your vision statement:
- Vision statement Smartsheet worksheet
- Worksheet for the Diggle’s Creative brand vision
- Worksheet for the Whole Whale nonprofit’s vision and mission statement
- Worksheets provided by the Lone Star College System for creating mission and vision statements
- Worksheets for the Khorus mission, vision, and values
These free materials provide step-by-step guidance to assist you in identifying the main values, priorities, and goals of your business, taking you one step closer to expressing your own vision. Use them alone or in groups with your personnel.
20 motivational vision statements examples
You might only need a few memorable and distinctive vision statements to get you started on writing your own. Here are a few of the most motivational vision statement examples:
- Amazon: states that its goal is to be the world’s most customer-focused business and to provide a location where people can go to search and learn about anything they would want to buy online.
- Ben & Jerry’s: Making the greatest ice cream in the kindest manner is what Ben & Jerry’s is known for.
- Caterpillar: “Our goal is a corporation that enhances the quality of the environment and the communities where we live and work, and a future in which all people’s fundamental needs—such as housing, clean water, sanitation, food, and dependable power—are satisfied in a way that is ecologically sustainable.”
- Cradles to Crayons: Provides children from infancy to age 12 who are homeless or in low-income conditions with the necessities they need to flourish at home, at school, and during play, according to Cradles to Crayons.
- Google: “To provide users a single-click access to the world’s information.”
- Habitat for Humanity: “A world where everyone has a suitable place to live,” according to Habitat for Humanity.
- Hilton Hotels & Resorts: To “fill the planet with the brightness and warmth of hospitality by delivering great experiences – every hotel, every guest, every time,” as stated by Hilton Hotels & Resorts.
- IKEA: “To make everyday life better for as many people as possible.”
- Intel: “If it’s smart and connected, it’s better with Intel,” declares Intel.
- LinkedIn: Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce, according to LinkedIn.
- Oxfam: According to Oxfam, their mission is “to be a self-organized people actively constructing a fair democratic and sustainable society where power and resources are shared, everyone lives with dignity, and poverty and inequality are no more.”
- Patagonia: Build the finest product, do no needless harm, and utilize business to incite and carry out solutions to the environmental challenge, according to Patagonia.
- Prezi: To “reinvent the way individuals communicate knowledge, tell stories, and move their audiences to action” according to Prezi.
- Samsung: “Shape the future with intelligence and innovation.”
- Southwest Airlines: To become the most popular, profitable airline in the world, according to Southwest Airlines.
- Sweetgreen: “To encourage healthy communities by introducing them to genuine food,” states Sweetgreen.
- TED: We passionately believe in the ability of ideas to transform perspectives, everyday experiences, and ultimately the course of the world.
- Walgreens: To be the nation’s favorite pharmacy-led health, wellness, and beauty organization, according to Walgreens.
- Warby Parker: “We think getting glasses should be simple and enjoyable.”
- Wyeth: The mission of Wyeth is to pave the road for a healthy world.
Adaptability of vision statements
Although having a vision statement from the beginning is beneficial for many businesses, it’s entirely fine to not instantly commit to one particular goal.
According to Sonia Elyss, president of marketing and communications group Round Twelve, “being too locked into one master statement may really screw with the learning and development process in the early phases.” She advises her clients to create a vision statement each month, keep the earlier versions, and monitor what works and what doesn’t as time goes on.
After the first year, you may reflect on how far you’ve come, according to Elyss. What phrases or words from the statement were retained, and which ones were dropped? These key phrases frequently turn into significant brand pillars that you can constantly return to and eventually include into the business’s ethos.
Early on in the life of your company, committing to a specific vision statement may limit your chances for development or make you oblivious to the need for change.
Trust your instinct, test and double-check, look at the data, and engage in the input your customers are providing you, added Elyss. “You can lose a great chance if you’re not ready to venture outside of your initial idea for your firm.”
You’re not bound by your vision statement, no matter how long your company has existed or how long it has had one. Even though you invested time and money creating it, don’t be scared to modify it if it no longer seems right
Your vision statement’s vision
A vision statement is a tool that may aid in the expansion and brand development of your company. You will have good months, bad months, every conceivable detour, and hurdle as you expand your business.
Above all, your vision statement should serve as a continual reminder of the final result to you and your team. It’s crucial to remember this lesson, especially on the worst days.
