You’ve started your business and probably already know that you need a mission statement for your company. Sometimes finding a descriptive and accurate statement can be a daunting task. There are some important factors to consider when developing a high-impact mission statement for your business.

First, what is a mission statement and why is it important? Your business mission statement is a sentence or two that specifically says how your organization spends its time on others. In other words, your mission is exactly what your company does every day to give something back to the world.

Your company’s mission statement will be displayed publicly, so creative thinking is necessary to develop it. It should create a positive impression on whoever reads it, and should also be used as a general guide on how you manage and run your business. If you have employees, they should be familiar with the company’s mission statement.

The mission of a company can be compared to a clock. It’s exactly how the company uses their time to do whatever it is they do.

Creating a mission statement for your business takes time and thought. You can use this helpful guide to help you develop your company’s mission statement.

1. Write three verbs that are relevant to your business. These verbs should be actions that your company performs for others, not for itself.
2. Once you’ve checked off these three verbs, start thinking about exactly what each of these actions provides to the customer.

You need to tweak your mission multiple times until you have something that has an impact. Remember to focus on what you do for the people you serve. Keep your company statement to three sentences.

You’ve probably come across a company mission statement that has two or three paragraphs explaining how the company makes its products or services or what markets they serve. This is a common misconception because the mission statement is an expression of how you serve others, not what your company does for itself.

Let’s take a look at an example from one of our favorite companies, Google. “Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful..” You’d think a company this big would have a longer mission statement, but there’s simply no need. Their mission says exactly what they do for others on a daily basis.

Developing your company’s mission requires selfless thought and reflection. Put in some time and energy, and you’ll have a high-impact statement that you can share with the world.