Every business owner has a vision. It’s the thing that led them to setting up in business. It’s the change that they want to make in the world by sharing their skills, expertise and knowledge.
Like so many of my fellow Nutritional Therapy students I have experienced first-hand how changing what I ate brought about improvements in my health. We all have our own stories, from dealing with hormonal issues or dealing with anxiety to improving chronic conditions. We share a desire to help others. That is our vision.
A mission statement is HOW we will do it, and its what sets as apart from the many other Nutritional Therapists currently practicing. We will all choose to work within our chosen niche, and we will all work in our own individual way. A mission statement sums this up in a succinct way, so that potential clients can QUICKLY understand more about how business and how we operate.
The Elements of a Mission Statement
A well-thought out mission statement gives you a framework for your business and how you operate within it. It should include:
A self-identifying statement: We are bombarded with marketing messages constantly, whether we are aware of it or not. It’s vital that your ideal client can quickly see themselves in your messaging so that they know that what you have written is for them.
Why your business exists: What do you want to do, the transformation your clients will undergo.
How you operate: This is what makes you different. As individuals we all deliver our services in our own unique way. By harnessing that uniqueness, you will set yourself apart from others offering the same service, and allow your potential clients to decide if you are the right business for them.
Crafting your mission statement
The objective is to create a SHORT statement; one to two sentences should be adequate. It’s not your one-minute elevator pitch or the ‘About’ page of your website.
It can be much harder to write a few words that a whole paragraph. Every word has to count. This is why it can take time and patience to create your mission statement.
· Keep it short. I can’t say this enough.
· Keep it memorable. If you need to have it written down and keep referring to it it’s not right yet. Keep working on it until every word comes naturally to you.
· Will it last? This is your mission, it’s what you do every day in your business. It’s not about the latest service or promotion. It should reflect your long term goals.
· Does it limit your business? At some point you might want to expand or change your niche, or add new serviced and products. Does your mission statement allow you to do that?
· How would you feel if you had to change it? Of course you can re-write your mission statement, but as it reflects your long term goals this isn’t something you should be doing very often. However, if you pivot your business and your mission statement no longer fits then it’s time to change it.
· Get some feedback. Talk to clients, competitors, business buddies and ask for their opinion. As solo business owners we risk operating in a bubble and it can be really useful to ask for feedback.
Getting your mission statement right is important. It will guide how you work, attract your ideal clients and make it so much easier to write your marketing messages.
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