Are Mission and Vision Statements Still Relevant?

Mission and vision statements can feel like old school marketing ideas that do not matter – but they are the foundation of every good marketing strategy. These statements help you guide your small business and your marketing efforts so that you can stay on brand and reach your goals.

Are Mission and Vision Statements the Same?

It is common for small businesses to believe that mission and vision statements are interchangeable so they do not need both. This is unfortunately not the case, and your business will need both to be successful.

A mission statement defines the primary purpose of your small business, what you are currently doing, and what your objectives and purpose are. Your mission is what you are working on in your day to day as an S.O.B. (small owned business). 

Here at The Seasoned Marketer our mission statement is “to provide resources to small business owners that grow their confidence in managing their marketing in house.” That is what we do in our day to day by working on blog posts, sharing content, and creating podcast episodes for small businesses to consume.

A vision statement is more of a “pie in the sky” situation. It is your ultimate goal or where you want your small business to end up.

Our vision statement is “to create opportunities for every S.O.B. to prosper.” This is obviously much harder, and pretty much impossible, to accomplish. However, this is how we want our small business to impact others and what our ultimate goal is.

Can Mission and Vision Change?

Vivian and I often describe small businesses as their own people, their own entities. Just like people change and evolve as they grow (hopefully), so will your small business. Your mission and vision SHOULD change as your business grows.

 When Vivian started The Seasoned Marketer, it was simply a YouTube channel where she shared marketing information with others. The Seasoned Marketer has now evolved into a 2 person, sister team focused on helping small businesses better understand marketing to handle it on their own. The mission and vision of this company has drastically changed over the years, and we have created new statements to reflect that.

 We suggest you look back at your mission and vision statements at least once a year, to see if there are any alignment changes you need to make within your small business.

Why Are Mission and Vision Statements Important?

Your vision is your guiding star. Your mission is what your small business should be focusing on daily. These statements will help you stay on track and find success. 

When I am creating content I always ask myself if it aligns with our mission – will this video or blog post help small businesses grow their confidence in handling their marketing in-house. Use your mission and vision statements to help you make informed decisions not only when it comes to marketing, but in other categories as well.

Having clear mission and vision statements will also help your employees when they have to make decisions. If your mission is to provide the best customer service available, your employees know that that is something they have to provide. 

How Can I Write A Mission and Vision Statement?

 When writing a mission statement, ask yourself the following 4 questions:

• What do we strive to do?
• How will we accomplish this?
• Who are we doing this for?
• What value are we giving to them (our target audience)?

Let’s break down our mission statement: “to provide resources to small business owners that grow their confidence in managing their marketing in house.

What are we striving to do? We are working to grow confidence in managing marketing in-house. How will we accomplish this? We will provide resources. Who are we doing this for? We are doing this for small business owners. What value are we giving them (small business owners)? Again, we are helping them grow their confidence and providing them with resources. 

Your vision statement can be simpler. What is your “pie in the sky”, this is how I’ll know my business is successful? Maybe you have a jewelry making business that creates fun and whimsical jewelry. Your vision could be that you provide every person who wants to wear their inner personality with an outlet to show off their fun nature. Remember, your mission and vision can (and should!) change as your small business grows. We suggest that you look back once a year and ask yourself if your mission and vision are still the same. 

 Mission & Visions Statements ARE Still Relevant. 

Hopefully this was an eye opening conversation on why missions and vision statements are still relevant. However, if you want a more in-depth conversation on mission and vision then check out this episode of the S.O.B. (Small Owned Business) Marketing podcast.

Looking for one-on-one marketing advice but don’t want to pay crazy consulting costs? Join our 𝐒.𝐎.𝐁 (𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬) 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲! We meet up once a week over zoom to answer any marketing questions our community members may have. You will also have access to other marketing recourses, templates, courses, and a community of fellow S.O.B.’s! Learn more here.