Chapter 1: What's your direction?
IN THIS LESSON
What is a vision statement?
Vision vs Mission Statements
How to create a vision statement
What is a vision statement?
From Wikipedia: “a high-level, inspirational statement of an idealistic emotional future of a company or group. Vision describes the basic human emotion that a founder intends to be experienced by the people the organization interacts with.”
My version? A vision statement is what your company is striving to become.
Vision vs Mission Statement
A mission statement contains what you’re doing right now and a vision statement outlines what you’re striving for.
How to Create a Vision Statement
Gather up the work you did in Lesson 1.
You’ll want to reference your mission statement, brand goals, brand values, and brand purpose.
Here’s an example of these components for a brand we’ll develop a mission statement for in this lesson:
Mission Statement: We put small, minority owned business on the map with cutting edge inbound marketing campaigns.
Brand Goals: Maintain diversity in staff and clients, continuously innovate and welcome new ideas, maintain a reputation of integrity with all of our clients.
Brand Values: Honesty, Integrity, Intelligence, Diversity, Fearlessness
Brand Purpose: To leverage marketing tactics to make a lasting impact on the small business world.
Think big.
The dreaded questions…but the good news is: there are no wrong answers.
Where do you see your business 1 year from now?
5 years from now?
10 years from now?
20 years from now?
Some examples:
In 1 year I want to be make my business my primary income.
In 5 years I want to have a full staff.
In 10 years I want to be taking bigger ticket clients.
In 15 years I want to have put 1,000 small minority owned businesses “on the map”.
In 20 years I want to be the top agency recognized for supporting small minority owned businesses.
Connect your goals back.
Be real with yourself and ask — do these goals align with my brand purpose, goals, and values? Go back and rework your goals to align with your higher purpose.
For example:
In 1 year, our businesses will be able to succinctly speak to the impact I am capable of having on small minority-owned businesses.
In 5 years, our business will be able to transparently display a diverse client and staff roster.
In 10 years, our business will be launching innovative, eye-catching campaigns for small minority owned businesses.
In 15 years, our business will have over 1,000 small minority owned businesses with visible impact from our inbound marketing services.
In 20 years, we will be the go-to and recognized agency for mastering inbound marketing for small businesses.
Now, create your vision statement.
“We are becoming the top inbound marketing agency known for disruptive and unique campaigns that put small minority owned businesses on the map.”