Stick to your Mission

The Naperville Park District recently passed an ordinance to ban smoking from all 137 parks (except 2 golf courses). This change was brought about when a fellow Little League mom approached some adults who were smoking on the baseball field next to our sons’ game, asked them to stop since kids were playing, and the adult smokers became belligerent. She did what any mom would do to protect her children’s health – she researched, found examples of other major cities who have banned smoking at parks, found the right contacts, provided her findings and request, got the issue added to the agenda, attended the meetings where the issue was discussed and recruited a few other moms along the way.

I was one of the moms, and I brought my kids so they could see governance in action. While they were too shy to speak up during the meeting, I asked what the Naperville Parks mission statement was, and watched as the committee members took pause while the Executive Director shared “We provide recreation and park experiences that promote healthy lives, healthy minds and a healthy community.” At that point, I asked them to stick to the mission. There was nothing left to say. Within a few weeks, the ordinance was passed. It was that simple.

The Naperville Park District’s mission, vision and core values help guide everything we do, from prioritizing capital projects to providing programs and services for our community. –Naperville Park District website

That’s the power of a mission statement. It is meant to guide your business, use as a filter to help prioritize projects, and keep you focused on your purpose. Vision statements provide direction for the future; pushing you harder, staying relevant, and keeping your eye on the end S.M.A.R.T. goal. The brand story is derived from your company’s mission and vision statements, along with your company’s core values. A deep understanding of your target segment, including their media consumption habits, life stage, life cycle, decision making process, path to purchase, as well as their needs, wants and pain points, is critical to craft and create a relevant message.

The magic happens when you understand your target segment and connect your brand story in a relevant message via the right medium where they are already gathered (physically or virtually) so they can see how your mission aligns with their needs/wants/pain points. It helps to have a defined strategy in place so your marketing plan can address these goals through a focused and purposeful approach. A strategic marketing strategy and plan results in P&L efficiencies, higher marketing ROIs, and a strong, clear message that is shared, impacting brand awareness and ideally top line growth as your company is now part of the consideration set, and the ultimate choice by new and/or incremental customers.

Share your favorite mission statements and companies below. If you’re not listing your own mission statement, why not?  Marketing Mana is here to help you refine your mission statement and make your brand story shine brighter. After all, Marketing Mana brings small business’ missions to life through powerful customer connections and measurable results.