Have you ever wondered what key elements make up a successful company? What is it that keeps a company thriving? There are plenty of components that contribute to a growing bottom line, but there is one that stands out above the rest—the company mission.
What is a mission statement?
A brand’s mission statement reflects what the business will provide and is truly the backbone to any successful brand. A strong mission embodies a brand’s core values by describing what the company is striving to accomplish and, can truly make or break a business.
Think about it, each of us value certain brands because of what they do.
For example, why do people value Amazon? I’ll take a swing at it and say that people like that you can find pretty much anything you’re looking for at a reasonable price. Now let’s look at Amazon’s mission statement: “to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices.”
And another one, Netflix. I’d be willing to bet that people value Netflix because it offers a wide selection of content to be streamed almost anywhere on any capable device. The Netflix mission is: “Our core strategy is to grow our streaming subscription business domestically and globally. We are continuously improving the customer experience, with a focus on expanding our streaming content, enhancing our user interface and extending our streaming service to even more Internet-connected devices, while staying within the parameters of our consolidated net income and operating segment contribution profit targets.”
These brands have stayed true to their mission, which has contributed a great deal to their success. Without a strong mission, your company lacks a strong guiding force.
Aligning your mission with your marketing
A well-developed mission will reflect what a company has set out to accomplish so each decision, including marketing decisions, should align with the brand’s mission.
Stay true to your mission across all platforms.
It is important to recognize that your brand’s values and identity should stay consistent across every platform, whether it be your website, content shared in your blog and emails, or social media. Brands that consistently present themselves have an average increase in revenue of 23 percent. Another 64 percent of consumers say that shared values are the main reason that they have a trusted relationship with a brand. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that consistently presenting your mission that encompasses your values will contribute to building trusting relationships with your customers and increase your bottom line.
Pay close attention to social media.
Social media is a great place to connect with your audience and showcase your mission, but because social media adds more pressure to provide a steady stream of content, and is a more casual platform then say, your website, be careful not to stray away from your brand’s core values. Before posting content to your social media page, check to make sure you are putting off the same vibe as your website, emails, and blogs.
For example, if your mission is to provide customers with opportunities for healthy eating, posting a ‘shout out’ to a local restaurant on your Facebook page that strives to create a healthy menu would be helpful and fun content that ties directly back to your mission. A mission dedicated to providing the best customer experience could post to Instagram stories and ask for feedback within the video on how to simplify their “checkout” experience. Not every post on social media needs to focus on a serious presentation of the company mission, but you should always run your posts through an imaginary filter by asking, “how does this post reflect our mission?” to ensure that your content is reflecting your core values.
Highlight your action.
Don’t be shy about showing your audience how you’re implementing your mission. If your business hosted an event or participated in a community function that relates back to you mission, market it! If your mission is to end childhood hunger, chances are you are involved in community efforts to provide meals for kids. Engaging in activities that support your mission is one thing, and marketing your efforts is another because it helps build your brand’s reputation and evokes emotion. An emotionally-connected customer will spend over 400 dollars more per year with a company opposed to a regular, satisfied customer. Also, customers who feel an emotional relationship with a brand will recommend the company at a rate of 71 percent, rather than the average rate of 45 percent. That is why it is important to allow your mission to guide your actions and to let your efforts shine through in your marketing.
Incorporate video.
We believe that any marketing campaign should use video to successfully reach your audience. Using video content will bring our mission to life and is an effective way to communicate your company mission because 72 percent of consumers prefer to watch video over reading marketing text.
Your mission should be clear, concise, and define exactly what your brand is working towards. There is no better way to display your purpose than through video. As mentioned above, post content that represents your goals through the actions your company is taking towards completing your mission. Use video to highlight your efforts both in the community and behind the scenes of your company.
Reinforce your mission by sharing video interviews with existing clients talking about how your work made an impact. This could appear on your landing page, be sent in an email, or be posted to any social media platform. Demonstrating your mission through video will boost engagement and help your audience understand the what behind your brand.
Evaluate your video marketing efforts.
When you use video to connect with your audience, a tool like Verb’s interactive video, provides you with important analytics to drive your next marketing decision by inserting clickable tags into your videos that provide a clear call to action.
Be sure to evaluate the reactions when you incorporate your mission into your marketing strategy. Keep an eye on the content that is impacting engagement, clicks, and conversion rates. Is your audience engaging at a higher rate when you clearly focus on your mission? Evaluate which videos are producing more leads—is it the video testimonial posted to your website, or live video from a community event that you posted to your social media? Verb can help answer these questions and guide your next move.
There is no reason why your mission statement should not align with your marketing strategy. You should be proud of what your company is determined to accomplish and strive to promote your values in any way possible. This will help your audience understand that your company’s prime focus is not to just sell a product or a service, but to implement the core values of your brand from day-to-day, and above all else, staying true to your mission and consistently showcasing your values will contribute to your brand’s overall success.
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