How to develop a clear vision for your brand.

Writing a vision statement can be daunting even for the most eloquent entrepreneurs. Hopefully these tips will help you construct a meaningful vision statement.  Before we dive into tips, I want to start by defining what is a vision statement.

Although similar to a mission statement which describes the who, what and why of your business a vision statement provides a tangible way for people to understand the meaning and purpose of your business. A vision statement describes the desired long-term results of your company’s efforts and should be used as part of your strategic planning to keep your efforts aligned. A vision statement should be concise, no longer than a sentence or two.

Tips for crafting your vision statement

1. First, you need to have a clear understanding of what your goals are. Ask yourself the following questions:
   • What ultimate impact do I want my brand to have on my community, my industry or the world?
2. In what way will my brand ultimately interact with customers and clients?
   • How do we make our customer’s lives better?
   • What do we want to be known for?
3. What will the culture of my business look like, and how will that play out in employees’ lives? 
4. Project 5 to 10 years in the future.
5. Dream big and focus on success.
6. Use the present tense.
7. Use clear, concise, jargon-free language.
8. Infuse it with passion and make it inspiring.
9. Align it with your business values and goals.

Once you’ve worked through the above you can start crafting your brand vision using the answers. One of the templates below may be a helpful starting point:   

To (provide, give, create, make, etc…) a (nourishing, cheerful, productive, secure, etc…) (world, place, dream, reality, existence, etc…) for (the group of people you want to help).

(Providing, giving, creating, making, etc…) a (healthier, happier, more productive, safer, etc…) (world, place, dream, reality, existence, etc…) for (the group of people you want to help).

Exercising through these questions and templates to write your brand vision will keep profits out of the decision making and keep your emphasis on how you are helping your client.