Hi, this is Uriah with Productive Therapist, and this is “How to Make Your Mission Statement Better.”
So, the mission statement is important because an exciting and memorable mission statement will energize you and your team.
It will also help you stay focused and spend your time and money wisely.
Donald Miller, the author and business leader, always says, “if you confuse, you lose. Noise is the enemy, and creating a clear message is the best way to grow your business.”
The three elements of a great mission statement are these:
- Conflict
- Destination
- Stakes
So, first of all, mentioning the conflict that exists and the problem that your services address is super important.
Often, therapists don’t want to focus too much on “problem talk” in their marketing, but it really is critical.
Number two, the destination or outcome needs to be clear, visual, and specific. Paint a picture of how your solution will positively impact your clients’ lives.
And last, foreshadowing the stakes helps you identify what will be won or lost if you do or do not accomplish your mission. I like to focus this part on the positive side.
I want to share my two current mission statements for Guilford Family Counseling and for Productive Therapist to give you a sense of how these can be applied.
For Guilford Family Counseling, this is the mission statement:
“At GFC, we know that Sonoma County families face countless challenges that threaten their happiness and well-being. So, we put together a team of skilled family therapists that create hope and the possibility for change. We do this through individual and family counseling that works to build healthy relationships, thriving kids, and happy families.”
I actually really like that.
I worked on this quite a bit about six months ago, and this is now the mission statement that I share with my team, and that we all feel compelled to follow through on.
As for Productive Therapist, here is our current working mission statement:
“At TPT, we know that smart and ambitious therapists battle stress and overwhelm when they achieve success. To help solve this problem, we provide world class virtual assistants that take critical tasks off their plate so they can free up their time, grow their income, and focus on what is most important in their lives.”
Actually, I like that one lot, too!
The work that I put in a while ago on improving these two mission statements has really paid off.
So, there’s a couple of tips on how to make your mission statement better, and if you don’t have one, you can create one with these simple ideas.
Conflict, destination, and stakes.
Tell an exciting story that positions your potential client as the hero, and you or your practice as the guide, and it will excite you and your team.
Thanks so much for listening to the Productive Therapist Podcast!
