Page 78 - Duct Tape Marketing

62 Part I: Getting Started in Marketing

Where Are You Going, Anyway?

Mission. Vision. Goals. Objectives. What’s what?

Some consultants do nothing except lead corporations and organizations
through the visioning process, helping them clarify why they exist, what they
hope to achieve, and how they intend to get where they want to be.

Small companies rarely have the funds to dedicate to this kind of a strategic
process. For that matter, they rarely have time to stop and think about what
they’re trying to accomplish beyond the survival objective of bringing in
enough revenue to cover the expenses. That’s why your business will have
an edge — and a greater chance for success — if you devote some time up
front to setting your sights and aiming yourself and your business.

The “vision” thing

Well-run businesses set annual goals that are supported by the foundation of
a business vision and mission. The terms mission and vision are often used
interchangeably, but there is a fine-line difference. Your vision is a statement
of what your company strives to be. It defines your desired future. Your mis-
sion is a statement of how to create your vision. It defines your core purpose
and the approach you will take to achieve your objectives.

Your company vision is the big picture of where you’re going, whereas your
mission is the path you plan to follow to achieve success.

A hallmark example of clearly defined vision and mission statements comes
from the Oregon Trail, the 19th-century trek from Missouri to Oregon. If ever
an organization needed a vision to overshadow the rigor of the mission and to
guide all goals and objectives, it was this 2,200-mile journey across America.

Oregon Trail Vision: To find a better life

Oregon Trail Mission: To travel by wagon to Oregon

Even if your own challenges pale in comparison to those of America’s pioneers
(and with any luck, they do!), your organization will still benefit from clear
statements that define your direction, focus your organization, and rally your
employees, associates, and customers behind a common purpose.

A more modern example of vision and mission comes from the Habitat for
Humanity program, which now reaches around the globe to provide housing
for people in lower-income groups.