A core purpose statement is a short description of why a business exists for its customers (read more about this on this blog post). When developed correctly, core purpose statements are a concise way of recalling and reinforcing the specific values that have made a company what it is today. On the other hand, when they are developed poorly, they can leave people confused and unengaged. Here are four reasons why a core purpose statement may not work.
Generalization
A purpose statement that can apply to just about any company has no effect. Yours must be specific and tailored to your company – otherwise it’s useless.
Fluff
There is no room for a core purpose statement that is filled with buzz words that are vague and meaningless. Get to the point. If your employees can’t relate to your core purpose statement, then it won’t mean much to your customers, either.
Confusion
Did it take dozens of people and meetings to develop your core purpose statement? Sometimes simplicity is the key to clearly communicating the root of what your business is about.
Boredom
Ask 10 strangers if your statement makes sense and gets them excited. If not, it probably stinks. Make sure your core purpose statement tells a story and sparks an interest among your customers.
