How To Write A Vision Statement: Steps & Examples

The final milestone envisaged for the business by the entrepreneur is the vision. It defines the goals of the company and what it intends to achieve in the future. It describes the entity's purpose and gives a sense of direction to the employees who become a part of it. The long-term goal is the target of the venture and is broken down into several short-term goals to reach the destination.

Writing a vision statement when the business idea is developed to create a foundation and an image of the future is vital. The vision statement is a part of the business plan and acts as a source of motivation and a guiding light for the employees. It evokes the interest of investors and helps in connecting with the customers at an emotional level. Here is everything you need to know about writing a vision statement with the help of a few examples.

What Is A Vision Statement?

A vision statement is a document that describes the future goals of an organisation. It should align with the mission and core values of the business to maintain consistency and reduce ambiguity. It is the entrepreneur's dream drafted in the form of an ambitious statement. It could be challenging, but it must be realistic and achievable. Also, it must be wide-ranging to cover the short-term objectives of the organisation.

It is vital to understand that the business owner can review and revise the vision statement when he intends to change the business plan. Entrepreneurs who purchase a business for sale in New Zealand usually revise the vision statement according to their envisioned goals for the entity. The need for revision may arise due to a change in the economic conditions or a business challenge that affects the bottom line.

It is different from the mission statement because it talks about the envisioned future accomplishments, whereas the mission statement defines the organisation's current status. The mission statement describes what the company is doing and how they are doing it.

Steps for Writing A Vision Statement

Writing a vision statement is not merely scribbling a few inspiring words to make a sentence and fill the document. It holds power to steer your organisation in the direction of success. Thus, it must be written in a planned manner by following the steps given below.

1. Determine the Target Readers

Before writing the statement or brainstorming, you need to identify the people who will be impacted by it. Think about speaking to them while creating a synopsis. Clearly define what the business intends to do or achieve and how it differs from others. Do not include any financial projections in summary because it can complicate your objectives and make it challenging to communicate them.

The target readers must become a part of the writing process. So, shareholders, candidates identified for critical roles in the organisation, investors and a few customers should offer their views on the statement. Include their views in the short description and start working on them.

2. Follow Writing Guidelines

The basic principles of writing should be followed while preparing the statement. So, the ideas should be unique and must resonate with your internal and external business associates. It must be inspiring but also attainable.

Start writing down the sentences while brainstorming with your team members to create a list of statements that reflect the company culture, future goals, core values and the mission of the organisation. Keep these sentences concise, clear and consistent. It must be easy to read and comprehend and communicate the message clearly.

3. Make An Estimate for the Future

During the brainstorming and writing of statements, make sure that the vision projects the future of the company. It must talk about its position in the next ten to fifteen years. The entrepreneur must envisage the conditions and environment at that time and prepare the document accordingly.

For instance, the statement should be based on the market acquired by the brand in the future and how it will evolve over the years. The projected outcome of the business will help the employees to visualise the desirable performance and work towards becoming efficient and productive.

4. Create A Rough Draft

After you have exchanged ideas, looked at the statements of competitors, and created a pile of information for your statement, you can start writing a rough draft. Use all the data and identify the most vital parts of information that can be used in the statement.

Use the phrases that make the maximum impact, sound interesting to read and highlight the points you wish to propagate. Add the keywords that make it relatable and industry specific.

5. Review the Document

Keep two to three options ready for the shortlisting by your team. Review the statements and check which one gives the right information with maximum impact. Also, keep things like inspirational and ambitious in mind while choosing the statements.

It should not have any jargon and must reflect the passion of the company and its workers. Rewrite the statement to make it more appropriate and motivational for the employees and customers. Do not feel pressured to use difficult language to sound like a premium brand. The language should be easily understood.

6. Write the Final Statement

Once you have done all the rewriting, editing and reviewing, create the final vision statement. Give it to your team to know their feedback and make changes if required. Prepare a strategy to communicate the vision statement to your audience when it is ready to be published.

When you purchase a business for sale in New Zealand and revise its vision statement, you must communicate it effectively to ensure it resonates with the audience. Add the statement to the business plan and use it on your company website and other promotional material. Ask a graphic designer to create an appealing image of the text to be used for advertising campaigns and internal communication.

Examples of Vision Statement

Here are the vision statements of the most renowned and popular businesses in the world.

• Vision Statement of Apple

We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great products, and that’s not changing.

• Vision Statement of Google

Our mission is to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

• Vision Statement of Tesla

To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.

• Vision Statement of Nike

We see a world where everybody is an athlete — united in the joy of movement. Driven by our passion for sport and our instinct for innovation, we aim to bring inspiration to every athlete in the world and to make sport a daily habit.

Conclusion

The vision statement is the backbone of the business and gives it the pathway to success. Without an intended outcome from the business activities, the operations become futile. Thus, it must be prepared carefully and efficiently.