A companys mission statement can come in many forms.

Do you promise to put your customers needs first or to develop quality products,
innovative applications or intuitive technology? Some statements are only a sentence, while others may run several paragraphs.

By definition, a mission statement describes the purpose of a business, so product and service claims may be apropos. A meaningful mission
statement can also distinguish a company from its competitors, suggest potential directions for future growth and provide team members with a
common goal to work toward.

Crafting an impactful mission statement that your staff will adopt and customers will laud is an art. Here are four techniques I have found useful
when developing a mission statement for my company, Varsity Tutors:

Related: Your Mission Statement May Be Utterly Useless or a Gold Mine

1. Define your purpose.

Ask yourself why your company exists. Say it exists to offer cleaning services, then identifying your service is a great starting point, along with
defining for whom this service is for, how you plan to deliver it and why it's valuable. Together, these elements communicate your purpose to
consumers and team members.

For example, Zappos mission is to provide the best customer service possible. Company staff works toward this goal every day, and customers
experience it via free and easy returns on their shoe orders. The companys growth trajectory and eventual acquisition by Amazon speaks to its
success in living up to its mission.

2. Be specific.
Buzzwords and jargon are generally ineffective in a mission statement. If you tell people that you deliver business efficiencies using optimized
software solutions, theyre unlikely to commit this phrase to memory.

When your mission is hard to remember, its difficult for team members to align their daily activities with the goals outlined. Choose your words
wisely and use terms that are easily understood and relevant to your business.

Consider U.K.-based fast-food chain Pret a Manger, which is dedicated to providing economical, natural food. It clearly communicates this by
printing short blurbs on its products packaging that explain how these items specifically relate to its mission statement. A Pret a Manger
sparkling water can indicates that the company has added No Nasties and no "any weird chemicals or additives.

Related: Crafting a Mission Statement That You'll Remember

3. Inspire.
While its important to make your mission plausible and attainable, it can also be powerful to include an inspirational element. This element can
encourage your team members to work toward your vision. You might also find it useful to tie your mission statement to specific activities or
behaviors, which can move it from the conceptual realm to the practical world.

Patagonia, for instance, aspires to build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the
environmental crisis. While its mission might start off not directly referencing the products made, it quickly becomes aspirational. The company
links (making apparel) with its fundamental values (saving the planet).

Consumers have come to realize that the company does more than manufacture clothing for outdoor enthusiasts, and Patagonias staff members
recognize that their work supports environmental causes.

4. Keep it succinct.
Some of the biggest companies in the world devote full pages to their mission statements, but that may not be the ideal way to convey your
enterprise's particular message. When writing your mission statement, try to be as concise as possible. If its lengthy, pare it to sharpen your vision
and delivery.

For example, Chipotles phrase food with integrity captures the companys commitment to sourcing, cooking and serving good food in just three
words.

Once youve written a mission statement worthy of your business, your job is only half-finished. A mission statement is most effective when you
impart its message to your team -- and when they align their actions with the missions vision.

The process of carrying out the actions implied with the words often begins with your actions. Everything you do can ultimately reflect the values,
purpose and enthusiasm behind your company's mission statement. An impactful statement can serve as a reminder of why you founded your
business, and a mission statement worthy of memorization can guide you for years to come.