Got a company mission statement? “Yes, Jeffrey. We do.”
Really? Can you recite two words of it? “Uh, no.”
How come? It’s your MISSION. It’s what is supposed to drive you into the sale – and create an atmosphere of success. It’s your mission.
The reason you’re not following your company’s mission statement is because you had nothing to do with its preparation. It’s some bull about being the No. 1 company, global positioning to be the best, exceeding customers’ expectations and building shareholder value. Barf.
It’s a mission statement you’ve seen 500 times but you can’t recite one line of it. Pretty pathetic, huh? The reason you can’t relate to it is that you don’t relate to it. And it has nothing to do with making a sale.
So here’s my challenge – my sales challenge – to you, my sales friend: Make your own mission statement. A sales mission statement.
A sales mission statement is your affirmation, philosophy and purpose rolled into one. It’s your personal challenge to yourself, and what you seek to do each time you try for a sale. It’s an opportunity to bring your goals into focus and transfer your ideals into the real world. It is your success plan. And you have a built-in outcome: Make the sale!
Here are the ground rules, and the format to write your sales mission:
n Say who and what you’re dedicated to. Are you dedicated to your profession, your customers, your success, your business?
n Define yourself. What kind of a person are you, what do you do, what is your character?
n Define your service to others. Where do you specialize, where is your expertise, who do you serve, how do you help them?
n Affirm that you will strive to get better, do new things and help others. What do you want your customers to achieve? What do you want to achieve?
n Tell how it will get done. How will you employ your enthusiasm, your attitude, your best efforts?
n State the outcome as though it has already taken place. Affirm what will happen, and how it will lead to other positive actions.
Use your goals and visions to define your mission, including the examples you seek to set, the ideals by which you live or seek to live by, the goals you set out to accomplish at each sales opportunity and the affirmations that you can use every day to make you a better person.
Here are some words that will help you define your mission: will, dedication, persist, honest, ethical, positive, enthusiastic, fun, learn new things, listen, help, provide, encourage, memorable, value, loyal.
Looking for what to say in your sales mission statement? Do you think it’s about making lots of money? Or do you believe it’s about the value you provide?
Here’s the mission statement that I use: Make an ethical sale that’s so value-packed and memorable that the customer is compelled to buy again, give a testimonial and tell everyone else how great I am.
n The process takes time. Write a first draft. Let it sit for a few days. Reread it slowly and make changes that you feel better express your true feelings. Describe the things you think you are, and the things you seek to accomplish or become.
n Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to flatter yourself. You’re writing this for yourself, not others. Affirm everything you think you are or think you want to become. Do it with a sense of pride and a spirit of adventure.
n Ask your mentor(s) and associates for help. If they offer constructive criticism, thank them. If they tell you, “You’re crazy,” you’re on the right path. Stay on it.
As salespeople and business leaders, we each have a responsibility to do our best. I know I do. By writing a mission statement you have affirmed that responsibility. And carry it with you mentally wherever you go. It is your mission.
Post yours on the wall where you can see it every day. Sign it in big, bold Sharpie pen.
Live it. Live it every day. You’re certain to make more sales as a result. It is your mission. •
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of 12 best-selling books, including “21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling.” He can be reached at salesman@gitomer.com.
