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Answer: First you need to identify exactly WHO your different readers are. What are they seeking to get out of your piece? Try answering that question for all potential types of readers. If they have different needs or interests you will want to reach these different "audience segments" with different types of content and format. For example, if you're writing a newsletter, your main article might be news of a major success your organization recently had. Can you think of smaller accompanying articles that have slightly different angles and would appeal to other types of readers? You might focus on the story of a specific person similar to one type of reader. Or, reach out to those money-minded donors by elaborating on how you got a great bang for your buck. Also, quoting many different types of people about their perspectives and experiences is a great idea. You might even want to label your piece with headings to make it easy for your readers to find the most relevant information. For example, you can divide a list of recommendations into sub-sections: "for policymakers," "for community organizations," and "for individual clients." And how about supplementing your writing with photos, charts, cartoons, or checklists that would appeal to people who want to get their information visually? If your constituencies are vastly different, you may consider creating several smaller pieces instead of a single large one. Question: "My friends and I are thinking of starting up a nonprofit. We've done a little research so far, and it seems like we really need to come up with a mission statement. Do you have any advice on how to write one?" Answer: Yes, you're right! It all starts here. Your mission is the first thing your readers will want to know about your organization—and should be the first thing you tell them. And it absolutely must resonate with them. If it doesn't, you need to go back to the drawing board (i.e., rewrite your mission statement or target different readers). However, your readers might not come out and say, "What is your mission?" Instead, they might want to know what you do, your purpose, how you serve the community, what you believe. All of this should be encapsulated in your mission statement. It should concisely express the core or essence of what your organization is all about. But beware: Writing your mission statement is going to be a process. Even if you think your organization consists of only one person (you), drafting the mission statement will have to include the perspectives of all stakeholders. That's good news and not-so-good news. The good news is that an inclusive process will help ensure that everyone you work with "buys in" to the central ideas of the organization. Oftentimes, people inside and outside of your organization can have very different interpretations of where you should be going and how to go about getting there. This can include employees, volunteers, and board members on one hand, and potential donors, clients, partners, and customers on the other. Disconnects like that can lead to all manner of conflicts, controversies, and chaos. But once people are all on the same page, they can all come together to get the job done. The not-so-good news is that this process will take more than just an hour or two to complete. Below I apply two elements of my four-step 2P2R Pre-Writing System™ (which I discussed in my last column): 1st P: PURPOSES Your mission statement is intended to inspire commitment and motivate support on the part of people who share your concerns. Sounds like a marketing and fundraising tool, doesn't it? That's exactly right. It's the short blurb about you that should appear everywhere you can fit it. That means all documents—online and offline—including the bottom of your letterhead or the back of your business card. The statement's main idea should spring to mind whenever anyone says or hears your organization's name.
If you write it right, your mission statement will naturally lead to your goals, objectives, activities, policies, etc. It will also be an essential ingredient in your strategic plan, marketing plan, fundraising plan, or any other planning or outreach document.
In his own way, the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland summarized the purpose of a mission statement: "If you don't know where you're going, it doesn't matter which way you go." 2nd R: REFINE Your mission statement should be simple, brief, and to the point—preferably just one sentence that's easy to easy to understand and remember (two at the absolute maximum). Management guru Peter F. Drucker advises that it should "fit on a t-shirt." Try focusing on a few key words, phrases, or concepts. You want to use words broad enough to allow for your clients' changing needs and future opportunities, and to include all of the types of services or products you provide.
But... watch out for being too general, vague, or all-purpose. You want to be sure to express your unique niche in a way that doesn't also describe many other organizations. For example, you would want to steer clear of nondescript language like this: "Our mission is to help communities address social challenges and build a better future." If you don't review your mission statement regularly, and maybe even fine-tune or update it, you can get stuck in old patterns that may not make sense anymore.
Until next time, Happy Writing!
P.S.: Anne Kinzel, JD from Ames, IA sent in this comment on my last column: "Great advice. I have been struggling with writing and this article has helped me get back to basics as a means of moving forward!" Please let me know about your successes and challenges in using my writing tips, and I'll feature them in future columns! If you have a question for Dalya, please send an email to writedalya@idealist.org with the subject "Dalya Question." Please note: Due to the amount of correspondence Dalya receives, she may not be able to reply to your question. |
