Mission, vision and position statements outline what an organisation does, what it aims for and how it would ultimately like to be understood. Together with a clear descriptor, they provide an introductory overview to the organisation’s identity and intent.

What are descriptors, mission and vision statements for, and what do they do?

Well, they all do slightly different things and are often combined to create an entirely different animal: the 'Lift Speech' or, for our friends across the pond, the 'Elevator Pitch'. More on that later. Let's define them.

A descriptor describes (no surprises there) what the company is and what it does.

A mission statement describes what the company does.

A vision statement describes what it hopes to do and often includes the potential outcomes.

The majority of the time, these statements are written by the company itself, and that is not always the best scenario. These bits of copy need to focus very clearly on communicating to the end reader (the client or customer) and if written internally, they can be a bit internally focused.

They often need what I call ‘fresh eyes'. They need someone external to look at the text and see if it really communicates the right messages to the audience. On occasion, it is better to know very little about an organisation in order to write something like this. Let me explain.

I'm new to a client, and I don't really understand what the organisation does. They explain it to me, thanks for that. But that explanation may make little sense to the uninitiated. Now, here's the opportunity, if I can describe what they do, without knowing too much at this stage, then any 'new' person trying to understand what they do will be in the same situation as me.

I have to tell my clients, "don't tell me too much, just tell me what you do" and then go away to write as if I am new to the organisation, like their customer might be. This doesn't last long because when you build a relationship with a client, you will know more about them and their business and become ingrained in their thinking and understanding. Whilst it is a good thing to understand your client, you slowly lose the ability to look at them as a new customer might.

If you can, seize the moment early on, because your eyes will never be fresher

If the descriptor, mission and vision statements are not quite right or don't exist, it is a very worthwhile exercise to suggest getting these done. If you feel you can do it, great; if not, it's a copywriter's job.

Each statement will help focus the client's mind on what it is they actually want to communicate. They help people understand exactly what the company does and what it wants to achieve, as well as the 'spirit' of the organisation. These statements can often be found on the 'about' pages on their websites, annual reports or staff induction documents.

When writing a descriptor

To a certain extent, you can just describe the organisation, although you should use language that sits well with the brand and tone of voice. Each statement should include the organisation’s name, because journalists will often use this text in articles, out of context. It should be a concise description, but immediately allow a reader to know when a company was formed, who they are, what specific sector they operate in and what they do.

Mission and vision statements

OK, there are a couple of things happening here. The organisation recognises that most people don’t really understand what schizophrenia is, that it's not just about dual personalities or voices in your head. The mission statement explains what results a company aims to achieve. As for the Vision statement, this isn’t what a company does or who they are, but is more about what they hope to do.

Positioning

Positioning is very important and often misunderstood by clients because they can sometimes take a very simplistic view of their organisation’s position in the market. I'll give you an example. This book is positioned for up-and-coming designers wanting to be the best they can be in their field. It is not an in-depth guide to any of the subjects it touches on; it gives you an overview to help you understand the broader picture, whilst still focusing on a graphic designer's role in the process. It aims to give solid and practical advice for 'real-world' scenarios.