make your vision usable.

All ambitious personalities have something in common: a vision that drives them. Without a vision in mind, we lack the sense of purpose to achieve our goals and the perseverance to overcome obstacles. This basic idea can be applied to successful brands. In order to develop a brand, it is essential to have and internalise a future-oriented goal, an idea, a vision. An answer to the question ‘why?’. What is the underlying reason for existence, the raison d'être.

But why exactly is it important for a company to have a vision? Why: The corporate vision is the answer to the question of the brand's raison d'être. It is therefore decisive for the future image of your brand and the compass of your company management. The vision is also an important factor for employees: it motivates them and makes it clear what the brand strategy is all about. When defining your vision, an analysis of the brand environment, the customer segments, the competition and also your strengths and weaknesses should not be ignored.

All good things come in threes

Your vision is the ideal state of your company in the future. Develop your vision according to the motto ‘The sky is the limit’. Nevertheless, you should take three things to heart: While it's good to have big goals, if they lack any connection to reality, resignation sets in. That's why three things are paramount when defining your vision: motivation, ambition and credibility. Your vision should not be an unattainable goal, but should inspire your motivation and that of your employees. Your vision must also be authentic enough to maintain your credibility and therefore the credibility of your brand in the eyes of your employees and partners. Do not underestimate your potential. Don't put yourself under pressure when formulating your corporate vision.

Your vision is focussed on the future and therefore lasts for a long time. It is your motivator. Reach for the stars means that you can always align your brand with this vision. Why do we exist? Why are we doing this? What is our goal? What do we want to achieve? What is the essence of my brand and what good can we do in the world? What are we valued for? What is the added value we offer customers?

Keep these things in mind when defining your company vision. Your company vision should:

• Express your ‘why’
• Motivate and inspire employees and all other stakeholders
• correspond to your values
• Create a sense of community and cohesion (our common ambitious goal) - Describe the ideal state of your organisation
• Be understandable and available
• Be authentic
• be credible

Beware of confusion: corporate vision and mission

The terms mission and vision are often lumped together, although there is a clear distinction between them. The two issues are intertwined. But what exactly is the difference between vision and mission? While the vision serves as inspiration, the mission is, simply put, the game plan that sets the direction. The vision therefore fulfils an internal task: it motivates employees by painting a great picture of the future. At best, your vision triggers emotions.

Vision:

Your objective and motivation.

Questions about your vision:

• Where do you actually want to go and where do you see your company in the future?
• What do you want to achieve and what does the ideal future of your company look like?

Mission:

The realisation, i.e. the plan of how you want to achieve the goal.
It is even easier to differentiate between vision and mission if you ask yourself the following questions.

Questions about your mission:

• What are you there for and how do you realise your vision so that it becomes reality?
• Why does your company exist and what exactly do you do with it?
• What contribution do you make with your products or services and what is the benefit to society? 
• What exactly is your core competence?

The corporate vision - more than visionary

To summarise: the vision is your internal motivator, the fuel you need to achieve your brand goals. The mission fulfils its purpose by committing your entire team to a common path, to your common mission.

The mission statement - your power trilogy in brand development

Anyone who deals with corporate visions and missions will not be able to avoid defining the corporate mission statement. However, this step should not be too difficult. Your corporate mission statement is made up of your vision, your mission and your corporate philosophy, i.e. your corporate values. It is, so to speak, the perfect blend of these three components.

The corporate mission statement as a common thread:

Your vision is an important component in the realisation of your corporate mission statement and the common thread of your company: it serves as a guideline for your employees, is the navigation aid for your objectives and the differentiation from the competition. The corporate mission statement is therefore not only decisive for the formation and motivation of your team, but also for the strategic orientation and thus the realisation of your goals.

The corporate mission statement is:

• a common framework for action for employees and management
• part of a positive external image
• the description of strategic goals

A corporate mission statement is not only useful for things that are obvious. In addition to describing strategic goals, it also provides orientation in conflict situations or can simplify personnel selection. If it is clearly defined what everyone in an organisation stands for, it is also easier to select the right people for the organisation. The corporate mission statement is therefore a decisive step in building your brand. However, for a mission statement to work internally and be perceived as authentic externally, it must be lived by the entire organisation. This is the decisive factor for the success or failure of the mission statement.

To ensure this, it is advisable to involve not only the company management but also the employees in the development of the mission statement. A jointly developed mission statement will always work and be lived better than a mission statement imposed ‘from above’. Workshops with project groups are a good way to develop a corporate mission statement. Here, all participants can work as a team to determine which goals, values and visions are important for the company. This process makes sense, as participation across different departments and hierarchies ensures that a mission statement is developed in which the employees can also recognise themselves.

The brand image - the foundation of brand trust

Why is brand trust high in crises?
In crises, people long for trust and security. Brands that evoke a clear image in the minds of consumers can convey this feeling of security and trust.
"(...) trustworthy brands dramatically reduce risks such as bad purchases. Customers no longer have to spend time comparing prices and quality. Mistrust is stressful, trust is relieving (...)’ (Brand Trust GmbH: Building brand trust - this is how it works). Trust in brands is particularly important in times of crisis.

The brand image

In order for customers to associate trust and security with a brand, this brand image must be present in their minds. "The most important cornerstones for brand trust are (...) product quality and a clear brand image that can take root in people's minds. (Management Circle: Brand trust in times of crisis). The brand image is the external image of your brand - in other words, the associations that customers have with your brand. It is a firmly anchored image.
This is how you build a positive brand image: 

• have a clearly defined purpose and ‘reason why’
• develop a mission statement and a clear brand identity
• through interactions with customers
• offer consistently high product quality
• put the customer benefit in the foreground
• make a central promise
• provide superior service and respond to complaints
• establish brand recognition
• demonstrate transparency and truthfulness

In order to develop a positive brand image and maintain it in the long term, customer trust must be won. To do this, a brand must have convinced customers with its products or services and its service over the long term. This means that customers must have already established a relationship with the brand - even before the crisis..