business lotus positionWhen I worked for a few major Fortune 500 brands, I hated this time of the year for this was when we’d be either writing or rewriting our Corporate Mission Statement.

Mission Statements to me lack passion, try to cover too much ground, use senseless $10 words and no one follows them and no one ever remembers them.

I’ve always preferred Marketing Mantra’s like those recommended by Guy Kawasaki as explained here Success Magazine.

Mantra’s create more meaning, reveal what you stand for and provide a transformational guidepost.

As my company has delved more deeply into the Hospitality Marketing Consulting arena, I’ve been studying all of the top performers such as Ritz-Carlton whose Mantra is magnificent, “We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen.”

It positions, provides a brand promise, anticipates behavior and is perfect. Not hard to remember either…right?

It’s no wonder they’re the Beatles of the hotel industry.

Read more about the Ritz-Carlton’s Gold Standards here!

My father started my brothers and me with family mantras when we were young.  For example, right about this time in December, he’d create a family Mantra tied in to a rhyme for the New Year – it was fun. No matter how tough or good our times were our mantra gave us focus, direction and a battle cry for the family unit.

After my father passed away, I picked up the torch with my nephew Joey. This year’s family mantra is, “It’s not if, it’s when in 2010!”

This simple statement means that all of us plan to accomplish several goals (we list them annually) we have put off achieving for one reason or another.  We know we’ll achieve them in the New Year, but we’re just not quite sure when! But, we will achieve them.

To quote the famous poet, marketing God, lead singer of the Doors and Lizard King himself, Jim Morrison

“The time to hesitate is through,
No time to wallow in the mire,
Try now we can only lose,
And our love becomes a funeral pyre.
Come on babe light my fire
Come on babe light my fire
Try to set the night on fire!

My Mantra for my BrandMill marketing consultancy is simply, “We build strong brands.”

We don’t say we’re an advertising agency because we aren’t. And, when clients ask me what we do I simply tell them, “We build strong brands.” Then when they ask me, “How?”, it gives an opportunity to provide them with the myriad of ways and examples how we’ve done it repeatedly over the years.

Set your goals for 2010, but also create an overarching simple Mantra to add focus, meaning and provide direction for your team and for you too.

“Leave your Mission Statement behind in 2009,” and Rock On!