A Tall Iced Cinnamon Almond Milk Macchiato. That is my exact coffee order from Starbucks at least three times a week. I spend roughly $4.50 per drink and therefore a minimum of $13.50 a week. One might ask why I would spend so much on coffee every day if I have a working coffee machine at home? Or better yet, why don’t I just get coffee from a cheaper competitor?
To simply explain it, I’m loyal. But if I were to take it one step further (as the marketer I am) I would ask myself, “why am I loyal to a coffee company?” Between Starbuck’s outstanding loyalty program, progressive mobile app/ordering system, or the quality of the drinks, there’s one thing that I appreciate most from the consumer and marketing standpoint: their mission statement.
A mission statement defines a company’s values, goals, and culture while specifying what they do, how they do it and who they do it for. A mission statement is key for any company and their overall marketing plan because it defines the parameters by which a company will dedicate their market efforts to.
Revisiting my Starbucks example (and addiction), their mission statement is
“To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.”
Although it seems very vague, Starbucks uses this mission statement for all aspects of operating their business, especially their marketing. Their marketing goal is to create a personal connection with their customers and that’s the promise they fulfill within each individual experience. This, in turn, strengthens their brand, allows them to keep increasing prices (as they have in previous years), therefore increasing profits.
