A vision statement serves as the foundation for any strategic plan. It explains what an organization hopes to achieve in the long run and gives the organization's existence meaning. A well-written vision statement should be brief, straightforward, and particular to your company, leaving no room for interpretation. It should also be measurable and understandable by anyone who reads it. In addition to serving as a guide for decision makers, a vision statement can help attract great people to an organization. They want to know how their work will further the mission of the company. The more clearly you can express this purpose, the more likely you are to attract individuals who share that same purpose. Finally, a vision statement can help create a shared understanding of what it means to be part of the organization. This is especially important when multiple teams within the organization need to work together on projects or processes. Without a common vision, these groups may not understand each other's goals or roles, which could cause problems later. However, too high of a level of detail in the vision statement can be distracting and limit its effectiveness. Just like any other piece of marketing material, a vision statement needs to match the audience it aims to reach. If you're a small business without a big budget, for example, a general description of what you hope to become over time will do just fine. As you can see, a vision statement is very important for any type of organization.