Great video and almost borderline funny. The last mission statement from exxonmobile resonates a lot with big corporations but I do like the tips on “why and how”

Wow!  What a great piece.  First, I, as I assume many other readers, have been in that mission writing room, and come out with a pretty, but meaningless, mission, many times.  I tell you, those english teachers really come out in higher education.

The elevator speech, though, is the most important learning tool, for non-profits, I’ve seen in a good while.  We are all about “you.”  We need to show it.  How our struggle is their struggle, how they can make a difference, and how they can talk to their friends to share our struggle.  It’s all about the (potential) donor, not about how hard “we” have it.

Nice.

Brian L. Baker
www.linkedin.com/in/brianlbaker

After reading your post and watching the video, here’s my new elevator speech…would love your thoughts…

You know how you hear so much about kids who are hurt or killed from something related to drug use?  Well firefighters are the ones who have to be there to scoop them up when it happens.  A few of them were sick of it and realized that so much is done for people who already have addictions, but not much is done to stop kids from using in the first place.  They came up with this idea where students can volunteer for random drug tests and when they pass, they get special rewards to keep them on the right track.  Since they can be tested at any time and their friends see them getting rewarded, they have a concrete excuse to say “I can’t” when it counts.  That’s Drug Free Clubs of America.

Thanks Angie for doing this!  I will send you a book if you email me your address.  You’ve done a great job grabbing attention, making your work easy to understand, and inspiring the audience to care.

Thanks for the wise advice! Would love your thougths on my reconsidered elevator speech. Thank you!

Say you have a kid who struggles at school. And we all want our kids to have the best educational experience that’s possible for them, right? Maybe he/she has learning disabilities, or is truant or has social anxiety, or they might be experimenting with drug or alcohol use. Or maybe they have multiple issues related to school under-performance, where they could really benefit from counseling and accountability. For whatever reason, they just aren’t fitting into their regular school community. We may remember what it’s like to not fit in, to feel like an outcast. These feelings may have your student at risk of even dropping out. And we know the hard life that would follow that decision. That’s where we come in. We tailor education to your child’s very specific needs so they can succeed in school, at home, in their communities. Lakeside Educational Network. Therapeutic Education.

Hi Angela,
I like the direction!  My main feedback is to make it shorter and sharper.  For example:
When you were a kid, did you ever feel like you didn’t fit in or you were an outcast in your school?  That kind of feeling can make a kid drop out.  We help kids re-connect with their classrooms by supporting them socially and tailoring education programs to their needs.  No one should be left out or left behind.  Lakeside Educational Network. Therapeutic Education.

You are a corporate sponsor of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.  Your products are targeted to meet the needs of those in the field working to address drug addiction, that equal opportunity destroyer which can affect moms and dads, teenagers, veterans, professionals of all walks of life and their children.

Because of the economy on both the state and national level many drug court professionals who used to come to NADCP conferences are no longer allowed to travel.  You are now faced with an even greater challenge for how to keep your product lines in front of the people who are most likely to purchase them to use with their clients.

The CA Collaborative Justice Courts (CCJC) Foundation helps those supervised by California’s collaborative justice courts become productive community members rather than a community cost.  The CCJC Foundation was established to address gaps in service that will help drug court participants be successful.  We reach out to every jurisdiction with drug courts in the state of California.

When you contribute to the CCJC Foundation we give you visibility through our website and our connections with California’s drug court professionals.  We know the people before whom you want your products

It’s amazing how even the biggest companies still get this wrong. The video offered great insight to the core elements of writing a solid and meaningful mission statement.