5 Steps to Defining a Purpose Statement That Actually Drives Performance

Your dealership has a mission statement. It’s probably hanging on a wall somewhere in your showroom or break room. Your employees walk past it every day.

And most of them couldn’t tell you what it says.

That’s not their fault. It’s the difference between a mission statement and a themed Purpose, and that difference is worth millions in performance.

The Problem with Most Mission Statements

Generic mission statements sound impressive but mean nothing. “We strive to provide excellent customer service and value to our community.” That could describe a dealership, a grocery store, or a dentist’s office.

A themed Purpose is different. It’s specific. It’s memorable. And most importantly, it drives behavior.

What I Learned from Bob Farrell

My first real job was as a dishwasher at Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor Restaurant. On my second day, the owner, Bob Farrell himself, gathered all the employees together before the restaurant opened.

He had us stand in a circle and chant the Farrell’s Purpose statement three times, with enthusiasm. Then he said something I’ve never forgotten:

“Our guests might forget what you say and do, but they will never forget how you make them feel. We are in the memory-building business.”

That was the Big Idea. Farrell’s wasn’t selling ice cream. They were creating memories, birthdays, anniversaries, and family celebrations that would last a lifetime.

When I understood that Purpose, my job changed. I wasn’t just washing dishes. I was making sure every plate that went out was perfect, because that plate was part of someone’s memory.

The 5 Steps to a Themed Purpose

Step 1: Find Your Big Idea

Your Big Idea is what sets you apart. It’s not your inventory, your pricing, or your location, your competitors have those too. It’s the feeling you create, the problem you solve, or the transformation you deliver.

Ask yourself: What do we do better than anyone else? What would our best customers say about us? What experience do we want every person to have?

Step 2: Connect It to Measurable Outcomes

A Purpose without metrics is just poetry. Your Big Idea must connect to results your team can see and measure. If your Purpose is about creating confident buyers, how does that show up in CSI scores? In repeat business? In referrals?

Step 3: Theme It So Everyone Understands

Mr. Farrell didn’t give us a paragraph to memorize. He gave us a theme: memory-building. Every employee, from dishwashers to servers to managers, understood what that meant for their specific role.

Your themed Purpose should pass the “new hire test.” Can someone in their first week understand what it means and how their job contributes to it?

Step 4: Reinforce It Daily

At Farrell’s, we chanted the Purpose statement before every shift. That might feel awkward in a dealership setting, but the principle holds: your Purpose must be reinforced constantly.

Start every sales meeting by connecting that day’s activities to the Purpose. Recognize employees who exemplify it. Tell stories about customers who experienced it.

Step 5: Live It from the Top

Mr. Farrell didn’t just tell us the Purpose; he traveled to every restaurant location to personally deliver it. Your team will believe in your Purpose exactly as much as they see you believe in it.

A Dealership That Found Their Big Idea

Feel Good Automotive Group built their Purpose around customer experience and team development. They didn’t just hang it on a wall; they embedded it into every customer interaction and every employee review.

The result: They became one of the Top 5 VW dealerships in the nation and #1 in Texas by volume. Their Purpose isn’t a statement. It’s their competitive advantage.

Your Purpose Is Waiting

Everyone needs a strong, definite Purpose to work toward. A Purpose is what gives meaning to work. It’s the power that drives high-end achievement.

You already have a Big Idea, you just might not have articulated it yet. And once you do, once you theme it so your entire team understands and embraces it, everything changes.

Want help defining your dealership’s Big Idea? Our Leadership Summit walks you through the Purpose theming process with hands-on exercises. You’ll leave with a themed Purpose statement your team will actually remember, and execute.