Terrific Taglines
Trying to pick a tagline for your company can sometimes feel like trying to name a child. It has a certain feeling of permanence to it that increases the pressure to get it right and to make it good.
That’s a lot of pressure to put on such a little tagline.
The good news is that your brand has a lot more to it than just your tagline. Your business will have other opportunities to create the right impression. After all, when a prospect reads your tagline for the first time, it won’t be in a vacuum. It will most likely within the context of your website or other promotional materials which means that there will be more than one factor influencing their impression of your business and your tagline isn’t your only opportunity to communicate your value.
Even without that pressure, coming up with your tagline can still be tricky. You can either have too many ideas or not enough. You may be looking for that one tagline that just sings to you. You may find a tagline that you like, but your co-workers disagree.
So how do you know when you’ve found the right one?
As you dig through your thesaurus trying to unearth the perfect combination of words, the following guidelines will keep you on the right track towards a great tagline:
1) Understand and remember the role of a tagline
A tagline is not a single statement that can describe every facet of your value. The purpose of a tagline is to add some personality to the first impression of your business. A good tagline will create intrigue that will differentiate your firm from others and also inspire interest. Eventually, a person will choose to work with you because of YOU, not your tagline. Your tagline is a chance for them to connect with you and want to learn more.
2) Keep it short, simple, and specific
The best taglines keep their messages concrete and to the point. Avoid broad, generic, or lofty promises that fall along the lines of “All your dreams will come true.” Statements like that are difficult to deliver upon and will often trigger skepticism. Instead, try to focus on a promise that you can deliver upon or a value that you can provide. A good rule of thumb is that a tagline should be less than six words. More words than that and your message runs the risk of becoming convoluted, difficult to read at a glance and will be less memorable.
3) Highlight your unique values
Take a look at the many ways in which your business provides value to its customers and then compare that with a list of the ways in which your competitors provide value. A great tagline will highlight not only what makes you great, but also what makes you different. If the tagline that you come up with could be interchanged with one of your competitors, then that’s a strong sign that it isn’t the right one.
4) Remember, there is no silver bullet
If you are waiting for a tagline that blows you away, you might be waiting for a long time. This is especially true in large organizations where several different opinions need to be taken into consideration. As you brainstorm, you build momentum and very well might wind up with one hundred potential tag lines to sort through. One way to prevent excessive brainstorming is to give your group a time limit. At the end of that time limit, compare your possible taglines to the criteria listed above and make a choice.
5) Consistency
When all is said and done, how you use your tagline is more important than what it says. The consistent and persistent use of your tagline is what will create a lasting impression. Your ability to deliver upon the promises that are made in your tagline is what will establish your reputation in the market place.
Happy tagging!