According to Wikipedia, the definition for the word tagline is: “a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product (like a film), or to reinforce the audience’s memory of a product. Some taglines are successful enough to warrant inclusion in popular culture, often becoming snowclones.” I’m not going to get into what a ‘snowclone’ is in this article but I am going to talk about why your tagline is very important in showcasing your business.
Some people refer to their tagline as a ‘slogan’ – either way, consider it as ‘eye’ candy for promoting your business. Lots of business owners believe that if they use words or phrases such as ‘best prices in town’; ‘fastest service’; or ‘improved product’ and the like that their company will stand out from the crowd. WRONG! Everyone truly believes that their business is the ‘best’ but you need to convince potential clients why indeed you are the ‘best’… and you need to do this in as few words as possible. This is why your tagline is one of the most important series of words you’ll ever write as it can either make or break your sales pitch. First, what do you believe in your heart that makes your business unique from your competitors? What added value will they gain from engaging your company? It should never focus on price as your competitor just might ‘undercut’ your rates if they’re business hungry (or unscrupulous and yes, there are companies out there that are!)
Let’s take ice cream as an example. They are as many manufacturers out there making ice cream as there are flavors. So, what do they use as taglines to make you buy their specific brands? Here’s a listing of 3 of the brands that came to my mind when writing this article. Can you tell which tagline matches the following companies – Chapman’s, Haagen-Dazs and Scotsburn:
- “The Dairy Best”
- “For the kid in all of us”
- “Made like no other”
Each one of these taglines is great but one of them resonates more to me personally and that’s the one that states “Made like no other”. The first two taglines are effective but they’re just playing with words… literally. The third tagline gives the suggestion that there’s something unique and different about their ice cream. Something that perhaps is worth my buying their product at least once just to see (and taste), if indeed their brand IS made like no one else’s.
Do you see my point? You need to create a tagline that entices your clients to investigate further into your business and instigate a dialogue with you. Make them want to learn more about what you ‘do’ and once you’ve piqued their interest, they’ll start to reveal more about what they’re looking for as well. Once a dialogue between you and a new client is opened, you stand more of a chance to engage them fully and then you can convince them that you are, indeed, the ‘best’ person to hire for that particular job.
What’s the ‘bottom line’ here? Make sure your tagline grabs attention, is snappy and short ‘n sweet. That’s why I’ve changed my own tagline, as it just didn’t reflect what I do ‘best’. My original tagline read, “Providing administrative business solutions virtually”, which said absolutely nothing about my high level of proficiency in providing exemplary proofreading/editing or writing services. It now reads, “When Mere Words are Not Enough.” Straight, short and to the point. Oh, just in case you’re wondering whose slogan fit which business, the answers are:
- Scotsburn Dairies
- Chapman’s Ice Cream
- Haagen-Dazs
Surprised? Now you know why that tagline is so important.
Happy eating!
