Writing a slogan or tagline is one of the most important tasks to be done in creating a business’s brand identity. Many of us can easily identify some of the world’s most popular products based on their slogans. A slogan or tagline becomes a part of the brand or the business and, when written and marketed effectively, will stay in the minds of consumers for decades.
Slogans are short but powerful statements that let customers know why they should do business with you. An effective slogan will become synonymous with your business’ name and will potentially be the reason you are remembered. Effective slogans are becoming increasingly important in a time where consumers are given hundreds of thousands of options in today’s marketplace for any given industry. The globalization of the retail industry facilitated by the expansion of the internet and social media has created fierce competition.
What is a slogan or tagline and why is it so important?
A slogan (tagline) is a short and memorable phrase used in advertising. The slogan or tagline should help clarify for a customer what the business/product does. It should take the guess work out the process of determining value in a business name for the consumers. Many clients will turn to marketing consultants requesting a short, catchy, profound tagline that will stay in the mind of consumers forever. They expect a “lightning in a bottle.” One that is constantly referenced is Nike’s “Just Do It.” It is true that there is not a person in the civilized world that has regular access to a computer or television that does not immediately relate that slogan to the iconic Swoosh and the successful company. The problem is, Nike is not most businesses. They have been around for decades and were already popular in their niche, distance running, when they revamped their brand and urged consumers to get out there, get active, for fun, for competition, to…just do it!
Building a brand and revamping a brand are two different things requiring a completely different expertise, research and processes. In successful businesses, a tagline will increase in value over time as the product/service becomes recognized as living up to the statement in the slogan. As stated before, the slogan will become more recognizable than the business name itself which is very useful in rebranding or promoting a business with a name that does not provide inference to the product or service provided. If a business claims to be innovative and reliable and meets that promise time and time again, receiving favorable reviews, the slogan will become less of a statement and more of a guarantee. Using absolute claims can back fire in a slogan as well. If a company claims to be on the cutting-edge but is not, or claims to be the best but is not, or guarantees profits but cannot, the slogan will immediately be viewed as misleading and cheesy at best and a flat our lie to customers at worst.
Creating an effective brand for a new business or startup.
Now that we understand what a tagline is and how it is important to many companies, let’s look at how to write a great slogan/tagline for your business.
1. Write down a list of words that describes the business or product and the image you wish to portray. Think about what makes your brand special, what makes it unique. What about it makes you proud? For example, if the business is in real estate, you may write down realty, home, making dreams come true, welcome home, trust us, we will guide you, your home, experts, family, etc.
2. Reorganize the words into very short sentences or phrases. Try to mix, match, combine, until you have a list of ten different slogans. Some will be very similar and can be eliminated as you say them out loud and narrow your choices down.
3. Keep your slogans short and simple. Do not create a slogan with more than 10 words, 5 is ideal for many businesses.
4. If appropriate, use humor in your slogan. Remember, you have mere seconds to relate to your potential customers, if humor is not an option do what you can to make an impact.
5. Make it stand alone, do not leave your customers guessing.
6. Do not make claims you cannot support and avoid overpraising yourself. Unsupported claims to be the best or number one can quickly backfire and will not bode well in the development of your brand.
7. Bounce your ideas off friends, family or customers. Get as many opinions as possible. Remember, you do not have to rush the creative process, take time to develop your slogan. For many businesses the slogan will be placed on printed materials, signs, t-shirts and all forms of advertising. Changing a bad slogan will be very expensive and is completely avoidable.
8. Be consistent with the use of your slogan. If the slogan is successful, you should do what you can to ensure it defines your product, your business and your brand.
If you get stuck or are not confident in your creative abilities, hire a professional marketing consultant who will work with you to create the perfect slogan for your company. Choose wisely and be wary of consultants that promise the world. There are many good and affordable freelancers out there that have a knack for creating catchy slogans. Many offer additional marketing services and will prove to be a valued resource for your business.
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