A tagline is a bit like a puppy – you buy one for life, writes Sue Parker. Here’s why they’re magic for soloists.
A tagline is the marketing foundation of the vision and mission of every business. It totally amplifies all marketing and branding efforts. Nothing beats an inspirational and aspirational tagline to set a business apart in their market. writes marketing expert Sue Parker.
A powerful tagline also boosts personal confidence no end. The sense of pride and motivation to deliver on that vision and mission cannot be underestimated.
Why a tagline matters
And here’s the first bit of magic – taglines are not just for big corporates, products and global brands. They are just as relevant and valuable for soloists, coaches and consultants. Perhaps even more so as they are fighting to stand up and out in saturated and highly competitive markets without the big marketing dollars. And it is equally important for service businesses as product.
Yet there is often an unspoken perception that unless you are at the big end of town you may come across as pretentious or even a bit wanky with one. That is of course nonsense and actually the reverse. But only 30% of SMEs and consultants have one and if they do they are often quite stock standard or uninspiring. So it’s a rich ground for differentiation.
What’s the difference between a slogan and a tagline?
To clarify as many confuse the two, there is a difference between a slogan and a tagline. Slogans are used for specific campaigns or products. Whereas a tagline is the consistent business brand message. For example, my tagline is ‘DAREing businesses to survive’ and ‘Refresh LinkedIn for Success’ is a slogan for a product.
The 10 key benefits
- Professional perception
- Identifies brand personality
- Creates confidence, builds trust
- Clarifies the vision and mission
- Differentiates the business
- Increases brand recall
- Conveys business results
- Amplifies all other promotions & marketing
- Joins teams and stakeholders together with pride and purpose
- Is a great attraction tool for new staff, top notch suppliers etc.
The 10 key elements
- Original, No cliché’s
- Unique, not boring
- Honest – is deliverable each time
- Appeals to target market
- Inspirational & aspirational (vision and goal)
- Between 2 -8 words (a tagline is NOT an explainer sentence)
- Memorable & simple
- Business results & benefit focused
- Matched to brand personality
- Check for trademarks
A tagline is a bit like a puppy – you buy one for life ! And whilst you may pivot if your business changes, a tagline should be all enduring and you must be in love with it.
You must feel connected, excited and energised when you see, hear and think about it. And so should your ideal market.
This article originally appeared on Flying Solo on May 28, 2018 and was updated on September 21, 2021.
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