Tag Line - 5 Easy Steps You Can Use to Create a Tag Line that Sparkles

A tag line is a short, catchy, memorable phrase that creates a distinctive brand identity, and the best of them communicates your brand's Unique Value Proposition (UVP) to your target market. Your UVP is the unique service or knowledge you supply that makes your business stand out from your competitors.

Each communication you make to your customer must say to them, 'buy this product, and you will get this specific benefit'. If you can't express your UVP, it can be guaranteed your clients won't be able to, either.

Two examples of tag lines that communicate strong UVPs are:

Econo Lodge hotel chain - "Spend a night, not a fortune."

Mars candy company - "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands."

The best tag lines:

- Are short - 10 words or less; no more than 5 words is best

- Communicate UVPs or benefits

- Include keywords - if marketing online is part of your strategy

Here are 5 steps how to quickly create a tag line that is distinctive, communicates your UVP to your customers, and tells them "why" they should buy your products and services:

Step 1. Brainstorm a comprehensive list of words

Your tag line is comprised of words, so the best place to start in creating one is by jotting down different words that come to mind as you think about your products and services. Consider words that communicate:

- Benefits, results, and pain

- Client qualities and characteristics

- Nouns, adjectives, and verbs

- Your aspirations

- Rhymes

- Paradoxes

As you think of words, write them down on a giant piece of paper taped on a wall so you can see them:

Benefits, results and pain---

Write down words that represent the benefits and results your clients receive from using your product or service. A business coach might write down the words and phrases increase sales, get more clients, leverage your knowledge, accelerate results, and make order out of chaos.

Now, brainstorm what pain your customers and clients are trying to avoid or get rid of when they buy from you. For a marketing coach it may be disorder, lack of a plan, confusion, poor results, and no system.

Client qualities and characteristics---

Think about what qualities characterize your clientele. Are they exclusive, high-end, wealthy, down-to-earth, creative, cosmopolitan, industrial, homey, natural, and health-conscious? Write these words down.

Nouns, adjectives, and verbs---

Expand your list by writing down nouns, adjectives, verbs that may describe your business.

For example, a landscaping company would include words like green, hedge, trees, lawn, gardens, grass, picket fence, waterfall, and pond. You can also lengthen you list of words by using a thesaurus or synonym finder.

Your aspirations---

Consider words that imply mastery, excellence, superiority, biggest, best, king, queen, big fish, top dog, paragon, goddess, etc. A housekeeper may create a tag line of the "Queen of Clean".

Rhymes---

Rhymes and near-rhymes can also be used. A woman who owns a travel agency might select the tag line, "Your Vacation Maven".

Paradoxes---

A paradox is combining two ideas that contradict each other, and may be opposites. For example, an Italian pizza shop could boast of "the most heavenly pizzas on earth".

Look back through words and phrases you've previously jotted down, and ponder their contraries.

Step 2. Combine words on your list.

It's time to start playing and combing words on your list. Look at the words, and start combining them together.

Step 3: Evaluate Your Favorite Candidates

Once you have one or more tag line phrases you like, subject them to the following criteria to evaluate and test them for success:

- Are all words pronounceable and spell-able?

- Is the tag line concise and easily understood?

- Is it distinctive? (The following aren't—"Top Quality Professionals" and "Fine Dining".)

- Does it communicate your value proposition or message you want to convey?

- Will it sound pleasant to the ear? (Words that bring unpleasant things to mind should be avoided, such as "Poo-Poo Catering in the Chinese Tradition".)

- Can you deliver the promises you make to your customers?

Step 4. Get feedback

Before committing yourself to your top choice, get feedback from at least half a dozen people who'll be hearing or seeing it for the first time. Ask them if they "get it", and what unique value or benefit you are delivering.

If they can't tell you, then your tag line has little value and you'll have to go back to the drawing board.

Step 5. Promote your tag line

Use your new business tag line everywhere - on your website, business cards, brochures, email signature, advertisements, and when you speak about your business.

Enjoy the distinction, recognition, and success a great tag line will bring you!

Copyright 2009 Bonita L. Richter