| They're everywhere! We're literally inundated with | | | | · Cut the list to your top few favorites. |
| them day and night. No matter where we are, we | | | | · Then "play" with the words by using tools like |
| can't escape them. Yes, we're talking about the | | | | rhyming or alliteration. |
| ubiquitous, omnipresent TAGLINE! | | | | Simplify... Simplify... Simplify... |
| You can pretend to ignore them, that you're impervious | | | | · Simplicity adds power. People tend to |
| to them, but that's just not so, is it? | | | | remember the simplest slogans. Communicate your |
| Take this little quiz and name the corporation, product | | | | message quickly, using active verbs. |
| or movie (answers are at the end): | | | | Rewrite... Rewrite... Rewrite... |
| 1. See what brown can do for you | | | | · Once you complete your initial drafts, set |
| 2. Something special in the air | | | | them aside. Come back later and review them. You'll |
| 3. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... | | | | probably want to make changes. Keep the process |
| 4. Got milk? | | | | going. When you've got it, you'll know it! |
| 5. The breakfast of champions | | | | Finally ... a few quick DOs and DON'Ts to keep in mind |
| 6. Drivers wanted | | | | when creating a winning tagline: |
| 7. Houston, we have a problem | | | | · DO collect other company's taglines and |
| 8. Let your fingers do the walking | | | | analyze what works and what doesn't work. |
| 9. Love means never having to say you're sorry | | | | (Remember that test you just took? What made |
| 10. We bring good things to life | | | | those taglines so memorable?) |
| So you passed with flying colors, did you? Admit it. | | | | · DO start by developing a list of what's unique |
| You're as "into" taglines as the rest of us. Why? | | | | to what you do and your way of doing it. |
| Because taglines capture a company's spirit in one | | | | · DON'T use hip or esoteric taglines. (You want |
| clever little phrase. They've become an invaluable tool | | | | lots of people to understand it ... not just a few.) |
| for briefly communicating critical business information | | | | · DON'T make your tagline too general. |
| and developing brand and name recognition. | | | | · DO your own mini-market research. Ask |
| But how does one dream up these little ditties that | | | | strangers (and acquaintances) if they understand your |
| stay with us so long? The bigger question may be: | | | | business after seeing and hearing your tagline. |
| how do you - as a business owner, marketing | | | | · DO use your specific target audience in your |
| professional, salesperson or anyone, for that matter - | | | | tagline, if possible. |
| create the perfect tagline for your company or client? | | | | · DO keep it short. |
| First, know your target audience | | | | · DO turn the phrase around. If you can't say it |
| · Understand various benefits your target | | | | without skipping a step, then rephrase it. |
| audience is looking for and rank them in order of | | | | And, the answers to our tagline quiz (as if you didn't |
| importance to begin developing your tagline. | | | | know) are: |
| Define your target response | | | | 1. UPS |
| · What outcome do you want to create ... | | | | 2. American Airlines |
| what do you want your audience to think or say? | | | | 3. Star Wars |
| Brainstorm... brainstorm... brainstorm | | | | 4. Dairy Council; |
| · Write a list of words or phrases that | | | | 5. Wheaties |
| communicate your idea and that also tie to your logo | | | | 6. Volkswagen |
| or a visual you're using. | | | | 7. Apollo13 |
| · Look up the words in a dictionary and write | | | | 8. Yellow Pages |
| down different uses of the word and | | | | 9. Love Story |
| cross-references to other words. | | | | 10. |
| · Use that list to generate new ideas. | | | | |