| A marketing tag line is the one or two line | | | | |
| descriptor that often comes after a product | | | | business marketing newsletter." |
| logo or company name. It is one of those | | | | |
| things that looks simple but isn't. Large | | | | - Nike - "Just do it." |
| companies pay advertising agencies a lot of | | | | |
| money to develop tag lines for their | | | | - TLC - "Life Unscripted." |
| companies and brands.Many companies, however, | | | | |
| do not have a large enough budget to hire an | | | | - Surprise by Design TV show - "We're not |
| advertising agency. If you belong to one of | | | | just changing |
| these small budget businesses, do not | | | | |
| despair. With some creativity and | | | | rooms. We're changing lives." |
| persistence, you can develop your own tag | | | | |
| line.First, decide what you want to | | | | - Schnucks (Midwest Grocer) - "We make it |
| communicate with your tag line.If you have a | | | | easy." |
| positioning statement and/or unique selling | | | | |
| proposition, write them down. Your tag line | | | | - Berry Burst Cheerios - "Naturally |
| should reinforce them.Ask yourself these | | | | sweetened whole grain |
| questions.1) Who are your customers?2) What | | | | |
| benefits do you give your customers?3) What | | | | oat cereal with real berries." |
| feelings do you want to evoke in your | | | | |
| customers?4) What action are you trying to | | | | - Altoids - "Curiously strong peppermints." |
| generate from your | | | | |
| | | | - The Name Stormers - "Company and Brand |
| customers?5) How are you different from your | | | | Name Development."Find your competitors' tag |
| competition?Try to get one or more of these | | | | lines - look at them and strive to be better |
| across in your tag.Second, prepare to | | | | and different.Gather together books to help |
| brainstorm tag line options.Gather tag lines | | | | you come up with different ways to phrase |
| from other companies and brands. Look in | | | | similar ideas. My favorite is "Word Menu." |
| other categories besides your own and try to | | | | Others likely to be of help are "The |
| find tag lines from both large and small | | | | Describer's Dictionary" and "Twenty-First |
| companies.As you find tag lines, write them | | | | Century Synonym and Antonym Finder."Third, |
| on index cards or individual slips of paper. | | | | brainstorm.This works best if you can get a |
| You will be mixing and matching them and | | | | small group together, but can also be done |
| pairing them with unrelated items as you | | | | solo. Set up a place with a lot of writing |
| brainstorm.Pay attention to the words used, | | | | space - use dry erase boards, easels with big |
| how they are put together, and which of the | | | | paper pads, note cards, etc.Go through your |
| above questions they address. By doing this, | | | | props. Look up words or concepts in the |
| you are more likely to come up with a unique | | | | books. Rearrange your various props so you |
| angle for your own tag line.NOTE: You are | | | | can look at them in different ways. Write |
| looking at others' tag lines only to spark | | | | down *everything* that comes to mind and all |
| ideas. Do not plagiarize. You must come up | | | | the new ideas each phrase sparks. They do not |
| with your own, original tag line.To find tag | | | | have to make sense. You want a large number |
| lines, look around. You may find them | | | | of ideas.Fourth, consolidate your list.After |
| anywhere there are advertisements, packaging, | | | | brainstorming, go through all of your ideas. |
| or logos. Look in cupboards, around desks, in | | | | Pull out those few you think have the best |
| magazines, on TV/radio commercials, in print | | | | potential. Try to reduce longer ones to fewer |
| advertisements, and on Web sites.To get you | | | | words.Fifth, choose the one best tag line.You |
| started, here are some tag lines I found in | | | | should be left with a short list of |
| only a few minutes:- hp - "invent" | | | | possibilities. To pick the single best tag |
| | | | line, get others' opinions. If you have some |
| - Craftsman - "Makes anything possible." | | | | funds budgeted, work with a market research |
| | | | firm to test the tag lines with your |
| - Kenmore - "Solid as Sears." | | | | customers.You can also conduct informal |
| | | | research. Set up a free survey at and |
| - - "The sweetest site on the Web." | | | | encourage people to take the survey. If you |
| | | | have direct contact with customers, ask them |
| - - "Marketing Plan and Web Promotion | | | | what they think. Give them an incentive to |
| Strategy." | | | | help you, such as a discount or small |
| | | | freebie.When you are done, you will have a |
| - Marketing Best Practices - "The Web's | | | | tag line that will help your business thrive. |
| leading small | | | | |