 Tag
That
- Communicating What Sets Your Business Apart
By Donna Dahl
You visit a book store to locate a book and discover two books with very
similar titles. Next step? Read the subtitle. It is the subtitle that sets
the books apart.
The titles of books and their subtitles are a lot like the names of
businesses and their tag lines. The name of your business might identify the
category of your product or service. However, some business names are not
meant to describe the nature of the business. It is your tag line that
communicates what sets your business apart from all the others. “Where
service comes first” or “we guarantee everything in writing” communicates an
extra essence to what you offer your customer. It is part of the security
blanket, so to speak, that you provide to those who buy from you.
Your tag line has the potential of taking your customer from your front-end
attraction to your back-end sales follow-up in a heart beat. Your tag line
supports the confidence you contribute to each and every transaction with
your customer. It becomes part of your unique trademark in the world of
commerce.
Don’t have a tag line yet? Need a new one? Take a visual walk through the
yellow pages to see what your competition is saying to attract customers.
Consider visiting non-related industries for ideas, too. You may wish to
copy out some tags that catch your interest just to get the feel for this
piece of communication. Then begin drafting your own. When you have a few,
start asking people in your circle of confidence “what grabs them.” This
form of polling is often informative because you are seeking information
from people who know you. They know your business and you trust their
opinion. Then choose.
Your tag line should support your business. Your tag might describe the
following: direction of your business, focus of your business, the added
value you deliver, or your uniqueness in the marketplace. In some cases your
tag line solves a problem, in some cases it eliminates risk or issues
potential promise for a desirable outcome. These are all elements that can
be considered in choosing the tag line that is right for you.
How many words should go into a tag line? A three-word phrase is usually
long enough to attach meaning. On the other hand, a long drawn out sentence
can require too much time to read. The emphasis of the tag is to attract
customers, not distract them.
What words are commonly used to start the tag line? Words like where, your,
serving, complete, and specializing in are frequently chosen. The idea is to
set your business and what you do apart from your competition.
What should your tag line do for you? The tag line is, perhaps, the most
powerful element of the search engine in your business card. It can be
incorporated into your letterhead and your notepads and in some cases it can
even be included with your business name on your company cheques.
Your tag line? It is like the heart of your business card and it just keeps
pumping and pumping and pumping to keep the body of your business in fine
working order.
If your business card is designed to be a communication device that carries
your name and contact information only, consider adding a title for
yourself. Your title will begin to take on the persona of being your tag.
And when you have a title/tag, you are helping your audience create an
association between you and what you do.
Your title/tag will help people remember you. If you are a stay-at-home
parent, you may choose a title like Fundraiser Extraordinaire or Family
Fashion Consultant or Resident Executive Officer of the Household or Hockey
Mom/Dad. A retired person with a sense of humour might enjoy a tag like
“Experienced Volunteer: 1000 Hours and Still Banking. Another choice for a
tag line might be to state the membership affiliation to which you belong.
Are you a member of your local community association? Perhaps you are a
student in search of work. Would it help you to create a business card with
your contact information and two tag lines? For example, “Third Year
University Student, Fine Arts Faculty: Art Gallery Curator Hopeful” printed
on two lines of text.
People who create their own products for sale might wish to have business
cards printed to use as their price tag. When the business card contains the
contact information along with the tag line that efficiently describes your
product, you make it easier for the customer to re-order.
I believe that when you share the resources you have to offer via the tag
line on your business card, you send an invitation to employ your skills. I
believe that when you offer the potential resources you might contribute to
a relationship, you ignite synergy. It is this synergy that promotes the
kind of two-way support that delivers continued potential and growth. It can
create referrals and it can foster suggestions for leads.
Think of your tag line as your headline...the title of your story, if you
will. It is the key part of your elevator speech...that thirty second answer
you give when people ask you what you do and you have thirty seconds to
answer the question before the elevator lets you out.
Your tag line is what gives your business and your business card life. The
humour, the energy, the joy...you add when you deliver your tag
line...whether it is to an audience of one or an audience of twenty can’t
help but add memorable qualities to your advertisement. Add it to your
business card and now you have the benefit of two powerful bits of
language...your business name and your tag...working masterfully together
for you.
Donna Dahl, owner of Ma Ko Ye Marketing, offers professional
proofreading & editing services. She may be reached at 403.720.9876 or email
mrsddahl@telus.net |
