Contrary to popular belief, slogans (or taglines) aren't simple 'catch phrases'. They're complex branding tools, that if used correctly, can imprint your business or service into the minds of your customers. A slogan's purpose is to inform, create interest, advertise, and brand- all in one pass. If you can pull that off, it's a tagline that will advertise and generate immense revenue for you.
This short guide should help you weed out weak slogans and meaningless catch phrases - perhaps even create a slogan of your own!.
1) Figure Out if Your Company Needs a Slogan at All. Not all companies need, or can even use slogans for that matter! The general rule of thumb: The more specific your company is, the more a slogan will work. The more general your services are, the more a slogan will hurt you by limiting your company in your customers eyes.
2) Brainstorm Your Company's Strongest Benefits. Your slogan is going to be built around your strongest benefit. A benefit is an explanation of how a feature directly benefits your customer. A good benefit is something you can actually quantify. That means if you can't measure your claims, they won't mean anything when you say them.
3) Consider Your Company's "Tone." Is your company geeky? Exclusive? Tween-Oriented? Targeted towards moms? Your slogan should be targeted at your market. These are the people who are most likely to buy your product.
4) Don't Feel the Need to Use Puns. Puns are not punny. They also don't tell your customer what your company really does.
5) Personalize Your Slogan. Try to incorporate your company name or trademark or product into the slogan. This makes it memorable, original, and other companies can't steal it and paste it onto their service or product.
The Final Result? After you follow these steps, you should have a pretty good list of clear benefits that sum up your company's best benefits in a few short words. Try saying them out loud to yourself, and cross-check any new lines against the five steps!
Don't feel frustrated if you can't come up with something good immediately. Remember, good slogans -and good writing- take time. If you don't come up with something right away, step away and come back to it later with a fresh mind. If you keep hitting a wall or just want that professional touch, you can always contact an experienced copywriter to write a spectacular one up for you!
