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| Aug 12, 2005 12:32 pm |
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re: re: re: Developing mantras, taglines, and slogans |
Peter O'Connell
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Hey Dean:
Your comments got me thinking about a few ideas which are probably more for general consumption rather than directed towards your post but if it helps anyone, then.... make the checks out to me. Here goes.
Every entreMANURE (and I'm one of them).... but in this case the folks that want to become famous for a business theory or concept (then write a book, give speeches and ultimately give satellite seminars from their back yard so the audience basically comes to them) tries to develop "that decade's" or even "that year's") catch phrase or concept.
So I guess now its mantras. (Geez)
I remember when the HUGE business concept was starting a business meeting at like 9:03 a.m. or 1:59 p.m. because you were showing your company's organizational skills and how you respected timeliness and how the employees would too. (doh!) That concept went over like a fart in church.
Think wizard of oz, man behind the curtain, except in a business suit with a mullet haircut (in other words...stupid idea). Now don't get me wrong...I am ALL for change and stupid ideas....I've participated in and submitted many of both over the years and done so willingly (in some cases too willingly but that's another post).
If we look at the STACKS of business books we've all read, the hundreds of pages of facts, examples, case studies et al., we'll find:
a. We have WAY too many books getting moldy on our shelves and nobody will pay us much more than a dollar for books we paid at least $15 (now’s time to donate them and take the tax write off).
b. Most of the stuff we read with the absolute best of intentions has been long forgotten (sometimes almost immediately after we read it).
c. The books that were memorable have content that can be whittled down to some extremely basic, short concepts (basically, Cliff Notes on an index card). THAT'S why they're memorable!
So, these concepts can be operational or life enhancing (depending on your author) but if you take that "memorable concept" and apply it to branding, you get: the tag line.
Now, here is the most important phrase anyone....ANYONE...who is crafting a tag line must remember.
Are you paying attention?
I'm only going to write this once....
--> What's in it for the prospect?
Are you enjoying an epiphany right now?
Or are you just light headed?
Well in either case keep reading but do not operate heavy machinery for one hour.
Seems simple right? Of course it is....I suppose I'm blowing a great book opportunity to expound this concept into 200 unreadable (but sellable) pages....but the hell with it....MY new mantra is an old one I stole: KISS.
What ever your tag line is must show a benefit for client so they say when they read your tag line "hey, what he/she offers can really help me/my business!"
Does your tag line do this? Did you TEST it? Hmmmmm?!
Need a second concept to make your tag line effect? (Of course you do....)
--> Can your 87-year-old grandmother read and understand your tag line?
Even if you don't have an 87 year old grandma (you can find plenty of them at area nursing homes and they'd love the company of your visit) the point is to be clear and understood by all; help them immediately understand what you do ESPECIALLY if what you do is relatively new or untried by most of your audience...techno speak does not make you sound worldly and brilliant...it makes you sound intimidating.
Your tag line needs to make you money and people don't often do business with people who intimidate them....prospects think because of their lack of knowledge in your topic area, they could be cheated. So make sure your tag line doesn't immediately put you off of 1/3 to 1/2 of your possible audience. Use my stolen mantra: KISS!
Now, in high-pressure world of business writing we know that points like these come in threes....its part of the Geneva Convention (which I guess is like a Shriners Convention without the hats).
So here it is:
--> Make it memorable and creative.
Unfortunately for most tag line writers...THIS is where they START. As you might guess...I think this is a mistake.
But once you get to this point and have addressed the first two issues, have a little fun with it...graphically, wordsmithing, rhyme, small grammar abuses...what ever. But keep it short, sweet and creative.
OK, that's my book. Hope you enjoyed it.
Have a nice weekend.
- Peter
Private Reply to Peter O'Connell (new win) |
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