How To Write A Business Slogan That Sells

Business slogans or taglines are branding tools that contain just a few words carefully chosen for maximum impact. Sounds easy, right? But it’s very easy to get it wrong and with costly results. For example, a local government in Canada spent $2 million to develop its image to attract tourists and new businesses. The cornerstone of the campaign was a new slogan: “Spirited Energy”.
The only problem, as several marketers pointed out, is the motto lacks something rather important – a tangible, unique benefit. Most places can boast of having spirit and energy, nothing novel there. The phrase ignited a controversy precisely because it didn’t ignite the imagination.
The Benefits of Benefits
Slogans and website taglines should ideally consist of a few words that define your business and present a benefit that places you above your competition. A well-crafted slogan can also bolster your brand when used across a variety of marketing materials both online and offline.
In short, a good tagline:
a) establishes brand identity,
b) attracts attention,
c) helps website visitors confirm at a glance that you have what they need,
d) and gives them a good reason to buy from you.
Classic Slogans
Here are some classic taglines/slogans that work because they communicate strong benefits:
o PayPal: The Safer, Easier Way to Pay
o Timex: Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking
o Ford: Quality is Job One
o Zellers: Where Low Prices Are The Law
What kinds of slogans don’t work? Ones that are vague or non-specific such as this tagline spotted on a business loan website:
“The Right Fit for Small Business”
While this slogan does acknowledge the company’s target market, it doesn’t state what the product is, how it’s superior, or exactly why this company is the right fit.
Case Study: The Village Grocer
The Village Grocer wanted web copy and a slogan that expresses what their customers love best: the store’s rustic ambiance and homemade specialties.
While competing big-box groceries in the area all push huge selection and low prices, the Village Grocer promotes its charming, old-fashioned atmosphere and “boutique” foods aimed at well-off urbanites. So I brainstormed a tagline that shows off the store’s two unique differences:
“Old Fashioned Quality, New Fashioned Choices”
So now let’s write a hard-working tagline for your business – and I promise it won’t cost you $2 million! At the end of this exercise, you’ll have a punchy, benefit-laden slogan/tagline to be proud of.
Create Your Own Slogan
1. Write a few words about what your business does. E.g. used car sales, virtual assistant services, information products, organic pet food, etc.
2. Identify one or more unique benefits or USPs (Unique Selling Propositions) that you offer. It may help to study your competition to find out what they aren’t doing. Is your guarantee more comprehensive? Is your customer service available more hours? Do you try harder because you’re second?
3. List the benefits that you think are most important to your target market: perhaps low prices, personalized service, or free shipping.
4. Now shortlist the best ones and start hammering out as many different taglines as possible. Remember, just saying “The Gizmo Company” isn’t enough. You have to make them care: “The Only Gizmo Company With a Money-Back Guarantee”.
5. Avoid jargon words and high-concept slogans in favor of simplicity.
6. Get friends and coworkers to help you choose the most concise, grabby and target-focused slogan of all.
Now incorporate your new tagline into your logo design or place it somewhere highly visible near the top of each webpage. Include it in all your marketing materials to get the greatest branding impact.
But wait! Don’t throw out all the hard work and research you’ve just done. Take all the benefits that didn’t make it into your slogan and use them in your sales copy or even make them the stars of their own webpage: “Ten Reasons to Use Our Gizmos”.
In Summary
Creating a slogan might seem like a frivolous task that takes you away from more important work. But pinpointing what’s special about your business and communicating that to your prospective customers is never a wasted effort. A great tagline can help you see your business in a rosy new light and convince others to do the same.