Make Your Message Consistent and Memorable
May 29, 2008
Use Taglines as A Marketing Tool To Make Your Message Consistent And Memorable
By Liz Goodgold, Dare to Create the Brand Call YOU Success Expert
Entrepreneurs today are missing a critical element in their communications mix: the correct and consistent use of a strong tagline. In an environment fighting sensory overload, shrinking mass market opportunities, and thousands of “me too” products and services, taglines are an opportunity to seize your positioning in your prospect’s mind.
What is a Tagline?
Yet, what is a tagline? A tagline is a unique phrase that follows your brand name. It explains your unique selling proposition and is such a natural outgrowth of the brand positioning that the two are inextricably linked. Remember “N-E-S-T-L-E-S: Nestle makes the very best chocolate?” Or Quizno’s “Toasted Tastes Better?” Both of these are memorable taglines that differentiate themselves from their competitors.
Avoiding Generic Flu
Many entrepreneurs fall victim to the rampant generic tagline flu. They erroneously believe talking about quality, service, or value alone will separate them from the sea of similarity. During the dot comb/dot bomb phase, thousands of companies employed an “e-business solution” including IBM, Network World, and even Microsoft! “We mean business” is so generic and overused that the double entrendre becomes tired and meaningless.
Taglines Versus Slogans
Are taglines and slogans different names for the same thing? No! A slogan is dependent upon a specific campaign and changes frequently. “Where’s the beef?” was an often repeated refrain (much to my chagrin) in the 1980s as was “What’s up?” thanks to Budweiser’s airing during the Super Bowl in the new millennium
Retiring a Line Before it’s Time
Often, marketers get tired of a tagline before customers ever do. Consider GE: “We Bring Good Things To Light” or Lowe’s “Improving Home Improvement” or even El Pollo Loco’s “When You’re Crazy for Chicken.” All of these taglines reached the pinnacle of marketing with astronomical unaided recall, yet were changed prematurely.
Building a Tagline Legacy
Creating a tagline today should also work for you tomorrow. These companies recognize the value in creating a tagline as a legacy:
- The New York Times: “All the News That’s Fit to Print” (established in 1896)
- BMW: “The Ultimate Driving Machine (established in 1975)
- Nike: “Just Do It” (established in 1988)
- DeBeers: “A Diamond is Forever” (established in 1948)
Looking for a Unique Word or Word Twist
In creating your own tagline, consider using a unique word. Altoid’s “curiously strong mint” works hard because of its curious (so to speak) word. “Think outside the bun” is a great play for Taco Bell on the ubiquitous “think outside the box,” and Arrid’s “wetless protection program” always puts a smile on my face.
Taglines as an Opening or Closing
Incorporating your tagline into your infomercial makes tremendous sense or even using it at the end of all of your communication, including letters. Since taglines are often at the end of your marketing message, they act as your PS: the last best hope to propel your message. Employed properly, prospects and customers will understand your brand and its unique point of difference.
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Liz Goodgold is a motivational speaker, branding guru, and author of DUH! Marketing: 99 Monstrous Missteps You Can Use to Learn, Laugh, and Grow Your Company. She has helped thousands of entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies learn the secrets to marketing success and the pitfalls to avoid. To receive the free monthly DUH! Marketing Awards, please sign up here. Feel free to contact her at Liz@duhmarketing.com or visit her website at http://www.duhmarketing.com
Daily Dare - Dare to Model People Who Inspire You
May 27, 2008
One of the fastest ways to reach your goals and achieve your dreams
is to follow in the footsteps of successful leaders. Seek out people who are doing or have successfully accomplished something you want to and learn as much as possible about their path to success. In short, seek out people who are doing what you want to do, have what you want to have and who are the kind of person you want to become.
Daily Dare - Dare to Dwell in Possibility
May 18, 2008
Dare to think expansive thoughts …. to imagine that what you want and desire in within your reach. It is so much more satisfying for you to consciously and deliberately participate in your own expansion.
How to Charge More and Work Less
May 17, 2008
I have learned a lot from Ali Brown and you can too! Dare Yourself to read this article. You will be glad that you did!
By Alexandria K. Brown
I remember when I first launched my first business as a copywriter seven years ago, I had no clue what to charge. Without putting hard thought into what type of results my work gave my clients, I started out with an hourly rate that didn’t scare ME! I would still even stutter when I said to clients, “My rate is si- si- si- sixty dollars an hour.” Deep down, I wasn’t confident in myself, so of course I wouldn’t let myself charge more. And of course, as a result I attracted lame clients, worked like a dog, and stayed broke all the time.
Well, things are VERY different today. I have no problem sharing my consulting rate is $1,000.00 an hour, or that a private consulting day with me goes for $10,000.00 And, here’s the best part: Because I take on so few clients now, at higher rates, and the bulk of my income comes from information products and programs, I work LESS than I used to!
Obviously this shift didn’t happen overnight. Here are a few things you can do NOW to move in the same direction:
1. Become an expert in something.
Experts are more respected, get media attention, get paid more, and get less price resistance (meaning people are happier to pay you what you ask). I went from being a general copywriter to one who specialized in newsletters. Then in email newsletters.
Then I dubbed myself “The Ezine Queen”. I had no idea at the time how much that would help me get famous and be remembered. Did you know that Muhammad Ali became known as “The Greatest” because Ali himself said it? Yep — he just kept saying it, and then eventually so did the media!
There’s a reason people happily pay more to get to the wise man at the TOP of the mountain! (Meanwhile the man at the bottom can’t even seem to give it away.)
2. Raise your rates.
This may seem like a given, but you wouldn’t believe the resistance I get from clients when I poke and prod them about this. Last year, I hired a personal trainer for a few months who only charged $50 an hour. Honestly, because his rate was so low compared to other trainers in the area, I was worried he wouldn’t be that good. I learned he was actually great.
He often complained that his schedule was so jammed it was killing him. To make a living at that rate, he obviously had to take on clients morning, noon, night, and weekends. He was also disorganized, frazzled, and late most of the time due to his schedule.
He was such a good trainer I would have been happy to pay him $75 or even $100 an hour for his time. I remember suggesting he raise his rates, and he replied, “But Ali, then not as many people would work with me!”
Well of COURSE! That’s the idea. Let’s say he decided to double his rates, and half of his clients dropped off. Why wouldn’t you want to work HALF as hard as you are now for the same money? This also opens up more time for you to work on new projects, like creating lucrative new information products and programs. (See #5.)
If you’re having trouble raising your rates across the board, bring in fresh clients your new rate, maintain old clients at current rates, and drop the clients that are pains in your bum.
3. Restructure how clients can work with you.
For many solo-professionals, a much better way to approach working with clients is on a project basis, or “flat fee”. That way you simply assign a value to the *results* you’re giving them. For example, my friend Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero is a copywriter who charges $15,000.00 to write a sales letter. Does that price-out some clients who can’t afford her? You bet. But that’s the idea… she much prefers to work on a few projects at a time with stellar clients who truly value her work.
Another idea: Instead of taking on one-shot projects, work with clients on retainer (a set fee per month) or require them to sign up for a number of months with you. One trend in coaching and consulting right now is moving toward six-month or annual contracts with clients. Not only does it help guarantee your cash flow, but you attract better, more qualified, and more committed clients.
Example: After I tired of doing so many one-shot consultations, I created my $19,000 Platinum Mastermind program, so I could only work with 15-20 select entrepreneurs at a time and coach them closely for an entire year. It’s especially rewarding for me to see them implement the recommendations I make, watch them grow their businesses so quickly, answer their ongoing questions, and share in their successes!
4. “Clone” Yourself.
Have you ever wanted a “Mini Me?” Or a whole team of them? Well there’s no reason you can’t. If you have a duplicatable system or process you use in your work, why not teach others how to do the same? Then have them work for you on a freelance basis, or consider “licensing” people to use your method or teachings.
Consider working with a team of other coaches and consultants. For example, one of my early life coaches, Talane Miedaner, offered me this choice when I was interested in coaching: Be coached by her personally for a high fee, or work with one of her associate coaches at a lower rate. Because I wanted her personal help, I paid her the higher fee and she did all the work. But if I chose one of the other coaches, I’d still pay her company, the associate would do all the coaching work, and Talane would keep a good portion of the fee. (Smart lady!)
5. Create and Sell Information Products
If you’ve read other articles of mine, you know I’m a big fan of transcending the exchange of time for money. You simply will never make the big bucks if you keep getting paid solely for your time.
Look at ways of selling your knowledge via information products such as ebooks, manuals, courses, audio programs, membership programs, and occasional live events. This has helped me QUADRUPLE my income over the past three years!
Instead of “work, get paid” … you want “work, get paid, paid, paid, paid, paid, paid, paid, paid, paid!” I may spend a good chunk of time creating a new product, but then it can sell forever. I may put a lot of effort into creating a one-time seminar, but I also record it and create a home-study version that can sell forever. (I do this with my annual LIVE Online Success Blueprint Workshop, whose home-study version will release beginning of 2008.)
I hope you get the idea! There are many other strategies to restructure your fees and leverage your knowledge, but these are great ways to get started.
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” publishes the award-winning ‘Straight Shooter Marketing’ weekly ezine with 22,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now by clicking here
Daily Dare - Learn to Bend ….
May 17, 2008
Learn to Bend in Order Not to Break — You ought to adjust and adapt to circumstances over which you have no control. Resisting such events is not only counterproductive, but it can create even more unwanted outcome in your life. While you may not have control over events, circumstances or the way people act, you ALWAYS have control over how you choose to react to them. I DARE YOU to think of yourself as a victor not a victim … don’t go around feeling victimize by your circumstances. You are always the one to decide how you feel!
Have a daring Saturday!
Biggest Dare Contest
May 9, 2008
What are you daring yourself to do next? Share your Biggest DARE and get a chance to Win a Lifetime Gold Membership … and inspire other women to do same.
On June 21st, we will choose 3 “Biggest Dare winners.” Each winner will receive a Lifetime Gold Membership in The Daring™ Community.
Let’s DARE each other. ~Here is what other women are daring themselves to do:
My personal DARE for the year is to increase my business by 50% and my stretch DARE is to increase it by 100%.
Posted by: Colleen King
Hi Francine–love the look and the information you are sharing. My dare for the year is major. I’m facing a health challenge that requires me to make time for healing and put myself first. As a card-carrying “balls to the wall” professional and endorphin-craving athlete, slowing down to get well is a huge challenge. Wish me luck and share any wisdom on “daring to heal”!
Posted by: Nancy Raymon
Francine, This is amazing!!
My dare is to live my life according to the principles of the “Secret” every day.
Posted by: Gia Jurevich
Francine - My dare is to attract a fantastic top ten book publisher and sign on the dotted line.
Posted by: Coach Dory Willer
Francine, Thank you for launching this incredible dream. You will be STUNNED at what it’s grown into by the end of 2008. We will ALL be amazed…and grateful to you and your courage.
I dare to:1) Believe fully in the Law of Attraction and incorporate its principles into my life until it’s as natural as breathing. 2) Say “No, thank you” to people and opportunities that are not aligned with my goals. 3) Do at least one thing every day toward fulfilling the vision of my Ideal Life: Financial Freedom, Radical Authenticity, and Laughter, Love, and Creativity on a daily basis.
Rock on, woman!
-Lani Voivod
www.EpiphaniesInc.com
“A-Ha Yourself!” Posted by: Lani Voivod
Join them! DARE to Post your Biggest Dare!
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