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    How To Create A Great Tagline For Your Business (w/ Examples)


    When talking about a "Tagline" for a business, you'll commonly hear some popular names cited such as:
    Tagline examples of big companies
    The taglines examples you'll see are typically that of ginormous brands.
    But that's the problem with these examples...

     

    They're all HUGE PUBLIC COMPANIES!


    Billion dollar tagline brands
    Every single one of these examples has been around for decades and is worth billions of dollars (here's a list of all the company slogans on the S&P 500), yet somehow people think their much smaller businesses should have equally vague brand taglines.
    Well before we build our billion dollar brands, we might wanna start a little smaller:

     

     

     

     

    The Evolution of a Tagline:


    Let's you and I start a little side business together.  Let's see how our tagline may change as our company grows in size.
    Notice how the tagline grows from a "descriptive tagline" into a more "aspirational tagline" here:
    Evolution of a tagline
    At that very beginning stage when we're at $0/year, having a vague tagline such as "Tell the world" will be relatively useless to us.
    However once we start closing gigantic deals, have that fancy office on 5th Avenue in New York, and handle marketing for Fortune 500 brands.....then maybe "Tell the world" is a more appropriate tagline!
     
    So yes, when you're at the level of a large business, your tagline will often be something short and clever and "aspirational."
    However, if you're not there juuusst yet, here's a quick formula to follow:

     

     


     

     

    Here's the 3-step process for creating a tagline:


    Step 1.) Dump out your entire business in a few sentences.
    Step 2.) Trim it down.
    Step 3.) Trim it down to one short sentence.

     

     



    The #1 best way to create a tagline for your business is to describe what you do in the shortest space possible.
    This process is like trying to cram a large thought into a single Tweet.
    Let's jump into some examples of how we would do this:

     

     

     
    Sumo-Logo-300x55.png

    Sumo Tagline Example: 


    Step 1.) Dump out your entire business in a few sentences:
    "We create tools that go onto any webpage that help promote and share your website to get more traffic through several tools: Share buttons, Welcome Mats, Pop Up email collects, and more.  We make these tools really easy to use."
    Step 2.) Trim it down:
    "Tools that go onto your webpage to help promote and share your website to get more traffic."
    Step 3.) Trim it down to one short sentence:
    "Tools to Grow Your Website’s Traffic."

     

     

     

     

     
    wpengine-logo-png

    WPengine Tagline Example:


    Step 1.) Dump out your entire business in a few sentences:
    "It's really cheap to host a Wordpress site, but when something goes wrong, your host will be no where to be found. Also, Wordpress gets hacked if you don't upgrade it or choose poorly designed plugins." 
    Step 2.) Trim it down:
    "WPengine makes hosting a website on Wordpress super easy.  We're like the perfect website host."
    Step 3.) Trim it down to one short sentence:
    "Wordpress hosting, perfected."

     

     

     

     

     
    WeWork_logo

    WeWork Tagline Example:


    Step 1.) Dump out your entire business in a few sentences:
    "WeWork is a community space where people can co-work together or rent larger private offices.  We let you do what you love by providing fast internet access, bathroom facilities, coffee, beer, and meeting spaces."
    Step 2.) Trim it down:
    "A community space where you can focus on what you love doing, and we will handle all the hassles of running an office."
    Step 3.) Trim it down to one short sentence:
    "Do what you love."


    Think of your tagline like a "Headline For Your Business."
    Your tagline will often be placed on things like:

     

     

    • Flyers
    • Stationary
    • Outdoor signs
    • Business cards
    • Website headers

    These are items that have only a quick-shot at getting someone more interested.

     

    For this reason, the only job of your tagline is to get attention and make your customer want to read/research more!

     

    A note to people who have spent more than 2 hours of brain-time trying to "Come up with a great tagline":


    Your tagline will unlikely be a big driver of business. Like....at all.
    I've NEVER gone to McDonald's because "they had a cool tagline."
    It's cause I want food stuffed into my face immediately.
    I've never done business with a web designer because his tagline was clever like "Design for life."
    I've never bought a car because the tagline was "Zoom Zoom."
    Just remember....
    no-one-buying-tagline
    You should be focusing waaayy more of your time on:

    • The quality of your product.

    • Getting referrals from other people.

    • Getting feedback from customers.

    •  


    THOSE are all things that will increase your business.

    If you have spent more than two hours trying to come up with a tagline for your business, you are definitely focusing on the wrong thing.

    Use the 3-Step Tagline Formula shown above, knock your tagline out, make sure it's not "too clever", and then focus on improving your business in REAL ways!


    With all that said, I do respect some taglines floating around out there.

    For example, here's my all time favorite tagline:
    geico-tagline-example
    Geico has gone through all sorts of cutesy characters as their "spokesman", but their tagline has remained the same:


    "15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance."


    This tagline kicks butt because it's jam-packed with important stuff....and only in about 10 words!
    geico-tagline-example
    Dang.....that Gecko knows what he's doing!
    Let's just compare this brilliant Geico tagline to a few of their top competitors in the insurance space....Statefarm and Allstate:


    Insurance Tagline Examples
    I mean, without having previous experience knowing what these companies do…..would you have ANY clue what they sell based off their tag lines?? No.
    Bravo Geico. Your tagline could be used for a $100/year insurance business or a $50Billion/year insurance business.
    So remember, use the 3-Step Tagline Formula from above to create a quick tagline and description for your own business:
    The 3-Step Tagline Formula
    Step 1.) Dump out your entire business in a few sentences.
    Step 2.) Trim it down.
    Step 3.) Trim it down to one short sentence.

     


    Watch this video guide on How To Create A Great Tagline:

     
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    P.S. See every slogan from the S&P 500 here (all the slogans from the top 500 companies).
    P.P.S. Try running your own business through the 3-step process for creating a tagline:
    Step 1.) Dump out your entire business in a few sentences.
    Step 2.) Trim it down.
    Step 3.) Trim it down to one short sentence.

     

     

     

     

     

    P.S. Leave a comment below with your own tagline!

     


    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    Guest Junalyn

    Posted

    Hi, Please help me find a tagline for this : Magor Technologies Resource Inc.

    Our nature of business is trading and services of photocopier, printers, office supplies.

     

    Thank you

    Link to comment
    Guest Hazim Ashraf

    Posted

    Hey thanks for the little tricks. But I have few hassles for getting suitable tagline for my bussines. What would you suggest for my tagline by the info I've provided below (hoped you'll help).

    1. We sell health and beauty product. But we focused on health then beauty follows. We guaranteed inner health so the eternal beauty and health may follows, too.

    2. We aren't selling beauty. We are provide health and then there comes beauty, from inside.

    3. Still thinking. Hoped that you'll help me to find suitable tagline for my bussiness.

    Thank you :)

    Link to comment
    Guest Chem

    Posted

    Thanks for this info on how to get an appropriate tag line and also cementing that , that alone does not guarantee good business. Well done.

    I just recently acquire a business that sell cosmetics, fragrances, toiletries and wears of different brand where authenticity and correct pricing is important. It is an upscale environment but I however would want to satisfy every purse

    Can you please advice?

    Link to comment
    Guest Mike

    Posted

    This is a new product not yet on the market but looking to create a tagline to help market it. Here's a description:

    Our backpack with stabilizing handles is a tool used to assist teachers and parents that live and work with children with special needs. It allows special needs children more independence and helps them navigate their tasks more efficiently throughout the day. The pack may help better integrate sensory information, making them calmer and better organized with improved ability to concentrate, learn, or accomplish other important tasks.

    Link to comment
    Guest Unique Selling Proposition: Why Should Anyone Do Business with You? - Redesign

    Posted

    […] Kopywriting Kourse How to Create a Great Tagline for Your Business (w/ Examples) […]
    Link to comment
    Guest moomoo

    Posted

    I am going into a consultancy business (B2B) that offers services in the area of media space, events and advertising. Our concept is to provide clients with a new perspectives for their various marketing campaigns. Our strength is on concepts and providing holistic marketing solutions.

    Still cracking my heading for a catchy tagline. Would love to seek some additional help.

    Thank you in advance!

    Link to comment
    Guest Janice Hurlburt

    Posted

    Hello,

    I'm what you call a techie virtual assistant, I started out as a executive level VA. Now I design website, set up marketing funnels, online coaching programs or digital products to sell, email marketing, etc. I am changing my business name from Bizy Biz Virtual Assistant to Bizy Biz Consultant and my tagline with BizyBizVA is "Your work is our business" Which basically meant delegate tasks you don't have time for.

    Do you think "Your work is our business" still makes sense? How about "Power Up Your Online Presence"

    Link to comment
    Amazing article really well done!! Any idea of slogans for an ice cream shop that is know for quality and being premium? thank u
    Link to comment
    Guest Sarah

    Posted

    Great article. I’ve been struggling with a great tagline. I'm a freelance graphic designer/web designer/photographer and you name it artist. My motto, so to speak, is to create, imagine, and escape to a place only our minds can take us, which I call our "Mindscape". Because it is a "thinking outside the box" notation, I've come up with this:

    Design tailored to fit your needs using out of the box thinking.

    I'm still not quite sure if I like that. It's hard for me to settle for anything less than perfect. Do you have any suggestions? I could really use your advice.

    Link to comment
    Guest Howard Rosenberg

    Posted

    Our company is called Decipher and we perform in-depth market intelligence on high powered executives as well as businesses. Any ideas of a strap line?
    Link to comment
    Hi. I came across your tagline post . It really informative . Please let me help with a tagline for my blogger page . I am running finance plus education . I need a suitable tagline for it .
    Link to comment
    Guest Writing your Unique Selling Proposition - PixelMark Quick Launch Websites

    Posted

    […] How To Create A Great Headline</p? […]
    Link to comment
    Guest Alicia

    Posted

    Hi Neville, great post! And such great feedback and suggestions for so many businesses!

    I thought I'd give this a go and would be so appreciative if you could let me know your feedback.

    1. I'm a property investor who works with women to help them gain the confidence and knowledge needed to open up the path to financial independence through property investing. I show them the importance of their money mindset and provide simple ways to take control of their finances and move closer to a life of wealth and abundance.

    2. Educate women to create wealth through property investing by ...

    Gee, I'm stuck already!!

    Link to comment
    Guest Kingsley

    Posted

    I really enjoyed reading this inspirational write up on tagline!keep it up and more grease to your elbow!
    Link to comment
    Heyy guys i own an accessories online business in india. Any suggestions for a tag line for your foreign friend here?
    Link to comment

    Hey Neville

    I have been working with my Family (Retail jewellery Business) for almost Four Years now. But now i am thinking to get into something more Creative.

    May be somewhere i can make taglines, or come up with ideas behind advertisement. Honestly I am still not sure weather its my cup of tea to get into advertisement. I don't even know, people Who make Taglines in an ad. agencies what are they called .I know It might be sounding funny to You. But Somehow I have always been Fascinated by Ads. One of my fav Taglines.. MasterCard (Money can't buy everything, For everything else there's MasterCard). Do you think you can help me with some of the basics, how things work in an ad. agencies.

    P.S - Looking Forward for your Reply

    regards

    Vasu

    Link to comment
    Guest Candace

    Posted

    I am a personal trainer and I found these examples extremely helpful. I went from vague 'Get Healthy. Get Strong. Be Confident.' to 'Transform your body in a month with my 60 minute sessions.' I took the Geico tagline and created about 20 possible taglines for my business. Very helpful article!!
    Link to comment

    Hi Neville!

    We have an organic health food business where I personally source the best, most local as possible health food products (everything from medicinal Chinese mushrooms to spelt flour, high quality organic chocolate, fresh produce to having kombucha and bone broth on tap). We offer classes on how to make nutritious soups, elixirs, baking, etc (incorporating optional medicinal herbal foods). We also have a small cafe attached where we offer delicious elixirs, hot soup and snacks made daily. We are building a small community of like-minded folk who are interested in food as medicine. It's time for a tagline! We are having difficulty in coming up with something that doesn't make some sort of a claim, i.e., "Let healthy food be your medicine". The tagline we really love is "Building community and a healthy immunity" but again, worried about making some sort of a claim. The major comments we receive from our customers:

    - When they purchase something in our store they trust where we have sourced it from (trust and convenience).

    - The range of organic products & produce we carry.

    - The elixir bar is a big draw.

    - The feeling of community and welcoming friendly faces.

    - The opportunity to walk in and access advice or answer questions (knowledge).

    - Many positive comments after our classes.

    Help! Really struggling with this! Many thanks!

    Link to comment
    Hmmm... When I read "Trust your food, trust your health" it makes me think of my own food, it doesn't really point person in the direction of our business , but it's a start!
    Link to comment

    My business name is not linked to music or entertainment (don't want to post on here as don't want my comments coming up in searches when I launch my website. Its a pretty cool rememberable name though which my business advisor has said is very memorable and fits with a music agency but it means I need a tag line to pull it all together. So :

    1. Premium live music and entertainment agency providing a personal touch. Creating bespoke entertainment for corporate events, hotel residencies, weddings and functions.

    2. Tailored entertainment created for your events with a touch of class

    3. Entertainment with a difference

    Or

    3. Entertainment you'll remember

    Any thoughts ?

    Link to comment
    Guest jean connor

    Posted

    Hey I am a bit late to the party but am trying to do a tagline for my new accountancy name.

    1.We complete vat returns, accounts and tax returns and aim to make our clients life easier and save them some time and tax. We advise them on how to save tax and administer their accounts

    2.We do our clients books and tax to save them time and money

    3.

    Help!! Much appreciated

    Link to comment
    Guest Jim Morris

    Posted

    As a copywriter who has made a living for the last two decades in large part by specializing in writing taglines, I almost don't know where to start in commenting on the original post and the following year and a half of comments.

    1. It's true that the effectiveness of a tagline can't really be measured other than anecdotally. This is a blessing and a curse. I can never (or, perhaps, almost never) prove to a client that the tagline helped grow their business. Juxtapose this fact with another fact: great taglines are, by far, the most powerful single expression of a brand. People remember some taglines from before they were born. When all of the other communications from a brand have long been forgotten, the tagline is usually the only remaining artifact.

    2. The assumption underlying this whole discussion, (which underlies every discussion about how to write taglines) is that anyone can write a good one. Just because you can write, and so you can write a tagline, doesn't mean you can write a good tagline. Imagine a post like this, and a subsequent thread like this, about creating a logo. It just never happens because, since most people don't think they can draw or design, they assume that only a designer can create a good logo. This is, of course, generally true. JUST as true as it is that only a certain kind of copywriter can create a good tagline. Small businesses will spend many, many thousands of dollars on a design firm to create a log. Then they look online and pay a hack copywriter $100 for a forgettable "tagline." OR the business owner spends the 20 minutes or whatever that the guy originating this post recommends coming up with a tagline.

    3. Meanwhile, I'd like to suggest that this whole approach to writing a tagline is based on a mistaken assumption—that the tagline should be descriptive. Here's how I view this issue:

    If the brand name tells you what business the brand is in, then the tagline doesn't need to duplicate this effort, and is freed to try to garner some interest, curiosity, intrigue or in some other evoke a positive emotional reaction. THAT is the value that a good tagline brings to the party.

    If the brand name doesn't communicate what business the brand is in, then what is needed is a "descriptor". Almost all of the preceding discussion going back a year and a half has actually been about how to write a descriptor. Descriptors should be clear and descriptive. Period. Again, once you have the descriptor in place, you are free to put the tagline to work doing what it's supposed to do—evoke a reaction, so that it makes an impression and sticks. STICKINESS is the quality you strive for with a tagline. Not Clarity. Not necessarily brevity. Not even simplicity in many cases. All of those thing have been taken care of by the boring but useful descriptor.

    I could write a book on how taglines work and why they are so valuable and obscenely undervalued. (In fact, I have.) There is so much misinformation and misunderstanding about taglines, I'd be discouraged. Except that, this means the demand for what I offer (really good taglines) has never been greater.

    To all who preceded me in this thread, by all means, try to nail down a good descriptor. But, if you don't understand the value of a good tagline, and you don't understand that a tagline writer is essentially a designer working in the medium of language, you're seriously better off with no tagline, than with the pedestrian, generic, invisible tagline that you will almost certainly come up with on your own. Because that invisible tagline will reflect badly on your own understanding your brand and of how branding works.

    Thanks to anyone who has taken the time to consider this contrarian point of view.

    Link to comment



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