Slogan's Heroes Create a tag line that stands out from the competition.
By Jerry Fisher
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Maybe you feel, as I do, that most company slogans are insipid,forgettable self-indulgences. Even some of the most respectedcompanies in America end their ads with such tag-line turkeys as"The possibilities are infinite," "It works"and "Get more out of now," to list just a few.
OK, so now that the trash talk is over, what constitutes a goodslogan? Perhaps the most compelling slogan I've ever run acrosswas the tag line on pioneering book discounter Crown Books' adsof nearly 20 years ago. It read, "If you paid full price, youdidn't buy it at Crown Books." What made this line sospecial was that it was powerful enough to stand all by itself andinduce prospects to buy.
If you're looking for a real authority to help you develop agreat slogan, check out www.adslogans.com. They're experts at identifyingthe dos and don'ts of slogan making and even have anadvertising-slogan Hall of Fame to inspire you. Some on their list:"You're in good hands with Allstate," "Betchacan't eat just one" (Lay's potato chips) and"Finger-lickin' good" (Kentucky Fried Chicken).
Bottom line: Don't just attach a bland, antiseptic chain ofwords to your company name. Test your slogan's power by asking:Would I be willing to use these few words all by themselves to sellmy company?
JerryFisher is a freelance advertising copywriter and author ofCreating Successful Small Business Advertising.
