Business slogans, tag lines, or memory hooks are the pinnacle of instant marketing. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI, coined the colorful term "memory hook" because a good business tag line will stick in someone's head for a long, long time. Slogans for businesses of any size can be powerful memory hooks if they are short, catchy, and communicate the business message.
Memory Hooks Must Be Catchy
Memorable new tag lines stand head and shoulders above other business slogans because they do not require a multimillion dollar ad campaign to support them. The best tag line is viral in nature, spreading by word of mouth. Catchy elements may include:
- Rhyming: "HolVet's the best bet for your pets."
- Word Play: "Granite Inspection Group, inspecting the unexpected."
- Lyrical: "Bodymind Massage Therapy, shifting your body and mind from tired to inspired."
- Puns: "The company you can account on!"
Tag Lines Must Be Short
A clever writer may craft a limerick to describe his business, but if it can't be stated within the duration of a handshake or fit on a business card, it is too long. Consider the typical chamber of commerce networking event: there are a number of people in the room with which to do business and a limited amount of time to speak to each of them. A short, powerful slogan coupled with a well-designed business card act in tandem to make following up after the event a warm call instead of a cold one.
Does the Slogan Communicate the Business Message?
Quizzing friends, family, and even strangers on the street is legitimate market research in this regard. In fact, presenting the new tag line to people that have no knowledge of the business will prove to be most telling. If a random assortment of listeners can accurately identify a product, service, or target customer from the slogan alone, then it is clearly a winner.
This does not mean that the memory hook can carry the business all by itself. Marketing wisdom holds that a message must be in front of its audience at least seven times to make an impression. The power of the best tag lines is that they are short and memorable, making those seven repetitions much less intrusive.
Making Memory Hooks Work
The best-written business slogans will garner no business if they are not used consistently. For entrepreneurs this usually means attending business networking events. Tag lines should be included in every conversation, since they are shorter than the "elevator pitch" and designed to be memorable. The best slogans will stand alone, but accompanying them with good eye contact, a firm handshake, and an exchange of business cards will generate many more word of mouth referrals.
Terence P Ward - Terence P Ward has a business writing website, but spends a bit too much time writing press releases, blog posts, and thought leadership ...
Join the Conversation