Because it’s often the first thing your potential customers will read about your bike shop
Goal: Distill your brand statement into a concise “headline” (or tagline) for your business
If you’ve already read Why Your Bike Shop Needs a Mission Statement (Because You’re More Than Just a Store) you understand how important it is as an independent bike retailer to differentiate yourself from local (and national) competition. But have you tried distilling all of your thoughts and visions about your business into a punchy tagline? Follow these tips to get started….
In an age of clickbait and short attention spans – the power of the headline is not secret. Your “headline” – whether it’s on your website, an email, or a printed flyer – is often the only impression your shop will make on a potential customer no matter where you encounter them. That could mean online, in your store, on a ride, or on social media. Hooking them with a punchy tagline is one more way to set yourself apart from local (and digital) competition.
On the topic, Copyblogger (one of the leading voices on brand messaging) says: “On average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. This is the secret to the power of your title, and why it so highly determines the effectiveness of the entire piece.” With that in mind, it’s no surprise that a tagline does the same thing for your shop. It’s the headline of your business.
Articles have headlines, businesses have taglines
Every good news article starts with a compelling headline that hooks the reader with just enough detail to relay the essence of the story. The same is true when you’re communicating about your company. But in this case, your headline is your tagline. And the rest of the story is every little detail that goes into your brand….from your logo to the way you speak to your customers.
Whether you’re going for something like Nike’s quick and decisive “Just do it” or the sense of wonder from Disney’s “The Happiest Place on Earth” – understanding what you want to communicate about your brand is essential to create a tagline (it’s also a great exercise to round-out your brand).
With that said, there’s three important things to remember:
You can have the most awesome tagline in the world, but if you’re lacking in the customer service department – it won’t help. A brand you’re proud of is one thing, but your ‘marketing’ will never be effective without: good products, good reviews, and good (honest) feedback from customers.
A Tagline Can Go Far
If you already have great reviews, a healthy base of happy customers, and you’re already using existing feedback to improve – a tagline can INSTANTLY get your point across about what makes your shop great.
That Said, the problem with 9 out of 10 “how to write a tagline” guides is that far too many of them provide incredible and inspiring examples but forget the fact that they’re examples of MASSIVE companies that could get by without a tagline whatsoever. It might be one thing for a company like Nike or Mcdonalds to have a short and puncy tagline. But everyone already knows what they do, right?
As a small business, how do you differentiate yourself with a tagline when your audience might not know about you yet? Done well – your tagline can be a short and effective way to prove to prospective customers that you’re worth a shot by instantly communicating your values.
Start with substance…
As an independent business, your customers aren’t always going to know (or even understand) what you do. So it helps to start out by being a little more descriptive. As your audience gets to know you – then, it’s safe to cut away the descriptive niceties to make room for more personality. Then again, if you have the word “Bike” in your name to begin with – you can probably afford to get a bit more creative!
Step 1: Summarize Your Business in a Few Sentences
“When it comes to service, sales and getting you back on road, trail, and track – Speedy Pedals keeps the town spinning better than any competitor. We offer a full range of bike services including sales, maintenance, tune-ups, and more.”
Step 2: Trim it Down
Next, you should try to trim your summary down a bit. Try to remove “weasel” words that don’t need to be there. Stick to the point.
“When it comes to service, sales, and getting you back on the road, trail, and track – Speedy Pedals keeps the town spinning better than any competitor.”
Step 3: Tighten it Up
“Speedy pedals keeps [YOUR TOWN – bonus for local search] wheels spinning – fast, friendly, and reliably”
Branding can differentiate your business locally
Why a strong brand is critical
Goal: Distill your brand statement into a concise “headline” (or tagline) for your business
If you’ve already read Why Your Bike Shop Needs a Mission Statement (Because You’re More Than Just a Store) you understand how important it is as an independent bike retailer to differentiate yourself from local (and national) competition. But have you tried distilling all of your thoughts and visions about your business into a punchy tagline? Follow these tips to get started….
