If you are a business owner – particularly if you recently opened a business of your own – you need to be sure you come up with a killer motto. Having the right motto can easily make or break a business. So how can you go about it?
There are distinct points that you should follow to make sure that your motto is fitting, punchy, and attention-grabbing. You should be sure to go through them in order so that you have a sufficient basis to build upon.
Start from zero
To build a great motto, you should gather the fundamentals of your business plan together. Specifically, do the following:
- Think about your core products or services
- Consider who your partners are
- Remember what sets you apart from your competitors
- Think about the first thing you want your customers to see in you
This can actually take a great deal of time and effort. You will likely brainstorm for quite a while (hopefully with your staff), throw out ideas, refine them, and break things down several times. Remember that once you have a working motto together, you will be able to do all sorts of things with it. Think of something that will be able to fit easily onto company merchandise (you can get a free mockup online for different kinds of items).
Stay short
The first thing that many people want to do when creating a motto is go on and on about how great they are. This may be tempting, but it is absolutely the wrong way to go. The general public will never retain anything longer than one phrase. So you should shoot for a maximum of ten words, and preferably less. This makes it tricky, because a lot of the best mottos are already out there.
But again, you should think of something punchy, and make the words flow somehow. If it works, you can even develop a motto that rhymes. This is the best way to ensure that the people who hear or read it will remember you.
Ensure consistency
One thing that small businesses especially often fail to do is stay consistent across media, merchandise, and messaging. For one thing, you want a motto that fits with your logo, so ideally you should come up with them simultaneously. It should also match the overall image of your company, and the tone of your website and other promotional literature.
It is also critical that your motto be consistent across media in terms of font type, color, and any other specifics that you use in your branding (shadows, outlines, etc). Any discrepancy from one medium to another will smack of amateurism and the public will feel this, consciously or not.
Start with words
Once you have all your ideas together, think of words that you might use. This can include industry words, what sets you apart from the competition, what pain points you target in customers’ needs, what you hope customers will gain from shopping with you, etc.
Seeing everything laid out right in front of you visually is important to seeing how your potential motto will strike other people. Visuals mean a lot in branding, so it is critical that you examine anything you might use up close. Once you have your core words in front of you, add on other words that tend to go with the ones you have. Notice any combinations that tend to stand out to you.
Remember your audience
You might have a product that you yourself are obsessed with for particular reasons. But remember that these might not be the same reasons that your customers will want the product. If you make shoes that you love the material of because they are easy to make, this is great. But the reason that your customers might want them is because that material makes the shoes light and airy. This is what you want to focus on: the value that you are providing for your customers.
Also, remember where your target customers are and what their demographic particulars are. If you come up with a motto that works great in your hometown, that doesn’t mean that the South American audience is going to get it. If you advertise globally, be sure to work with locals in your various target markets to be sure your advertising translates.
Be sure you’re not stealing!
When you’re in the process of creating a motto, be sure to take a hard look at your competitors and make absolutely certain that you are not stealing all or part of someone else’s idea. Remember, certain products and services automatically lend themselves to particular ideas (how many Thai restaurants do we see all over the world with word plays on the word “Thai?”). You want to be snappy and punchy, but also unique.
Keep reassessing your progress
Even the greatest of mottos can fall flat after a while. If you are lucky enough to have such a successful business that people remain devoted to your original idea after decades, you are part of a rare group. Many others need to reexamine their suitability over time and make sure they are still speaking to people in the right way. Keep this in mind as you go along, so that you can stay fresh.
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