Know-How Exchange : Taglines/Names

I'm not sure I understand clearly the target audience and core positioning benefit for your new business. And those are very important elements to consider when trying to come up with a good tagline.

Can you define who your primary target audience will be and what important (and unique) benefit you promise them?

"AskClaudette" is a generic name that doesn't suggest what you do (other than answer questions of some kind) or who you are trying to reach. ("Is this for businesses, actors, musicians, athletes, physicians, etc.?")

When you have a generic name like this, the job of the tagline is particularly difficult, because it not only has to signal the right target audience, tell what you do, and describe the benefit, but it also has to explain the mysterious name somewhat. ("Who is Claudette, and why would I ask HER?")

It might also be helpful if you can tell us how people are going to learn about this new business? What is going to get them to your website?

How to ensure the questions you receive are pertinent to your field/expertise? Don't worry about it. You want anyone to ask you anything about your business, and you want to be able to provide a resource/suggestion to them. If you're targeting visitors to your website correctly, don't worry so much about the right field. In fact, if you're trying to cast a wide net - be willing to answer (or direct the questioner to someone who can answer) any question that's on their mind. Your goal is to get people to think of you as the answer person. You don't have to have the answer, just tell them where to get it.

And regarding your tagline, please answer Michael's questions about positioning first. We need more information about who you're targeting and how you're different (other than having a bunch of people affiliate with you).

I will respond to your questions and concerns in about 2 hours.

As always, thanks for being so "brutally" honest.

Regards,

Claudette

Lose the reccomended products at the bottom of the page.

Here are my answers to the questions asked in the previous post

I believe my experience, reputation and advanced thinking in my industry gives me a strong foundation on which to build “Ask Claudette”. The site will feature my bio and success stories to help convince website visitors I can help them. In addition, my visitors will receive lots of tips, resources and tools

Areas of Expertise

Paäge et Cie specializes in providing customized financial, organizational and family office services that simplify your life and give you peace of mind. We offer daily money manager services, such as bill paying and bank reconciliation; medical claims processing; personal assistant services; household payroll and payroll taxes; important documents management; professional organizer; and elder care services, including elder care management and elder relocation. In short, everything you need to achieve the success and gain the freedom you are seeking in both your personal and professional lives.

Target Market

Startups and home-based businesses

Established businesses who are floundering and don’t know how to grow to the next level.

Benefits

Received lots of resources, tips, advice, tools.

Provide coaching to help startup businesses avoid pitfalls often faced in the first few years.

Help existing businesses move to the next level.

How to attract visitors to the website

Establish expertise by submitting articles to ezine directories, online sites and provide link back to “Ask Claudette”.

Offer resources to encourage non-competing sites to link back to my site

For questions I’m unfamiliar with, I will create a list of experts (Get their permission) who I can link to for answers. Thanks Jay!!!!!!!!

I look forward to hearing from you again.

Regards,

Claudette

Perhaps I wasn't clear in my earlier question. You say:

"I believe my experience, reputation and advanced thinking in my industry gives me a strong foundation on which to build “Ask Claudette”.

The issue isn't about what you believe to be true. It's about what someone first visiting your site, or even considering a visit to your site, might think. How would THEY know who Claudette is or why they should ask her a question?

The tagline has to single out the right target audience, tell them what you do and what's in it for them to trust you (i.e., the benefit they'll get), and, if you stick with the name "AskClaudette," answer the question, "Who is Claudette and what does she know about my needs and situation?"

That's a tall order for a memorable slogan -- with no help from the name. In fact, the generic name just adds another requirement to a challenging task.

P.S. Do you plan to serve a global audience, a national audience or a local/regional audience? Maybe it woud be good to make that clear up-front.

To: mgoodman,

I thought I answered your questions but I guess not.
As I mentioned before, I plan to use the website copy to explain my qualifications (based on my bio) along with success stories of businesses I’ve already helped. I plan to say that I’m an author, written up in national publications like The New York Times and Wall Street Journal ….AND have been in business for over 20 years. (My bio contains this information and more–see below). Additionally, through a local organization and community college, I mentor women who want to start a business. I also advise wealth management companies and accounting firms on adding DMM (Daily Money Management Services) as an another income source, and I also receive calls from www.paageetcie.com website from individuals who want to start a business like mine.
Again, my audience will be small and home-based business nationally. Paäge et Cie is my primary business and AskClaudette will be another income stream/interest.
As to the BENEFITS, here’s what visitors to the site will receive:
Resources, tips, advice, tools.
Sign up for an enewsletter that will contain resources, tips, tools, and help establish my expertise in helping them start their business.
Coaching to help them avoid pitfalls often faced in the first few years.

My Bio
Paäge et Cie Personal Management Services provides busy families and individuals with professional assistance in managing households and finances, organizing personal responsibilities and creating time for pursuit of life’s interests.
Founded in 1987 by Claudette Paäge, our company enjoys the privilege of working with individuals and families of all ages and interests by helping them reset the balance between life’s enjoyment and responsibilities, through delivery of personalized services designed for specific needs and lifestyles.
Our services have frequently been described as 'high touch'. Our collective insights into the financial, management and organizational world have served our clients well and have attracted new clients to us largely though referrals.
Our clients include:
•Busy professionals, entrepreneurs and philanthropists
•Individuals and families
•Moms and dads, single parents, stay-at-home parent, head of households
•Frequent travelers, for business, education or pleasure
•Homeowners with residences both in the USA and in other countries
•Owners of multiple residences
•Young and older adults
•Retirees, senior citizens and their families
•Small businesses or sole proprietorships
•Executor or executrix
•Children with aging parents
•Any individual who has financial goals

Our client service managers and lifestyle management team have broad experience and expertise ranging from nursing and medical insurance to financial and important document management – all under very discrete and private circumstances.
The Westchester County Business Journal states, “Paäge [et Cie] has made a career out of helping people wrestle control over the details of everyday living.” Our commitment is to work hard to identify and establish a customized solution for each client and at the same time enjoy a strong relationship with their family members and financial advisors: attorneys, accountants, financial planners and investment advisors.

I look forward to reading your next post!

Regards,

Claudette

If I'm a small, home-based business owner, "resources, tips, advice, and tools" are not BENEFITS; they are elements of YOUR offering. Why do I want those things? What's in it for me? You need to position what you do as a benefit for your target audience. Answer the question: "What's in it for me?"

In order to get me to your site, you have to hook me with a benefit promise. Then when I get to your site (or landing path) you have to deliver what you promised to get me there in the first place. "AskClaudette" only means something if I have the patience (and motivation) to read your [abbreviated] bio and can find that benefit (for me). The fact that you've written books and/or articles doesn't solve MY problem.

I'm not trying to be difficult, Claudette. I'm trying to get you to focus on the core, compelling, unique BENEFIT you offer to your target audience ... and then to make that positioning benefit the cornerstone of your marketing plan for this new business/revenue stream. Without that, this can very easily come across as an ego thing for you, not a solution to a critically important problem facing your target audience. (Even the name "AskClaudette" is more about YOU than about the BENEFIT for the target audience.)


P.S. Why would a prospect who lands on your website want to wade through your bio? They want HELP with a pressing problem, and they want it now. It's too easy to hit the BACK button if the website has too much copy or too many things between the click and the reward. You need to get to the BENEFIT immediately!

The Bio I sent you is for my current business - AskClaudette is a spin-off of Paage et Cie. I will be sure all your concerns questions and suggestions are addressed by the time I hand it over to a copy writer - I am sure they will help guide me in this regard. Based on the information I've given you thus far,what name would you use instead of AskClaudette, and humor me with a tag line for the name you would choose. You've asked a lot of questions and given a fair amount of critique but you have not given me anything concrete/specifics to go on.

Thank you!

Thank you so much for "raking me over the coals" The great news is..you have me thinking.

My sincere best wishes to you.

Regards,

Claudette

Dear Claudette,

Apologies for the late addition to your question. It sounds as if you're offering everything anyone could ever want and I hope
the following opinion helps.

There may be few ways to ensure the questions you receive
match your area of expertise, but one way might be through a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions (FAQs).

This would mean you creating a list of as many questions site visitors might as as possible. What this mean you thinking of as many questions as possible: who, what, where, how, why and so on for every area of support you cover AND you then offering your list of answers.

By directing people to your FAQ list you'll do a great deal to reduce the number of regular questions you have coming to your "ask" service as possible.

The good thing here is that every time you receive a new question that isn't on your list of FAQs you can then update your list WITH the new information, making your service as comprehensive as possible.

As for a tag line, it's best to focus on positives, so here are a few suggestions:

AskClaudette: Your Life, Simplified.
AskClaudette: Your Life Made Simpler.
AskClaudette: For All Your Life's Essentials.
AskClaudette: Simplifying Life's Essentials.

Again, apologies for the delay in responding. I hope my contribution helps.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA