Know-How Exchange : Taglines/Names

Nicol

my first reaction is that branding yourself is the wrong path - at least in general terms. Branding isn't easy, and it is very expensive. It isn't very effective as an advertising tool either.

What you really need to do is focus on your target audience. Because you have clients, you have worked in the business long enough to know who your best clients are - and their character. There will be something about you that they **really** like.

If you don't know what this is, send out a round-robin to all those you can. Ask them for total honesty. Ask them what they liked about you and what you did for them. Ask them for their favourite color, record and anything else that is special in their life (this isn't so important, it is still useful to know). Now there is also a kicker. Ask them - and ask them to be as truthful as they can be and not to mince words - ask them for something they didn't like about you.

Because they won't mind this shortcoming (and you are human after all!). Your worst kinds of clients, picky, troublesome and always wanting more for less - won't like this. Because without them your life just got better.

Anyway take all this info and go through it. There will be things that stand out to you loud and clear. These are your "branding" opportunities. They will shout "this is my kind of girl!!" to your best clients. It will shout "you whinge too much, get stuffed" to your worst ones (see paragraph above).

Because this won't just be catchy. It will be explosive. Catchy words aren't that memorable because everyone uses them. Your presenting yourself is something different altogether, unique and special. Now that is memorable.

To your best clients anyway.

If this makes any sense, do it, let us know the results and you will get some really good taglines.

To your success,
Moriarty xx

Focus your marketing on your clients' (emotional) experience, not on your (professional) experience. Your bio should explain why your marketing promise will be kept, because you've got the proof to show it.

For some naming ideas: Glamour Glow, Inner Glow, or even (Glamorous) Seattle Make-Up.

You are getting some great advice from Jay and Moriarty. You need a great name more than a brand. I'd also heed Jay's advice about focusing on the emotional payoff for your clients, not on YOU and what YOU do. People want to know what's in it for them to choose you, not how many things you've done, or how many years you've been doing this. Force yourself to identify the specific important (and unique) benefit you deliver for your target audience. And the narrower your target audience is, the easier that will be.

A word you might want to consider: Radient (or Radience). It's how your client will feel or be perceived by the people who are important to them.

When you amaze people with the results you give them, you help brand yourself.

When you help someone look fantastic for their special day, you help brand yourself.

When you give people memories that will last a lifetime, you help brand yourself.

You don't brand you: other people create the brand on your behalf.

You then capitalize on the ways you've exceeded people's expectations by consistently delivering and reinforcing the images you've created in other people's minds.

You brand yourself less through the name you use or your choice of logo and more through the ways you help people change, through the ways you make them feel, and through the solutions and confidence you provide.