Know-How Exchange : Taglines/Names

Start with what you do that your competition doesn't (it's assumed you provide great service, are available 24/7, and want to get the best deals). Do you know a zip code inside and out? Do you have a background as a contractor, that would help prospective buyers to uncover run-down homes that need only cosmetic help? A rhyming phrase may be fun to say, but if it has no "bite", then it's unlikely to help your business at all.

Dear Kim,

Comedians have catch phrases. So do certain weathermen.

I know of all kinds of TV anchor people who have some kind of
sign off. Radio DJs too.

The world is awash with these insipid phrases. And most of them stink because they have no real worth or meaning to the customer.

As a real estate agent in Omaha, I'd imagine the last thing you need is a catch phrase in the vein of a comedian's.

As any kind of professional who wants to be taken seriously, I'd wager good money that the thing you want to be remembered for is not some empty, hollow-sounding witty retort, but some to-the- point, value-laden proposition; something that distances you from every other real estate agent on the Caldwell roster in your area.

To do this you need a proposition that can't be argued with. You need a one-off statement that distances you, not from just a few of your competitors, from from ALL of your competitors.

This means that whatever THEY do, you must do the opposite. Or at the least, something different. Some trait or bent that you own:
Skydiving. White water rafting. Shark wrestling. I'm serious!

OK, so there may not be that many opportunities for shark wrestling in Nebraska. Bad example. But do you have some hobby, interest, or (good) habit that could be immediately connected or associated with you and the great service you give?

But not just any old lame phrase.

Anyone can say "No one works harder!". If no one works harder, several people will choose to work with no one, so you lose out.

To come up with ideas for a tag line, (which is really what you're looking for), you need to tell forum members more about yourself, your history, and your record in real estate. This way, you'll get better input and come up with a wider cross section from which to choose.

I hope this helps.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA

What are you going to do with the "catch phrase" when we come up with one? Where will it go? How will it help your business?

Catch phrases don't usually build businesses, no matter how catchy or memorable they are. What you probably want is a positioning that sets you apart from all the other dozens of realtors in your area. Once you have that, maybe a catch phrase can help and maybe it will actually undermine what you're trying to communicate -- a professional, no-nonsense approach to serving your clients.

Let's start by figuring out who your primary target audience is, what they want and need in a realtor, and why they should select you to represent them. Then we can address the catch phrase (or not).