Know-How Exchange : Taglines/Names

Welcome back, Laura!

Everyone, you might want click on her name, then revisit the question she posted here in June. The dialogue in that thread will give you good info about Laura's business... possible a source of tagline inspiration.

I will come back later with ideas, Laura. Working on earning the groceries just now...

Shelley

Laura,

Like Randall, I’m not a fan of “Keeping it simple Making it easy". For one thing “simple” and “easy” are very similar attributes.

I noted your comment about the industries’ many recycled tags and believe you are right. Maybe something just straightforward such as --

Great Photography Made Easy
Creative. Professional. Easy.

Hope this fuels more suggestions,

- Steve

The tag line is worthless if it doesn't address your positioning and communicate it in a meaningful way. Maybe the way to start is to spend some time and energy identifying your value proposition, what makes you different/better than others, why people should hire you, etc.

I think that jumping to a tagline for the sake of modifying your brand name (i.e., YOUR name) is a waste of time. That's not to say a tagline is a bad idea, but make sure it says something about the key benefit your customers will realize if/when they hire you.

The common words you noted are probably overworked, but they at least have the potential to place a benefit thought in the mind of a prospective customer. Given that photography isn't exactly a new industry, it's not likely there are any great words/phrases that haven't been used by someone, somewhere.

Laura, maybe you've hit upon it:

"It's not your pose, it's your personality."

...or...

"Capturing personalities, not pictures."

But I'll keep thinking on it some more.

"making the experience fun and comfortable, and easy."

Hi Laura,

Get on the customer's side instead of talking about your service directly. What you want to go for is a payoff. What do your clients "get" from you? They want to look great in your pictures, obviously, so they can hold onto them for ages.

Just off the top of my head:

Laura T. Photography. Keeping up appearances
Laura T. Photography. Life in pictures
Laura T. Photography. Looks are everything to me.
Laura T. Photography. Looks easy, doesn’t it?
Laura T. Photography. What are you waiting for?
Laura T. Photography. It’s easy. Just grin.
Laura T. Photography. Just grin. I’ll do the rest.

Hi Laura T

how about these

"Share Moments, Live Life"
"Your Moments, Your Life"

i will get back once i have more ideas.

cheers!!

Laura,

There are about 500 folks on this forum who know more than I do about taglines and unique selling propositions and branding and etc.... (I'm a telemarketing guy) -

... and I appologise in advance if I'm off base here - but something has been bothering me about your question. You are saying, "I need business in a crowded market, therefore I need a wonderful tag line." Once you put this magical tag line on your business cards, web page, and lettterhead, will folks start lining up at the door, will lines of cars suddenly appear who want your business as in "Field of Dreams" ??

Sure, it would help if you have a great tag line and a unique selling proposition. But it seems to me that this is only a part of what you need. You need a way to take your message to the market, so that people who might need your services will know about you.

Once you have your wonderful tag line, how will you take your message to the market? Display advertising? Trade shows? Networking? Classified advertising? Referrals? "Pay per click" google ads? Email newsletter? Direct mail, or those card decks? Display advertising in bride's magazines? Signs on the side of your car? Handouts and flyers? Displays at bridal shops? Contacting wedding planners? Sponsoring community events? Guerrilla Marketing? Radio advertising?

You have said that the new tageline will be, :... the basis of new logo, letterhead, yada yada...". I think you might need to put less emphasis on the logo and letterhead, and more on the yada yada.

I agree - your marketing needs to match who you are, and the work is more fun if it's the type of work you enjoy doing. The "we try harder at Avis" ad worked because Avis really did try harder.

Neither the branding nor the promotional campaign is enough, each depends on the other. I'm glad to hear you are planning to address both - but it just wasn't clear from either of your two questions, that's why I raised the issue.

The very best of luck to you.

p.s. I'm curious - with so many photographers out there - why should I hire you to photograph my family?

I don't want you to photograph my family at all. I asked the question, "Why should I select you to photograph my family", so that you would provide a bit of information about what makes you unique or special or different.

You want us to give you advice on how to promote you - yet you have provided just a very small amount of information about what is unique or special or different.

Since you have given us a little hint, pkemper has been able to give us some wonderful and helpful specific advice. Give us more details, this forum will give more advice. If you just say, "I'm a photographer..." then we are shooting in the dark.

Why do folks hire you?
Who are the most happy with the results?
What types of projects fit you best?
What work are you the most proud of?
What types of clients are "bad clients"
Do you do corporate work?
Do you do documentaries?
Do you enjoy historical subjects?
What work is the most profitable for you?
What work is the most boring for you?
What work has generated the most referrals?

details, details, details.

tlaura,

"Picturing you happy"

is all you need.

Your Servant, Deremiah,*CPE Customer Passion Evangelist)