Know-How Exchange : Taglines/Names

Who are your likely customers?
What would distinguish your offerings from competitors?
Who would you be marketing to - people who want to sell their estates or to people wanting to buy goods (or both)?
Why a "fun & catchy name"? Why not a name that sounds professional?

Our customers would likely be heirs to estates and/or people who are moving and want to downsize.
Our offerings different from competitors would be several things.....(we have been attending estate sales and observing what the competitors to right and what they do wrong.) We would be distinguished by our -
1. Professional and well-groomed appearance - we find this is severely lacking.
2. Compassion; with exceptional listening skills.
3. Organization and presentation of goods.
4. Organization of attendees - not create a free for all.
5. Fair Commission practices.

We would be marketing to those who wish to sell an estate as well as to buyers.
We would like a name that people will remember - catchy.
Our names are Sue and Darlene - both attractive and well-educated females, one with a marketing degree the other with a business degree.

Grand Estate Sales (of Prescott)
Fine Estate Sales (of Prescott)
Stately Estate Sales (of Prescott)
Proper Estate Sales (of Prescott)
Estate Sales by Sue & Darlene

The 5 features you've listed are excellent points to make (overtly or subtly) when you're selling your services, but what is the compelling BENEFIT your target audience wants when they're looking for someone to run their estate sales? If someone were to conduct an online search for the keyword "estate sale," what benefit promise would make them say, "That's the one I want!"

It seems to me you might want to talk to a few folks in your target audience and ask them how they selected the people they did to run their estate sales. Ask them what questions they asked, and what promise was particularly important to them in making their decision.

Once you have that kind of information, you'll be in a great position to give us the kind of input we need to come up with a great name for you.

And we're not usually fond of "catchy" names. There's a lot of evidence that straightforward benefit-oriented names are more effective than "catchy" ones. Of course, if we can do both at the same time that's ideal. But to make "catchy" the primary requirement, it seems to me, would be a mistake.

How are people going to find out about you? Where will they see the name? Are you going to rely on word-of-mouth? Do you have a marketing plan?

We have a marketing and business plan in place.
I guess we will have to forget the "catchy" name. You are all right about it.
We have asked clients of other estate sale companies how they chose the one that stood out.
1. Not many choices; chose the "best looking" option. re; Marketing materials, website, professional face to face meetings.
2. Went with the most professional looking company with a business plan in place.
3. Reasonable commission.
4. Appearance of owners.
5. Outline of services and how conducted.
6. Bonded and insured.
7. Testimonials from other clients - ability too phone past clients.

Don't people contemplating an estate sale want:

1. to get everything out of the house quickly, and
2. to realize the greatest amount of money possible from the "treasures?"

If so, can you promise that everything will be gone and that they'll end up with more cash (after your commission) than if they did it themselves? That seems like it would deliver the benefit they really want. All the features are just reassurance that you're credible and easy to do business with.

If the benefit(s) I've described are NOT what they want most, then what is it? It's very important to identify the core benefit the target audience is seeking.

The core benefit for some - is money - others just want the stuff gone. I feel it's impossible to sell everything....not at the highest price, but most reasonable price to get it moved. We would work with the charity of choice to donate "leftovers".
However, I do think that most want a highly professional and "clean and clear" contracts.

I really like all comments but especially like Treasures to Riches and Consider it Gone. I sent the link to my partner for her to peek at at all your terrific responses.

Midas Touch ... turning your estate into gold

Estate Alchemy ... turning your household items into gold