Know-How Exchange : Taglines/Names

"My target market is pretty much anyone with clutter."

No, it's not. Distance, reluctance to change, price point, ignorance of time mangement and a lack of understanding of delayed decsion—to name just a few points—are all obstacles preventing you from connecting, firmly and memorably, with your ideal client.

Your ideal client is a certain age, has a certain set of needs, has a specific income, and has particular pain points that he or she wants to overcome. While yo're busy serving "anyone" this ideal client is being overlooked. So you must look harder and you must create a persona or an avatar to market TO.

Your target audience is actually someone who *has a problem with clutter*. You need to imagine the kind of person who wants to come home to a house that's neat. The reality being that when they do come home, there's corners of junk, the coffee table's covered with books and glasses, topped off with a sandal.

You are there to rescue them. What's more it's something you can offer as a regular service, once a month for a day or afternoon, going through all this stuff and suggesting what to do. Most people need this kind of feedback, and once they get it, the place is cleared as if by magic!

You happen to be this catalyst.

Now in this instance I wouldn't work on free webinars - outsmarting clutter takes years to get a grip of - you need another angle and it's not coming to mind right now. What you do need to do is present yourself as the small voice that they can't quite hear. After all, it's their clutter, and you're only there to advise.

So we have two major elements to your campaign: the person who needs you (someone who's fed up with a messy home) and you yourself. Putting those together won't be easy, and it's easier to do with some feedback from beaming clients who can now see the four corners of their living room. Where getting into their box room is no longer the equivalent of a trek through the Amazon Jungle.

So having brainstormed this a little, I'll have a go at some taglines.

Outsmart Clutter: helping you get your life back
Outsmart Clutter: helping you to a solution
Outsmart Clutter: the help you need for the house you want
Outsmart Clutter: helps you tidy the house of your dreams (I'm trying to say that they're already in their house, and it's their dream and all they need is you - if you get my drift?)

Does this help any? A few thoughts - you could offer a free fifteen minute on site de-cluttering trial of your service. You turn up, find if you get on with them and if you do great. If they need more of you - wonderful. Because the real money in your service is the people who are habitually cluttery. They are the ones you'll be working with for a day a month for the rest of time!* Those who just need a nudge will have clear houses from their own energies and just needed a prod in the right direction - don't worry though, they are still your ambassadors to their friends who may need you more.

*You could also have a discount for your monthly service, paid by the half year in advance.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks for your input everyone. Moriarty, I do agree with what you are saying. My target market is someone who has a problem with clutter, where it interferes with they life they want to live. The two elements involved is "that someone" and "myself". I realize that isn't as easy to put us together until they either meet me, or hear about me. (I hope:)

Gary, it is also a person with pains they want to overcome, with specific needs and are in a certain income bracket. (and can afford to and are willing to pay for the service)

The "angle" I'm trying to work from is this. I am going to look for different places and organizations to do a 30-45 minute talk about the importance of decluttering (to be in control and get your life back). I'll target senior living areas, mom's at kids groups, teachers, real-estate agents and anyone else I can think of. During "that talk" people will have a chance to meet me and get an idea of what I can do for them.

During "that talk", They can decide if I would be a good fit for them and can hire me if they can afford to. I am trying to reach as many people as I can and sadly most people who need my help may not be able to afford to pay for the service. For these people I have developed a more affordable option of a 4-5hr workshop that will teach them how to do it themselves.

During "that talk", I will be enticing people to attend my workshop and learn "How to Outsmart Clutter", on their own. Attending a workshop is much more affordable for the average person. They pay a one time fee, do the work, (mental,emotional), learn the physical steps, and have the support and encouragement to go home and do it themselves. Now, in saying this, I do realize that not everyone will go home to "take action", but it could be the nudge for those who need it and can do it themselves. For those who can't, I offer a "Creating your Foundation for Inspiration" package for those who attend my workshops who need me to go to their homes and help them get started on their decluttering journey. (an of course they can hire me back for more sessions in the future)


My "consultation" package is "Plan of Action". For anyone who hasn't met me (at a workshop) then I will go to their home and meet with them and together we decide on a plan of action. I've included in this package, a one hour declutter session.. This allows me to meet with them to see if we are a good fit. They can decide that as well. Also, by working with them for an hour, it gives them the taste of how good it can feel getting rid of what hold them back, hopefully wanting more.

What do you think?
Does "Outsmart Clutter" and "Simplify,Create,Live" on my business card say enough?
Or do I need a catchy tagline? I don't want it to be "cluttered". :)

"Outsmart Clutter" is enough, IMO. I don't understand what important new information someone might get from "Simplify, Create, Live." It's not like you will make them more creative or that they won't live without your help.

That is exactly what I was trying to convey with SCL. I was hoping to tap into someones emotional need to "simplify their things", "create space for new opportunities, and live the life they want. I can see how that may not come across that way.

There are a lot of people who offer this service. To try and to differentiate myself from the others, is to walk people through the steps and teach them "how" to do it. I am passionate about helping others get past their "stuff" to live their best life.

I suppose to appeal to the emotional benefit I could have "Guiding you to freedom"
or "You are smarter than your clutter!"

I didn't thing "Outsmart Clutter" was enough on the business card to grab people, but maybe it is.

Maybe

The result is a nice home - from where you can do what you wish. It's not so much guiding someone to freedom as giving them a springboard, if you'll allow me. I'm not sure how many people would be bothered about being smarter than their clutter - the people you need to connect to are the kind of people who don't like it being there. Whether it's got an IQ of 85 or 100 doesn't matter - it's getting it cleared!

Now here's an idea to see if your thoughts are right. Last Christmas I ran an advertising campaign called "Pepernoten?" - and likening my skills to making these Dutch cookies that are so traditional at Christmastide. There were a series of questions, in a cheery kind of way that had them making pepernoten from flour, ginger, sugar, and all the rest of the ingredients. "How much ginger should you put in your advertising?" was one question - there were no right and no wrong answers though. Those that joined in taught me a great deal about people's perceptions about advertising.

You could do the same with clutter ;-) After all, client feedback is the most important part of your job.

The tagline should not repeat any of the words in your name. That would make it redundant. And unless the tagline is very clear and simple, you're going to be better off without one. The emotional payoff is not easy to express, and it may be different things to different people. I'd just let the name tell them what the benefit is, and let each person imagine the emotional payoff for themselves.

Thank you all so much for your input. I'm looking at it all from a whole new perspective now. I do agree that the emotional benefit is not easy to express and is different for everyone. Therefore, I'm just going to leave it simple with "Outsmart Clutter".

Because my website and workshop are built around the "Simplify, Create, Live", I will still have that somewhere on my business card. I believe it will help people imagine how their life could possibly be different if they got rid of their clutter. (the emotional payoff)

Clutter has a way of creeping into our homes and at times seems bigger than us. When people see that they are in control of their "stuff", and start doing the work, they feel empowered and realize that they are stronger than their clutter!

Have a wonderful day!
Darla

~ Simplify ~ Create ~ Live! :)