Give them a tagline to remember!

One of the easiest things you can do in your elevator pitch or networking commercial is to incorporate an easy to remember tagline. This is especially effective when giving your pitch to a group of people, such as at a Chamber or networking group function.

Using a tagline not only helps spread the word about your brand, but it also helps people remember what it is that you do. And that’s really what you want to have happen, right?

But how can you include a tagline?

Here are some examples of how to include your tagline into your elevator pitch or networking commercial:

Make it funny: My friend Art Flores, with Atlas Disposal, ends his networking commercial with “when you think of trash, think of me!” Of course this always gets a laugh from the room, which builds instant rapport for Art as a fun guy to do business with – and guess what – people remember that he is in the trash business when they see him!

Make it about your service/product: Another friend and Video Short customer of mine, Dorothy Compton of Bee Embroidered, does high quality embroidery on apparel for business professionals. She understands that when most people think of logo wear for their company or organization that they might assume they have to order pieces in bulk. To squash that mis-perception right within her commercial, her tagline is “my minimum is one”. How many people do you think go straight to her when they need one hat/jacket/polo shirt embroidered? A lot!

Tell them how to get a hold of you: If your goal during your elevator pitch is to simply get traffic to your website, have your tagline be something involving your URL. Same thing if you want people to remember your phone number. By reciting it over and over at networking functions, people will become very familiar with it and will REMEMBER how to get a hold of you when they need your services.

Stick to your company tagline: If none of the three ideas above feels comfortable to you, feel free to use your company’s tagline. Again, by doing so you are working to promote your brand – and there are great benefits to doing just that!

The key to using a tagline effectively is to keep it simple. Short and sweet goes a long way in helping people remember who you are and what you do. Consistency is also just as important. If you attend a group function on a regular basis (weekly/monthly), keep using your tagline so that it builds momentum. Haven’t we all heard that people have to hear a message at least seven times before we remember it or it sticks? Don’t be afraid to do that with your elevator pitch.

Before long, you’ll have people reciting your tagline right back to you. That’s when you’ll know people “get” what you do, and that you’ve created top of mind awareness.

(c) 2008 Barbara Beal-Lopez, “The Elevator Pitch Coach” with Brightfarm Produtions, helps business professionals introduce themselves with high impact. Everything in business starts with an introduction. If you’re ready to learn how to introduce yourself and your business professionally and comfortably, visit Barbara at www.brightfarm.com and signn up for free weekly tips.