Monthly Archives: July 2011

Tagline for a Coaching Business

Names + Taglines

I am starting a new Coaching Business named TOUCHSTAR Coaching and would really appreciate your expertise with a Tagline. As I am starting out, I would like to keep my client base open, and need a tagline which appeals to both the individual (personal/life coaching) and to the senior executive in a company (corporate/executive coaching). As most people do not actually know what coaching is, the tagline should somehow reflect that. Coaching is meant to allow a person to achieve what they could not on their own by identifying what they really want and asking powerful questions to empower the individual and unlock their potential. The company logo shows a person reaching out to touch a Star and I am trying to find a tagline that compliments the logo. I’m really struggling to come up with something that is creative and fits, please can you help….

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Jay’s Answer: First, how you market coaching to individuals and executives is quite different. While what you do is similar, the language you use to define your benefits is unalike. Individuals want to improve their lives. Execs want to improve their professional performance. Similar, but measured differently. So, you’ll need to choose one one these niches. If you haven’t (yet) worked with execs, then start with individuals (execs will want to see your client list, while individuals will understand the “starting out” mode you’re in).

Next, since you’re likely to work face-to-face with people, consider mention your region in your tagline (“Improving Lives In Chicago”).

Lastly, you need to focus on what the benefit for your client is, not how you operate (“by asking powerful questions”).  Empowering/unlocking is okay, but doesn’t touch on a key emotional benefit (for a list of the various emotional motivators, see: http://www.manygoodideas.com/2009/06/01/marketing-with-adrenalin/)

Some off-the-top suggestions:

  • Feel More Alive.
  • Live Confidently. The Sky’s The Limit.
  • Free Your Spirit. Feel Life A Superstar.

 

Tagline For Interior Design Networking Events

Names + Taglines

I would like to get a catchy tagline for my interior design business. I attend networking events and need to give an elevator speech to potential prospects and would like a catchy tagline which I have not been able to come up with on my own. I might even need 2, one for people who are familiar with what I do and one for people who don’t have any idea that people do what I do (which seems to be a lot).

I provide interior (architectural) design for commercial spaces, much like what people would expect to be architecture. I’m not a decorator. I work with clients to make sure the space they are in supports how they function. Then by space planning (drawing up the walls on a blueprint) the space will benefit the employees and visitors with convenience. I have set up my website with the basics of the process. First I would keep the intent of a sustainable design (best use of money for the client), then programming (figuring out how much space they really need and what things need to be next to each other), then space planning (drawing the wall locations) and finally the interior design (this is what makes the place pretty with wall, floor and ceiling finishes and then furniture).

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Jay’s Answer: (Aside: While people may like that you do sustainable design, it’s often not a primary motivator)

  • Designing Interior Spaces That Works For You
  • Optimizing Work Spaces For Efficiency
  • Saving Money. Boosting Efficiency. Improving Morale.

 

Fan Your Business

Creative Business Ideas

Fan Club Advertisement

Are you tired of trying to grow (or even, maintain) your business with your own team? Have you considered that there are a world of people who might be willing to share your business with the world…for free? Empower your business’ fans to do more than simply like you. Empower them to share your business with their network.

In a traditional business model, the business owner sells their product or services directly to a customer. If someone wanted to buy your offering, they had to buy it from you, your competitor, or do without it entirely.

One way to grow your business is by adding commission-based salespeople outside your company. When they sell your goods, they get a cut of the profit. The upside is that you’re not paying for these additional salespeople. The downside is that you sacrifice some profit for each sale.

You could add an affiliate program to your business. People that help you sell earn something in return. A lot of recent information marketing products have been sold with such a model – someone leverages their email list to make a quick buck. Again, the upside is increased sales. The downside is that (by definition) you’re not in control of the affiliate, and have no way of encouraging them to do more/better without sacrificing more profit.

You could create a franchise model for your business. Share the raw materials, your recipes, your marketing materials, and your trainings with people in exchange for either an upfront and/or ongoing franchise fees. So, instead of continuing to sell your products and services, you’ve created a turnkey system for others’ to do so. The upside is that expansion risk is on others’ shoulders. The downside is that you’ve switched your business model to supporting others to sell your offering.

Instead of (or perhaps in addition to) these models, consider empowering your fan base. The people that already purchased your products and that love them are ideal evangelists for you. Imagine that you give them permission to sell (or in some cases, give away) your products to their network. The motivation that fans have are different. They are likely already sharing your information with others, and you’re simply empowering them to do more. Start with making a formal relationship with your fans (call it a “license”) which details what you want from your fans and what you’ll give them in exchange. A great example of this is the TEDx model. TED licenses their name to individuals and organizations (“fans”) for free. The fans get to use the TEDx name (in a proscribed way) to improve their local community. TED gets the benefits of increased branding recognition for free and they get the content that the TEDx groups produce for free as well. A win-win relationship.

Introducing: Speak With Passion

Creative Business Ideas, Publicity, Speak With Passion

Speak With Passion For Your Business

Photo by MIXEvent

If you want to be just another public speaker, there are a lot of books, seminars, and classes that you can take. They’ll teach you how to craft your slides, how to dress, how to look at the audience, how to slow down your delivery, how to punch up your points, etc. All are great techniques. But none will teach you how to give a speech that will “wow” the audience, and have your speech be remembered and remarked upon.

The #1 problem with speeches is that they’re designed around the paradigm of a lecture. You have some key points you wish to teach, so you describe the problem, showcase your tips, and then wrap up your presentation with some great take-aways. How likely is this “how to” speech to be remembered a week later?

Inspirational talks are similar to lectures – the point is to impart a feeling into the audience to help them achieve more. So, heartwarming stories are told, and lessons that are embedded in the stories are shared. Weeks later, the stories may be remembered, but the adrenalin rush that accompanied the presentation/workshop dissipated.

So, what’s the secret to crafting a speech with passion? Personal heartfelt stories. A personal heartfelt story differs from a lecture in that you’re not positioning yourself to be more educated than your audience. These are not inspirational talks either – they don’t pull out a specific storyline as a “teachable” moment. Instead, you dig down to show something of deep emotional significance to yourself. Sharing that immediately connects your humanity with your audiences’. Heartfelt emotions aren’t enough – you also need a story – something that can be remembered by the audience. It must contain specific details to help people visualize your story. It must have a clear beginning, middle, and end (for more details read “How To Tell Your Marketing Story“). And it must be true.

To speak with passion means you’re connecting heart-to-heart with your audience, not brain-to-brain. A heartfelt connection is what your audience is craving. Help them get what they deeply desire.