Tag Archive for 'tagline'

Product Launch like an Executive - Memorable product launches with taglines Part 2

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Warwick
on April 26, 2010
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preparing-tagline-fingerprint-idIn part two of this three part look at product launches, we will build on “Less is More” as featured in Part 1 here.

Tagline with word pictures

While pictures help to make a presentation more memorable, having a tagline can push recall even higher. A tagline is a one line description which sums up your key message. For example, the MacBook Air was described as “the world’s thinnest notebook”. You may not remember all the technical specifications but you if you remember the tagline, you understand why the product is special. And let’s face it, if you are really interested in the tech spec, visit the product’s web site.

Every product and service can use this approach. When 37signals launched their project management online software, Basecamp, their tagline was “the better way to get projects done.” Taglines are simple and easy to pass on to your clients, sales team and media.

While a good headline tagline will help your audience remembers your product uniqueness, you can add word pictures to other parts of your content. This turns your presentation into a more visual one. At the iPod launch, Jobs described it as ‘the size of a deck of cards.” This was accompanied by a picture of a deck of cards. This word-picture is much more memorable than giving the dimensions of the product as many technical presentations tend to do. Look for ways to highly key features and benefits with word pictures and taglines.

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Warwick John Fahy is the international executive speech coach for senior executives, business leaders and entrepreneurs who need to influence clients, investors, shareholders and team members. His highly practical approach and deep cross cultural intelligence have made him a sought-after business presentation coach throughout the world.

Warwick is the author of the acclaimed book, The One Minute Presenter - 8 steps to successful business presentations in a short attention span world. For free executive speaking tips visit http://www.oneminutepresenter.com/blog

To arrange presentation skills training or coaching to build your executive presence visit this web site.

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Copyright 2010 Warwick John Fahy All rights reserved.

Executive Presence: Memorize your content with taglines

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Warwick
on April 6, 2010
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Memorize your content with taglines

Memorize your content with taglines

Memorize your content with taglines

Obama’s speechwriters often use phrases that could be set to song. Aside from the obvious, “Yes we can”, parallel constructions are used, for example, “ It’s not because of this, it’s not because of that.” as well as other short pithy phrases or soundbites. Executive speakers should adapt this approach for two reasons. First, it helps the presenter memorize the content. Second, it also allows the audience to quickly digest key messages without having to think too much. An important factor in short presentations. In The One Minute Presenter, this is known as taglining your message. Go through your presentations section by section and sum up each part with a short sentence of no more than seven words. Try to make it catchy, like a billboard slogan. This process really helps you go even deeper into your message and how to make it appealing to your audience.

Executive presence is enhanced through face-to-face presenting to senior management. Ensure your next presentation builds your credentials in their eyes with these three tips: paint stories from your data-heavy content, bring your message closer to the audience through connecting phrases, and tagline every section in your presentation so that your message comes out crystal clear. A final test of whether you are ready to face your senior management is when you can stand up, without a slidedeck, and deliver a punchy impactful presentation.
Are you an Executive? Learn how Warwick helps ambitious executives speak with executive presence here.

Honda Tagline: “Everything we do goes into everything we do”

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Warwick
on January 5, 2010
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Good example of how a tagline can work to wrap up an advertisment. Honda do a good job here with their visuals and the tagline sums up the whole one minute advertisment.

Writing taglines that are memorable

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Warwick
on December 14, 2009
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danger-flag1I have written before about six word stories and today I saw an example of one from the Department for schools, children and families in the UK. They have launched a campaign on internet safety which intends to teach young children how to stay safe while using the internet. Their tagline is “Zip it. Block it. Flag it.”

My first impression was that it could be a little confusing.  When I think of ‘zip’ in relation to computers my first thought is ‘zipping files’ so that they are compressed into a smaller file size. But then the target audience for this campaign might not have that perspective. “Zip it” in English slang means to be keep quiet and not disclose information .

So ‘zip it’ means do not give out any personal information. ‘Block it’ means use the blocking feature on social media sites or IM tools (like MSN). ‘Flag it’ means talk to a trusted adult if you are harassed online.

This tagline will not doubt be promoted heavily in schools and after a while will become a well-known catchphrase.  The creators hope it will be about famous as the Green Cross Code.

What do you think?  Will it stick or be quickly forgotten ?

Tagline Your Messages

Published
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Warwick
on December 8, 2009
in produce your message
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Tagline them

Tagline them

Have you ever been asked to prepare a 40 minute presentation and then just before you come in to deliver it, be asked to ’slim it down’ to 20 minutes?! I mean what are you meant to do? Speak twice as fast? Cut out the verbs?

A way to be always ready for this challenge is to properly message your presentation. I call this taglining. Consumer companies use taglines to create a memorable phrase that is linked with their brand. For example, since adidas introduced their “Impossible is Nothing” tagline, it has become part of their target audience’s vocabulary. I call this type of message a ‘meta-tagline’ which summarises a broad theme or direction. Your presentation should have a meta-tagline. You can think of it as your high concept or movie title. (eg It’s a Wonderful Life, Saving Private Ryan, Snakes on a Plane).

The main benefit of using this approach is that – together with framing – it helps you think more clearly about the key messages that you want to deliver. This is important as today’s audience are busy, overloaded with information and distracted by mobile devices. You need to be able to deliver your key messages in a short time and make them memorable.

This is quite a challenge. Especially when most presenters can’t even remember their own presentation! Reading off crib notes, turning around to speak off the screen or frequent looking up or down are signs that the presenter has not prepared adequately.

Once you have a meta-tagline, go down through your presentation section by section and ask “What is my key message here?” How could you summarise it into a short sentence or tagline. This requires some thinking and can be difficult when you first use this skill. Once you have completed this, you should have an overall message or concept (meta-tagline) and between three to five messages summarising the main section content.

Your messages can now be easily written on a card and memorised. With clear messages, you can tie your content together more naturally and then the content (data, statistics etc) are used to support your message. This approach makes you bulletproof to shorter presentation times and ensures you have clear messages throughout the entire presentation.

Examples of Meta Taglines:

Too broad – Quality Concerns

Too long – The most important quality concern we have today is in manufacturing

Good example – Three Essential Quality Changes

Examples of Taglines (for sections):

Too broad – Data insufficient

Good example – Two data gaps we must monitor