BONUS FEATURE: BRANDING AND TAGLINES:
About seven or eight years ago I started hearing a lot of buzz about branding. Convinced I didn’t need to be “branded” (the whole idea basically reminding me of cattle), I shunned the idea. Told me agent that I’d prefer not to be branded, thank you very much.
THAT WAS THEN. . .THIS IS NOW.
Someone recently asked me if I had any regrets regarding my writing career. I responded with, “Just one. I wish I’d come up with my Love, Laughter and Happily Ever Afters… brand much, much sooner. (Yep, I finally conceded and let the powers that be put the hot iron to my backside.) Why? Because I needed readers to know that when they read a book by Janice Hanna Thompson, they’d walk away smiling because of the happy ending. I also knew that the tagline would let them know that most of my writing was light-hearted. Most of my novels and non-fiction books are wedding-themed or have some kind of wedding element in them, and that works with the brand/tagline, as well.
MY SUGGESTION TO NON-FICTION WRITERS:
Think ahead. That’s it. Even if you’re not published yet, begin to think RIGHT NOW about the types of books you plan to write. Then come up with a tagline that fits your “brand.”
SO, WHAT’S IN A BRAND?
What do you think of when you hear the words, “It’s the Real Thing.” Coke, right? And what about, “Have it Your Way.” (Any guesses? That’s right. . .it’s Burger King.) What about “Finger Lickin’ Good!” (Kentucky Fried Chicken).
Now you see the power of a few short words. You hear them and. . .bam! You think of the product. In this case YOU are the product. (Well, you and your books.) And you want people to think of you when they hear your tagline.
WHY DO PEOPLE BALK AT THE IDEA OF BRANDING?
A lot of writers dislike the idea of branding because they’re writing in multiple genres. They feel a brand (or tagline) will limit them. That doesn’t have to be the case. I write both fiction and non-fiction. In fact, I had two non-fiction devotionals release awhile back (one for brides to be and one for moms to be). Can you see how the Love, Laughter and Happily Ever Afters tagline works with those books, as well as my inspirational romances?
SO, WHAT’S YOUR BRAND? WHAT TAGLINE WILL YOU USE?
What are you drawn to?
What are you writing about (mostly)?
What are you interested in?
What few words summarize your writing?
As you look over these questions, be creative! Think about what you might be writing years from now. Whatever tagline you choose should fit future books, as well as the present ones. If you have trouble coming up with a brand/tagline, ask for help from critique partners and friends. Ask how they see you/your books. Do they see you/your stories primarily as funny, serious, women-oriented, etc?” Let your tagline describe you – in a nutshell. Once you’re published, people (knowing your tagline) will know what to expect in your books.
