Timex told you that it “Takes a lickin’ and keep on tickin’.”
Coke promised that it was “The real thing.”
Burger King said that you could “Have it your way.”
Kentucky Fried Chicken promised that their chicken was “Finger lickin’ good.” Nike said you should “Just do it.”
The California Milk Processing Board asked you one question: “Got milk?” Alka-Seltzer moaned, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing.”
American Express warned us: “Don’t leave home without it.”
Grey Poupon politely posed the question: “Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?”
M&M’s promised to “Melt in your mouth, not in your hands!”
The power of the perfect phrase
Now you see the power of a few short words. You hear them and. . .bam! You think of the product. All of these taglines have become a part of our lives. As a result, so have the products. In the same way, your tagline will point readers to you.
Are you saying I’m a product?
Yep. In this case you are definitely the product. (Well, you and your books.) And you want people to think of you when they hear your tagline.
My tagline
As I’ve mentioned earlier, my tagline is “Love, Laughter and Happily Ever Afters.” When people read that, they’re being promised something. My books might not be finger lickin’ good, but they will make you laugh and fall in love.
Authors and their taglines
I’m going to list several of my favorite authors, along with their taglines.
Kathleen Y’Barbo: “Fiction With a Southern Accent”
DiAnn Mills: “Expect an Adventure”
Kristin Billerbeck: “Faith, Froth and a Designer Handbag” Brandilyn Collins: “Seatbelt Suspense” (“Don’t Forget to Breathe”) Tricia Goyer: “Honor the Past—Embrace the Future”
Liz Curtis Higgs: “An Encourager”
So, 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?
Think outside the box
As you look over these questions, be creative. Think about what you might be writing in the future. Whatever tagline you choose should fit future books, as well as the present ones. If you have trouble coming up with a 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?
You. . .in a nutshell!
Let your tagline describe you – in a nutshell. Once you’re published, people (knowing your tagline) will know what to expect in your books.
