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I was thinking of including the word "business" in a slogan for a new service but I was wrestling whether or not this is really necessary. I say business because that's the target market I'd like to go after.

My question is, is this really necessary? The more I think about this, the more I see more application that non-business types can use... and I feel like I might be deterring that traffic if I target everything towards business.

So, to reiterate, should I

A) include a reference in the slogan that I'm targeting businesses,

or

B) just pick a slogan, it doesn't need to imply anything about businesses. I should gear my marketing towards businesses...

I'm probably overthinking this. Thanks.

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6 Answers

up vote 4 down vote

A good slogan will explain what you do for a market not just point to what market you are in.

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+1 here. It should be a clear statement for what you offer. – Fernando Martins Feb 2 '10 at 10:34
+1 Thank you :) I'm overthinking this. – Matt Feb 2 '10 at 17:37
up vote 4 down vote

A good slogan is only part of your overall brand and identity. It should convey, in a word, phrase or short sentence what you do. Adding a market to that might limit your reach. Just look at some of the more famous slogans:

  • Nike: Just Do It
  • HP: Invent
  • Apple: Think Different
  • GE: We bring good things to life
  • FedEx: Absolutely, positively overnight
  • Travelocity: You will never roam alone
  • Google: Don't be Evil

In all of these cases, there is really no mention of a specific market or type other than maybe FedEx or Travelocity but those are still more general for what they do.

If you really want a good slogan, then boil it down to your core value. If you got 5 seconds to pitch me why I should pay attention to your company, what would you say? Write down a 10 or so of these simple phrases and your slogan will be among them.

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Thank you Jarie. The examples were helpful. Interesting, you said to pick a slogan based off a core value, as opposed to what the service actually does. I'll need to reflect on this. Thanks! – Matt Feb 2 '10 at 17:39
No problem. It can be hard to do but the best way to get going is to just free write one liners for 15 minutes straight. Don't edit and don't stop. What you come up with will be your gut feeling on what your business is. Then go refine until you get something you like. – Jarie Bolander Feb 2 '10 at 18:06
up vote 2 down vote

I think you overestimate the impact of your slogan to the market. For you, the slogan is very special and important; for your customers, it's just another slogan like the thousands of slogans they hear or read every day.

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Ha, there is probably some truth to that. Thanks :) – Matt Feb 2 '10 at 17:40
up vote 1 down vote

Do your competitors include the word "business" in their slogan? Your slogan should define your company as it relates to your competitors. If offering your product for businesses is a differentiating factor (i.e. the competition offers a similar product but they target consumers), then I say you should use the word. However, if offering your product for businesses doesn't clearly differentiate you from the competition, I would suggest keeping your target audience in mind (business owners) but not include the said word as it doesn't really help positioning your company.

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Aha, good tips (and useful link). Thanks Oli :) – Matt Feb 2 '10 at 17:41
up vote 1 down vote

Your mission matters. If you don't know what your mission is, you don't know what you're doing.

You're not really asking about your slogan. The question you're asking is a very, very important one for your business: are you creating a product for businesses or for consumers, or both? The answer to that question will have a profound effect on the product, your marketing, and your priorities.

Don't worry about your slogan. But be very clear on your mission.

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up vote 1 down vote

I completely agree with Jarie, the easier and the shorter the slogan, the better it is understood and remembered

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