Hey big-talker,

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There are few things more valuable than a great one-liner.

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A powerful and succinct statement that captures the essence of your business can be a game-changer when it comes to activating the imagination and compelling people to spend time thinking about your brand.

Now let me be clear, I’m not talking about taglines. While taglines are a form of one-liner, not all one-liners are taglines. Taglines don’t always work without context. 

“Just do it” is probably the greatest tagline of all time. But it doesn’t work without the power and authority of the Nike brand behind it. It’s vague without context.

A memorable one-liner is a little different. 

Here are some classics. If you’re of a certain age – Like me! GenEx rules! – I bet most of these will be familiar to you.

• There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's Mastercard.
• When it absolutely positively has to be there overnight.
• Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands.
• You are now free to move about the country.
• What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!
   

I could go on and on. I had to make myself stop.

So let's define what I mean by a one-liner. In essence, a one-liner is a concise statement that encapsulates the who, what, and why of your business. 

It's a snapshot of your brand's personality, values, and purpose. 

Now, I know what you might be thinking. "Sure, a one-liner sounds great in theory, but does it really matter? How can a single sentence really communicate everything that my business is about? What value does it really offer?" 

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Truth. There are no easy answers. 

But, after FedEx launched their “absolutely, positively” campaign introducing the overnight letter in 1981, they made American business history as the first company to reach $1 billion in revenues within 10 years of startup without mergers or acquisitions. (Fact check here)

That’s a pretty serious financial benefit for just 9 little words.

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When you craft a great one-liner, you’ll know it because it will start to boomerang back to you.

• You’ll probably hear people repeating it back to you.
• You’ll start to get ‘spooky’ leads. You know, those ones that are hard to attribute.
• You’ll start to get more referrals.

It’s because you’ve trained your audience to summarize your position in just a few words. 

Genius!

A good one-liner is kinda obvious, and it doesn't feel forced. (Hint: the best ones are longer . . . hovering in the 7-10 word range).

Now, you might be thinking, "But those are all big brands with big marketing budgets. How can my small business possibly compete?" 

Well, here's the thing: a great one-liner doesn't have to be expensive or complicated.
 

The key is to identify what makes your business unique, and distill that down into a simple, memorable statement. 

What sets you apart from your competitors? 
What problem are you solving for your customers? 
What values do you stand for?

Of course, crafting a great one-liner isn't easy. It takes time, effort, and a lot of trial and error. 

And yes, a lot of times you need the perspective of an outsider. 

But the payoff can be huge. 

A great one-liner can help you stand out in a crowded market, establish your brand's identity, and build a loyal customer base.
 

So how do you go about crafting your own killer one-liner? Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Identify your UNIQUE selling position
2. Keep it short and sweet (and keep the jargon out)
3. Be specific
4. Use vivid language
5. Test it out

You may not nail it on the first try, but when you do you’ll know it.

So what are you waiting for? 

Need some help? Let's make it happen! 

We have a brand storytelling workshop that is perfect for this. We'll work with you to identify what makes your business unique, distill it down into a short and sweet message, and help you make an impact in your industry. Hit reply if you want to know more and your message will come straight to my inbox.

Also, here’s 3 fun things 

1. Cinco de Mayo is mañana! Note, Cinco de Mayo is NOT Mexico’s independence day, but rather a celebration over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 (and yes, I had to google this despite being proudly Mexican-American).
2. Go down memory lane and google “Fedex Fast Paced World video” to see the original commercial where “absolutely positively” was first mentioned.
3. Seriously fun: Let’s do a Brand Storytelling Workshop together! Just get in touch here or hit reply. It’s fun! And a great team-building exercise.

Thanks for reading to the end! Happy weekend.

Drink responsibly.

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Ginger

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