Is your tag line memorable? Does it get stuck in people’s heads and make them want to know more about what you do?

Or when people ask you, “So, what do you do for a living?” are you tripping over your words with a knot building in your stomach?

Do you sometimes calm yourself with the thought, “Well, they weren’t my ideal client anyway…”

Everyone is either a potential client or knows someone who is, so I encourage you to create a tag line that works, is comfortable to say, and shows your passion.

Maybe you feel you’ve tried so many different variations for your tag-line that you’re wondering if you’re even on the right track anymore.

I’ve noticed that it appears to be much easier for us to help someone else with their tag-line, but when comes to doing it for ourselves, it is so easy to get stuck.

In this article, I will do my very best to share strategies that can help you create a great tag-line, but the first thing I want to suggest is that you get together with people who understand what you do, who will brainstorm together with you and who will give you honest, real-time feedback.

At the bottom of this article I’ll give you an opportunity to do just that.

It starts a conversation.

The key to successfully marketing your practice is having a lot of people know what you do - and remember it when it comes time for a referral. So, when people ask you what you do for a living, it is a marketing opportunity. By sharing a quick few words that invites the other person to ask questions, you are on your way to building a new referral relationship!

It is simple to say.

Some tag lines look great on paper but don’t roll off the tongue easily. For example. “I teach women how to be heard by their mates” can sound like “I help women to be hurt by their mates.” Now, that can get you some really strange looks!

It uses simple language.

Are you still using “jargony” terms when you describe what you do?

I really notice this when I coach financial planners. When they use technical financial terms, I (as the listener) feel uncomfortable. Instead of increasing my faith in them (”Boy, she knows her stuff”), I feel stupid. This is not how you want someone who could be a referral source to feel.

You need to know what words to use and what words you should absolutely avoid unless you want to drive potential clients away.

It is interesting.

This is tricky. You want to encourage the person to ask you questions and maybe to tell you about their own struggle, but you don’t want to be doing therapy on the spot. One therapist who said “I work with women with body image issues,” found that people would act uncomfortable when she said that. She changed it to “I teach women how to feel better about their bodies” and started attracting crowds and lots of conversation!

You love to say it.

Far more important than the words themselves, I want you to love talking about what you do. I want you to light up when people ask you what you do. Have fun with it! Let your passion out!

People don’t care what you do until they know what you care. So, let them see that you love what you do and they’ll be more likely to ask you more about it. Far better to get connected with them than simply having a catchy phrase.

So, pick a tag line. Go test it - but test it with therapists and non-therapists and particularly people who don’t know you.

To Your Success!

Casey