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* Find your competitors' tag lines - look at them and strive to be better and different.
* Gather together books to help you come up with different ways to phrase similar ideas. My favorite is "Word Menu". Others likely to be of help are "The Describer's Dictionary" and "Twenty-First Century Synonym and Antonym Finder". You can find these books and others down left margin at: http://www.websitemarketingplan.com/Arts/TagLines.htm
** Third, brainstorm.
This works best if you can get a small group together, but can also be done solo. Set up a place with a lot of writing space - use dry erase boards, easels with big paper pads, note cards, etc.
Go through your props. Look up words or concepts in books. Rearrange your various props so you can look at them in different ways. Write down *everything* that comes to mind and all new ideas each phrase sparks. They do not have to make sense. You want a large number of ideas.
There are additional brainstorming resources down left margin at URL listed above.
** Fourth, consolidate your list.
After brainstorming, go through all of your ideas. Pull out those few you think have best potential. Try to reduce longer ones to fewer words.
** Fifth, choose one best tag line.
You should be left with a short list of possibilities. To pick single best tag line, get others' opinions. If you have some funds budgeted, work with a market research firm to test tag lines with your customers.
You can also conduct informal research. Set up a free survey at SurveyMonkey.com and encourage people to take survey. If you have direct contact with customers, ask them what they think. Give them an incentive to help you, such as a discount or small freebie.
When you are done, you will have a tag line that will help your business thrive.
Bobette Kyle has more than a decade of experience in Corporate Marketing; Brand and Product Marketing; Field Marketing and Sales; and Management.
She is author of the Marketing Plan Guide "How Much For Just the Spider? Strategic Web Site Marketing for Small Budget Businesses", named one of the top 15 books of 2002 by NonFictionReviews.com. Read more about the guide here: http://www.websitemarketingplan.com/bookinformation.htm