Seems a bit silly to spend time sitting around trying to capture everything you are in 3 or 4 words. Your mission, values, and key benefits are much bigger than that – aren’t they?

Of course they are.

But the work that it takes to capture your essence in a sound byte is not at all silly; in fact, it’s an essential exercise in discipline. It can capture who your customers, members, and fans are; and it serves a very useful purpose in quickly uniting you with your tribe over your shared values.

• Just do it (Nike)
• Think different (Apple)
• Because you’re worth it (L’Oreal)
• You’re in good hands (Allstate)
• Quality is job one (Ford)
• It’s not just for breakfast anymore (Florida Orange Growers’ Association)
• That was easy (Staples)
• A mind is a terrible thing to waste (United Negro college fund)
• Takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’ (Timex)
• For a living planet (WWF)

Your mission, your promise and your brand

They are indeed complex, but place yourself in the mind of your customer and ask yourself “so what?” Then ask it again, and again. What can you come up with to answer it in 5 words or less?

Taglines are about making decisions.

Timex could talk about the visual beauty and simplicity of their watch design, the fact that their watches are an inexpensive, yet good value. So what? What do you really want in a watch, anyway? Timex watches are for people who don’t want a Rolex. Don’t want the bother, don’t want the expense, and don’t want to worry about damaging it. Just want it to tell time, reliably.

If you have done any strategic planning for your agency or business, you’ll likely have a mission statement, and core values – particularly if you are a non-profit. If you haven’t looked at those lately, take them off of the shelf and review them again. Non-profits spend a great deal of time arriving at a mission statement that is meaningful for them; and they are often excellent statements of purpose and approach. They are also (usually) somewhat wordy for the average stakeholder-on-the-street, and may not be at all memorable.

Try it. You’ll like it.