Skip to main content

Developing your personal tagline




It has happened to me many times before and I bet you have experienced the same by giving a lame half-baked answer to the question “So what do you do”? For many years my answer has always been I am in PR and Events… but what does that even mean? Has it helped me push my agenda, did it build on the conversation or did it leave the prospect with more questions than answers?

As an entrepreneur, how you introduce yourself can be the difference between yes and no; deal or no deal and as such it is important to find the perfect words to describe yourself- your personal tagline.
The personal tagline is a short and punchy statement that says what you do and why you do it. The “why” part is where it gets interesting. It’s your mission. It’s the purpose behind your work.
The goal of a personal tagline is to create a unique impression in your audience’s mind so that they associate something specific and desirable with you that is distinct from everyone else. It is ultimately about getting a conversation started.


Your “why” statement thus becomes your mission, your differentiator; a combination of what you do and the special thing you do that makes it great and or makes you irreplaceable.
Examples of personal taglines
Startup Guru: I create enabling environments (what I do) to shape conversations for a successful Kenyan startup ecosystem (Why I do it).
App Developer: I build job enabling apps (what I do) because I believe mobile internet will be the leading trading platform in five years (why I do it).



 To craft the perfect answer to “Tell me about yourself”, the following steps might help:
  1. Use a personal checklist by jogging your memory about the great things you have done. This puts you in the right frame of mind.
  2. Brainstorm 10 personal taglines that say what you do and why you do it.
  3. Now pick the one tagline that makes you feel the most confident and distinguishes you based on your why.


Finally, as you work on your personal tagline, a number of questions that you need to consider include: -
  1. Does it differentiate you?
  2. Does it amplify your uniqueness?
  3. Is it memorable and motivating?
  4. Is it easy to understand?
  5. Is it difficult to copy?
  6. Is it positioned for long-term success?
I connect startups with their next opportunity, so what do you do?


For those in business, what business are you in, how long have you been operational and where do you operate from? Share your high points and low points and please feel free to put your Facebook page and or website.
 
I want to give wings to five new businesses today. For those that are yet to start, what business is inside you and why haven’t you put your ideas into action?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A letter to a KENYAN ENTREPRENEUR

inShare 1 Dear aspiring entrepreneur, As I stand on this rostrum and address you, I would like our initial interaction to be as truthful as possible as I walk you down the journey of a Kenyan entrepreneur. They said just do it, really? Just do it- what does that even mean? Like a fool I took their advice and did it, followed my heart and plunged into the Kenyan startup scene; armed with a great idea or so I thought, very little advice and a tonne of optimism I became the latest founder cum CEO in the Kenya. With reflection now I have some advice for you future entrepreneurs… Do you know what running a startup means? And what it is like to be a business owner? Let me break it down for you. It is baptism of fire, I equate running a startup to being a mother; like a helpless baby, new business constantly need all your attention so do your customers, employees, product, bills and in some instances the kanjo. So like a good mother before you startup, nurture your “mot...
Post a Comment
Read more

Small Businesses the Shujaas of Kenya's Economy

Let’s celebrate Kenyan entrepreneurial shujaas! I n my opinion the words Serikali Saidia should be banned? Why you ask…These words have blinded the mwananchi to the fact that our fate and solutions lie in the government and politicians- wenyenchi yet as the constitution states- We the people of Kenya are indeed the serikali . It is with this thought in mind that the Business Inside You Startup Expo (@BIY18) seeks to give back the power to the mwananchi through economic empowerment by bringing the entire startup ecosystem to our maiden entrepreneurship event, shape the startup conversation and more importantly bring out and successfully grow the business inside you The third verse of our national anthem affirms this with the words “ Natujengee taifa letu, eeh ndio wajibu wetu …“ It is time tuungane mikono pamoja kazini and take back responsibility of creating the Kenya we want from the wenyenchi . It is in this regard that we want to celebrate those that...
Post a Comment
Read more