| Your Nonprofit's Name Alone Isn't Enough | | | | - "Change Your Life for Good" - City University of |
| You've got to explain in a few words what your | | | | New York This tagline promises that you'll transform |
| nonprofit does, and why it's valuable. That's the job | | | | your life, and luck, through enrolling at CUNY. Who |
| of the tagline. | | | | wouldn't want to know more? |
| Many organizations expect their names to broadcast | | | | - "Finding the ways that work"- Environmental |
| what it is they do. Trouble is, it just doesn't happen | | | | Defense Environmental Defense's name couldn't be |
| that way very often. One reason why is that many | | | | any clearer. So they crafted a tagline that conveys |
| nonprofit names sound alike. Another is that | | | | what's unique about how they do it - innovation and |
| audiences frequently confuse the work of | | | | persistence. |
| organizations focused on the same issues - think | | | | |
| Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. | | | | Taglines that Don't Work |
| Where Your Tagline Fits In | | | | You can also learn a lot from taglines that fall flat: |
| The tagline is one of the four vital components of | | | | - "Defending Human Rights Worldwide" - Human |
| your branding portfolio, along with your nonprofit's | | | | Rights Watch Don't waste your tagline text repeating |
| logo, overall graphic look and feel, and positioning | | | | what's in your name (figuratively or literally, as in this |
| statement. Take a look at my article "4 Steps to | | | | example). Unfortunately, this tagline tells us nothing |
| Creating a Strong Nonprofit Brand" for more info. | | | | more than the name does. Remember...your tagline is |
| Remember that the tagline should be such a natural | | | | a terrible thing to waste. |
| outgrowth of your organization's positioning | | | | Six Keys to a Powerful Tagline |
| statement (the one or two sentences you'd use to | | | | |
| reply to someone asking what the organization does) | | | | 1. Examine other organizations' (especially your |
| so that the two are inextricably linked. A great tagline | | | | competitors') taglines to see what makes them work. |
| differentiates you from your competitors while | | | | Then apply that learning to the creation of your |
| expressing your organization's personality and adding | | | | tagline. |
| consistency to your marketing and communications. | | | | 2. Your tagline must be simple, concise, clear, |
| The bonus? Your tagline will help to align internal | | | | understandable and convey your marketing message. |
| understanding of your organization's direction and | | | | 3. Make sure your tagline can be understood by a |
| goals. | | | | multi-cultural or international audience, if you have |
| But beware communicators. The absence of a tagline | | | | one. Cultural differences are critical here. |
| - or the use of an ineffective one - will put your | | | | 4. Include words or phrases that connect with your |
| nonprofit at a competitive disadvantage in funding, | | | | logo, if possible. Example: Own a piece of the rock |
| building your staff and volunteer base, and increasing | | | | for Prudential Insurance, which has a rock logo. |
| use of your programs and products. | | | | 5. Use active verbs. As always, they'll engage your |
| Some Great Nonprofit Examples | | | | audiences. |
| Here are a couple of high-impact nonprofit taglines: | | | | |