Christine Nelson is a veteran writer. She worked as a journalist before joining Ingenuity Marketing as our lead communications consultant and she knows how to write a good hook.

When you’re Googling “how to develop a brand strategy” and you’re wondering what the secret is that will tie all of your brand imagery, logos, colors website and content together… the answer is the writing!

Christine says your tagline should read like a line of poetry. Keep it short and snappy. Your words should move your audience.

You only have a few seconds to reel them in.

If you prefer to read this content, the video transcript is below.

When I’m trying to tell a story in the fewest words possible, I write poetry. You might not think poetry fits with professional services marketing, but it does.

Branding messages and taglines are like poetry. When you think of Nike’s “Just Do It” tagline, it uses the fewest words possible to describe everyday athletes who get themselves up, and work out one more time, one more day, one more mile. It’s an emotional ethic that permeates their products and that’s why it lasts.

When you build your branding messages, don’t settle for words like “quality” and “responsiveness.” Try on different words like “catalyst” or “presence.” When you have just a few seconds to get interest, every word matters. It’s an art.

Bonus! Here is Christine’s favorite poem: “Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carrol:

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

When you’re wondering how to develop a brand strategy and you need the perfect messaging to go with it, we’re here to help. Show your clients why you are the right fit for them in as concise and poetic a form as possible. Contact us to get started, today.