Know-How Exchange : Taglines/Names

Yes, you're absolutely right, mgoodman, thanks for your expertise and the excellent reminder.

I wonder if the name of my business actually needs to be 'Flying Changes Equestrian Business Coaching' so that it does immediately say what I do, and then the tagline can offer the benefit?

To answer your question, the benefits of my services include:

+ Increased profit;
+ Renewed passion;
+ The ability to work with your horses rather than working for your horses;
+ Go from hobby to income generator;
+ Clear future;
+ Healthy business, healthy horses.

I'm not quite sure which of the above is the clincher but I will give it some more thought. I would also love ideas for wording the above in a more engaging way.

Thanks PhilGrisolia4Results, your post must have come while I was responding to the former.

I most certainly understand where you are coming from, but as I've become quite attached to my business name, I'll need to process it further before responding. I think this is one of those things I will ponder overnight.

Thank you so much for all your comments. This has been my first contact with this website and now I’m hooked! You’ve all challenged me to look at my business in a different way and I’m appreciative for your time and insights.

Phil: Yes, while I was replying to you initially, I was expecting you to question the validity of my attachment to the business name. To me, while my expertise is certainly a feature of the business, I would like to see it as being bigger than me. While your suggestion of “& Associates” could fit this mould, perhaps I just don’t think I have the ego for it? In addition, I want to LOVE my brand, and I want my staff and clients to feel the same. No, the words “Flying Changes” do not give any clues as to what I do, but they are recognisable to my target market as associated with horses. I think you called the name “cutsie” earlier – this is not necessarily an unappealing concept to my target market of predominately female equine lovers. They like pretty things and they’re generally pretty intimidated when it comes to business jargon. Then there are the marketing tools I will use to promote my business, such as saddle blankets for sponsored riders. The name, as well as the colours I choose for my branding, will be a factor here.

Which brings me to Monmark Group: I think you are spot on that the services I am providing equate more to business development. The reason I chose “coaching’’ was twofold. Firstly, I saw the word “coach” as being more approachable to my clients. All equestriennes have a riding coach and so it’s not such a stretch to suggest they also require a business coach. However, drop in “business development consultant” and all of a sudden they feel they are in unchartered waters. The second reason is because the key service I will be offering is a program whereby I guide my clients through exercises to explore all facets of their business. I do like your approach and tagline, and it has given me even more to consider.

Jay: Your suggestions are clever. They’ve helped me think more deeply about exactly why my clients will engage me, and how they will come to that decision. I’ve realised that my target market will not necessarily recognise that they need a business coach/consultant until they see the success others are having. The Australian horse industry is a small one, and it’s gossipy and competitive. It’s gong to be a case of businesses noticing others who are importing more horses, or having more riders in the Top 10, or gracing more expensive saddlery, and then saying, “how do I get some of that?”

I also keep coming back to the “healthy business, sustainable industry, happy horses” as important to my brand. My clients want healthy businesses and happy horses, my government stakeholders want a sustainable industry that is ecologically engaged.

Thank you all again. Your comments are not falling on deaf ears and further critique and suggestions are welcomed.

I happen to think that "Flying Change" is a great name (and no, I don´t ride) but what I think is irrelevant. Important is for you to believe in it. Arnold Schwarzenegger faced tremendous pressure to change his name when he started doing Hollywood movies. Americans can´t pronounce it. And if you happen to know German, the meaning "black plow" doesn´t help much either.

Arnold liked his name, said his performance would make it stand out, refused to bow to pressure -- and never looked back. Furthermore, I think "Flying Changes" would lend itself well to a logo, perhaps with a horse (but nothing too cute). I conclude with some "information" referrals (none of whom have I had the chance to meet personally):

If you wanted some professional copywriting ideas, one website to have a look at is www.iainweatherby.co.uk/ I make the suggestion not only because I am always impressed with a 1st from Cambridge (perhaps overly so), but because he is a copywriter wth a strong "image/illustration" orientation, a combination I find useful.

As far as "coaching" is concerned, given your industry, I think you are better off as a coach than a management consultant. For ideas both on presenting and marketing your business, take a look at Sean D´Souza´s www.psychotactics.com Originally educated as an accountant, he worked as a copywriter and cartoonist, moved from India to New Zealand via Australia, and never looked back.

As far as the hard core selling of your professional services is concerned, I have two recommendations. The first is Jeffrey Gitomer´s "Sales Bible, New Edition," generally considered the best of his string of bestselling sales books. He is a leading sales trainer in the U.S., author of the free weekly E-Zine "Sales Caffeine." He is adamant that one should have one´s own free E-Zine, providing information to the target market, on the basis of "First, provide value."

The second recommendation is "Seal the Deal" by Suzi Pomerantz. Usually networking, marketing and sales are treated as subjects in of themselves in the popular business books. She does an excellent job of bringing them together, showing how they inter-relate and build on one another. The book takes a group of executive coaches through the steps they need to take to develop their businesses. Unfortunately, these are all "soft" (psychologically oriented) coaches, as opposed to your business coaching. But the system still applies.

Hope the above proves useful. Regards, James Hamilton

Much appreciated, J. Hamilton. I'm off to peruse those links now.

Thanks Randall, I'm grateful that I haven't come across as unappreciative for the excellent advice.

If nobody has anything additional to contribute today, I'll close this question.