Taglines: Short, Sharp, True — Guide #2

Taglines: Short, Sharp, True — Guide #2. We’ll turn instincts into a system you can run every week.

Voice is the personality; tone is the mood. Document both or drift wins.

Steps

1. Document decisions in one page — People use what they can read in two minutes.
2. State the promise in plain words — Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later.
3. Define the audience and their stakes — Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices.
4. List three proof points — Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust.

Why this matters: People use what they can read in two minutes. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.

Why this matters: Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.

Why this matters: Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.

Why this matters: Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.

Toolkit

• Voice ladder — From formal to playful with examples for each channel.
• Palette tokens — CSS variables / design tokens for color and spacing across apps.
• Positioning line — For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof].
• Messaging blocks — Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections.

How to use it: From formal to playful with examples for each channel. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.

How to use it: CSS variables / design tokens for color and spacing across apps. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.

How to use it: For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof]. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.

How to use it: Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.

Example

A fintech tightened palette tokens and shipping velocity rose because designers stopped re‑deciding shades.

Common Pitfalls & Fixes

• Guides nobody reads — One page first. Depth later. Adoption beats length.
• Logo first — Write positioning before pixels; a logo is a receipt for choices.
• Feature soup — Group features by outcomes buyers feel; features support, outcomes sell.
• Collecting adjectives — Translate adjectives into constraints (type size, palette count, tone limits).

Related Articles

• Website IA for SaaS Brands
• Story Structures That Sell — Field Notes #2
• Finding Your Brand Voice — Case Files #2
• A Visual Identity You Can Scale

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