I'm always hesitant when I get the request, "We need a tagline." Maybe because, too many times, I've seen companies believe a tagline will serve as a panacea.

It's too easy to create meaningless taglines. You know the kind. They don't really say anything. They don't really mean anything. They are usually clever words that end up feeling kind of disposable.

Believe it or not, these are not the worst kind of taglines. The worst are those that seem adequate. They may describe who the company is. Or what the company does.

Taglines like these can be worse than not having one at all. It gives you a false sense that you've captured the essence of the company in a way that will mean something to your prospects and differentiate you from the competition.

You don't need a tagline. You need a brand expression.

A brand expression looks like a tagline.  You'll find it sitting there below the logo.  The difference between it and a tagline is that a brand expression goes beyond who you are and what you do. It gives you the opportunity to encapsulate your story.

Do that and you tap into hopes and aspirations of prospects. You create the potential to turn customers into evangelists. In short, you give people a reason to care.