First Word

The Daily Cup: Issue 6 ​ Q: How long should a tagline be? A: No more than 3-4 words Our tagline for 3L Publishing ( www.3LPublishing.com ) is "Where 'Write' Meets Light". Professionals often think a tagline is supposed to be a full sentence. In fact, a tagline doesn't have to be a sentence. A great tagline is easily remembered and snappy. The goal is to make it memorable and properly associated with your company, product or service. I wouldn't use a tagline like "Light me up" for a publishing company ... maybe "Light is the Word" but that isn't quite right either. Think of your most memorable taglines. "Go for it" for Nike or the recent "All-Day Breakfast" campaign recently launched by McDonalds. The word association for Nike is shoes help you go for it, or in McDonalds case they are famous for their breakfast. ​But notice those tagline are three words. It's not easy to distill a concept down to...

When I open my presentations, I ask two questions: “How many of you throw away books in the trashcan?” I follow up that question with the next one, “How many of you throw away brochures in the nearest garbage can?” The second question provides the audience’s a-ha moment. Most people feel value when they buy or are given a book. A book has weight. It has pages. It has merit. It conveys the perception of knowledge and expertise and time and money to publish. A feeling of guilt or at least a sense of environmental responsibility overcomes the desire to toss all that time, money, expertise, and most importantly “paper” into the garbage can. On the other hand, how many flyers, tri-fold brochures or one-sheets create such a moral or ethical dilemma that you actually feel guilty to throw it away? I’ll be honest. I’ve thrown away countless brochures. I even curse when someone shoves a flyer under my car windshield wiper because now I have to find a garbage can so I’m not a litterb...

OK, I hear this all of the time. "But that company made it sound so great!" And when it came down to the actual work, not so great! I know some people whose products and services are just garbage, but these same people are masters of hype. They tell you how exciting it is. How great they are. How successful! If you intend to invest in companies like that, here is your best advice for "consumer protection." Don't get sold on hype! Get sold on substance! Here are some tips to help you avoid the hype and find out if it's true. 1. Samples -- If someone has hyped it all up and made it sound all glamorous, look at the truth. What do their products look like? If it's a publisher, what do their products read like? Are they loaded with editorial mistakes and weak information or plot lines? Watch out and make sure that whatever samples, they show that these are really their products. You would be surprised about misrepresentation. Also, in the publishing world,...