Wonderful!
Now, it’s time to move onto the next section.
This might just be the most important part of your storefront!
Your headline is the first thing site visitors will read.
In this section, we’re going to create your header (slogan) and sub-header (value proposition).
Ask yourself…
→ What does your business stand for?
→ What do you want to be known for?
→ What is the one quality that makes your business better than the competition?
→ What strength makes your products uniquely valuable to your customers?
→ How is your messaging different than others in your niche?
→ What does your perfect customer really want?
→ How does your product solve their problem?
→ Why do your existing customers choose your business over your competitors?
→ Is there something unique about the quality and craftsmanship of your products?
→ Is there a specific technique you use that’s not commonly practiced?
→ Are the materials and ingredients you use rare?
→ What are you an expert at?
JOURNALING EXERCISE
Write a list of all your unique qualities.
Think of other brands in your field and create a list of what makes you different.
Don’t compete based on pricing or something that can easily be copied.
(We’re not trying to drive down prices for everyone!)
Just figure out what makes you original, so you have no competition.
(10% off, free shipping, 24/7 customer service, and strong return policy are NOT unique selling propositions)
JOURNALING EXERCISE
Write a list of all the ways you’re different from your competition.
Essentially you’ll be answering…
Unlike [the alternative], I [key differentiator].
Manitobah Mukluks
→ Headline: Thank you for walking with us.
→ Subheadline: The original winter boot of Canada – known by generations as the warmest winter boot in the world. Today we continue the tradition our ancestors started thousands of years ago.
Allbirds
→ Headline: Earth-Friendly. Run-Ready.
→ Subheadline: Synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon work wonders for your workout. But they’re also made from oil. Allbirds is finding more sustainable ways for you to break a sweat.
Bailly
→ Headline: She’s on a roll. And no one can stop her.
→ Subheadline: Brilliance is a roll-on perfume oil for fiercely smart, ambitious, and purposeful women.
Meow Meow Tweet
→ Headline: It’s armpit season.
→ Subheadline: Natural deodorant in compostable or refillable packaging – oh, and it works.
Think of this as your elevator pitch or a very concise “About” section.
Make sure it is clear how you INCORPORATE HEALING into your offerings.
Help customers quickly understand what makes your BRAND DIFFERENT from others on the market.
You should answer…
→ What do you do?
→ Why choose your products?
→ What’s your business’s purpose?
→ What’s unique or special about your offerings?
You should include…
→ What products or services you offer your customers
→ Your offering’s benefit to customers that they can’t get from the competition
→ Who your ideal target customer is
→ What problem you are solving for your customers
→ How you incorporate healing into your products
JOURNALING EXERCISE
Write different versions of your value proposition.
Essentially you’ll be answering…
[my brand] offers [my product or service] for [target market/ideal customer]
to [unique value proposition] and [its benefit].
A slogan (also known as a tagline) is a catchy phrase that summarizes the essence of your brand identity or products in a concise way.
Think of this as a shortened and summarized version of your sub-header.
Your headline needs to…
→ serve as a hook, grab attention, and inspire curiosity
→ be direct, simple to understand, and easy to remember
→ represent and evoke certain emotions associated with your brand
→ indicate what to expect from your products and their benefits
→ communicate what’s unique about your offerings in a succinct way
→ be timeless and able to stand on its own
If you have a logo, think of the words that fit within your logo’s imagery.
Avoid over-promising or using words like “the only”, “the best,” and “No. 1.”
Some linguistic techniques to consider…
→ Metaphors
→ Alliterations
→ Rhymes
→ Try linking your word to a proverb or a well-known expression (for example, “Understanding comes with Time” by Time Magazine).
JOURNALING EXERCISE
Write different variations of your slogan.
Start by creating a list of words or imagery associated with your brand and offerings.
Now let’s make sure your answers are polished, easy to understand, and well-written.
Now let’s make it official!
Make sure it’s clear how you incorporate healing into your offerings.
HEADER (SLOGAN) : Keep it under 10 words.
SUB-HEADER (VALUE PROPOSITION): One or two concise sentences, no more than 30 words.