Why Your Business Needs a One-Liner
We help businesses create one-liners. One-liners are included in our Messaging projects, along with a clear brand story (i.e., in StoryBrand terms this is called a StoryBrand BrandScript). I’m a StoryBrand Certified Guide, which simply means I’ve been trained in the StoryBrand Framework to help businesses create clear compelling messages. An impactful one-liner is one of the key elements of a brand message that every business needs. Additionally, it serves as the first step of a sales funnel.
We often get questions about one-liners:
What is a one-liner?
Why is it important?
What does a one-liner look like?
So we wrote this blog to answer those questions and explain why your business needs a one-liner.
1. What is a one-liner?
Lots of people struggle to succinctly respond to the question — "What do you do?" A one-liner is a brief one to three sentence statement that quickly and clearly helps you answer this question confidently. It’s essentially your elevator pitch. You can (and should) use it in written form anywhere you talk about your business and in conversations too!
The key to creating a good one-liner is that it must include three parts:
The problem you solve
The solution you provide
The desired results you help your customers achieve
The catch is, most people fail to talk about the problem first. This is a missed opportunity because talking about the problem first opens a story loop in our brains – aka: our brains want closure, so naturally we want to know what the solution is to the problem. This isn’t just a sales tactic. Every single business exists to solve some sort of problem, otherwise it wouldn’t exist. So by leading with the problem you solve, you’re better informing people about what you do and why you do it.
*Please Note: There is no perfect one-liner. Just like there is no perfect movie or book. It should and can be great! But there are likely several great stories that could be told about your company. Your job is to pick one that resonates with you and your customers and that stakes a territory in your customers minds' with how you can help them.
2. Why is it important?
We’re all faced with hundreds of ads and messages a day, so the last thing you want to do is make your potential customer use too many calories to understand what you do and how you can make their life better. A one-liner is important because it equips you with a short, clear, and compelling way to communicate what you do and why it matters. Clear is kind. We like to say you should write the way you would want to read it and say it the way you would want to hear it. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes — the person who will hear the one-liner. Is it clear? Is it easy to follow? Is it compelling? That’s what you would want to hear.
There are several common mistakes people make when answering the question: What do you do?
They ramble
This makes your potential customer’s eyes glaze over. You lose them because you’ve made them use too many calories to follow along (a.k.a. – you are being boring). 😬
They only say the solution (i.e. - I’m a designer, I’m a plumber, I’m a therapist, etc.)
If you want to be put in a box, this is what you say. Your conversation with a potential client falls flat. It goes nowhere because people have their own preconceived ideas about these “professions or titles.” And when it comes to your website, people viewing it aren’t captured by YOUR brand because your website feels like “just another one of those XYZ businesses”.
They make themself the hero (instead of their customer)
It’s easy for people to talk about themselves, but to be blunt – your customers don’t care. They aren’t coming to you because your grandpa started the business 50 years ago, etc. etc. etc. They are coming to you because you have a solution to a problem they have. You want to position yourself as the GUIDE to help them solve their problem. Your customer should be the hero.
They try to be too clever
Often people sacrifice clarity for the sake of trying to be clever or unique or creative. Cleverness and creativity are great – but not when you lose clarity. Clarity wins everytime. If people don’t understand what you do or they’re confused, they won’t buy. They’ll move on and buy from someone else that’s more clear.
They blindly struggle with the “curse of knowledge”
The “curse of knowledge”, as explained by MIT Management Sloan School in this article, happens when: “Experts in a given domain often have a hard time communicating with nonexperts. They dive into the weeds; they ignore context; they talk over heads and beyond interest.” So without realizing it, you may be talking around or above your customers knowledge and interest in your product or service.
Your one-liner should be like your favorite musician’s hit song, played at every concert. They’re probably tired of singing it for the billionth time, but it’s the song everyone wants to hear. It’s the song everyone knows and can sing along to. Your one-liner should be like that for your business – everyone knows it and can repeat it.
Clarity wins every. single. time. You want to be known for one thing in people’s brains. Your one-liner helps you do just that.
3. What does a one-liner look like?
Remember, a one-liner has three parts that you want to use in the following order.
One-Liner = Problem + Solution + Results
Here is Hoffbeck + Co’s one-liner, which you can also always find in the footer of our website. (TIP: This is a great place to put your one-liner!):
Hoffbeck + Co
Lots of businesses miss opportunities to grow because they're playing it safe. At Hoffbeck + Co, we help businesses disrupt their industries so they make more money and help more people.
Here are a few one-liners we've written for some of our rad clients:
Non-profit
Most women coming out of incarceration feel hopeless. At (client’s name), we provide a safe home and caring support system for women in crisis so they can heal from deeply rooted trauma.
Construction Company
No corners should be cut when building or renovating a home. Precision matters. At (client’s name), we build hand-crafted homes and use the highest quality materials so people enjoy where they live and know their home will last.
Executive Coach
Many high-performing people underestimate what they are capable of. (Client’s name) is an executive coach that helps people accelerate their growth so they reach their full potential and make a greater impact.
Additionally, here are some general one-liners that could fit for certain trades that serve as great examples for how to concoct a one-liner:
Lawn Care Company
Lots of people hate doing yard work. At Acme Lawn Care, we keep your lawn and garden looking immaculate, so you don’t have to think about it – just enjoy it.
Plumber
When people DIY their plumbing, it usually ends up in a wet, dirty mess. At Acme Plumbing, we handle all residential plumbing needs so you can have confidence your home is safe and well-maintained.
Mattress Company
Too often people are sleeping on old (even unsanitary) mattresses that are causing back pain and health problems. Acme Mattress Co. mattresses will transform your sleep so you can get back to your best, rested self.
Your business needs a one-liner. Check out our Messaging options HERE to see how we can help you craft a one-liner and a BrandScript to help you better communicate about your business and what you do.
More soon,
Mahla Hoffbeck
Consultant + Partner
P.S.
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