Three formulas, three lines
Every tagline below was written for Saathi, which makes livelihood training for rural women. Try all three formulas for your own startup, then keep the strongest.
What the customer gets, in a few words.
4 words
What you do that the usual option does not.
6 words
A short commitment you keep every time.
5 words
The competitor swap test
Put a competitor's name in front of your line. If it still makes sense, it is not yours yet.
Any social impact company could say this.
Also weak: “Making a difference”
Specific to what Saathi does, so a competitor could not borrow it without changing their product.
See it with the logo
A tagline lives under or beside the logo, never inside it. Here is Saathi's line on light, dark and on the annual report cover.
Check it before you print it
Charity brands default to pale greens and blues, which can feel distant. Your tagline is where you say the opposite out loud.
Questions
What makes a good tagline for a social impact startup?
It says something only you can say, in three to seven words. For example: "Skills today. Income tomorrow."
What is the competitor swap test?
Put a competitor's name in front of your tagline. If it still works, your tagline is too generic.
Should a tagline go in my logo?
Keep it as a separate line under or beside the logo, so the logo still works on its own at small sizes.
Can Astitva write my tagline?
Astitva writes your positioning and tone of voice from a short brief, so the tagline, logo and deck all say the same thing. New accounts get 50 free credits.
Start with positioning, the tagline follows
Astitva writes your positioning and tone of voice from a short brief, so your tagline, logo and pitch deck all say the same thing.
Start free with 50 credits