Jillian Michaels' Tagline

I'm sure you're familiar with the television show "The Biggest Loser". Not just a show, but a mega-brand in its own right with a huge website community that has fueled a very successful line of exercise equipment and videos and related products. Tremendous success with a real following.

And a few spin offs like trainer Jillian Michaels, who then had her own show and then a web-based business. Just like she does for her contestants, she will personally help you lose weight. Her website is filled with her "products" like a weight loss plan, work out videos, an app, a multi-city challenge ... the list goes on and on.

Now these two "brands" have not been without their controversy, but I'm not commenting on that portion.

But I am impressed with her tagline: "America's Toughest Trainer" - coming directly from her personality as a tough-ass motivator on the tv show. She created an ownable way to brand herself, and she is consistently using it in her marketing materials. It got me thinking ...

The branding is pretty cool, actually, tagline and all. How may other people in her category have we seen do that? It's almost like it's her "elevator pitch" - you know, the words you would use to describe yourself (or your brand) to someone as you ride up the elevator. It got me thinking ...

We should all have a tagline, an elevator pitch. A way we would describe our brand, our essence, and what we offer to people. A way to serve ourselves up in a flash, rather than going on and on about our accomplishments. A personal tagline that people will remember us by.

It's a fundamental of branding, so why not for personal branding as well. It's working quite well for Jillian Michaels, why not for people in other professions. So tell me ....

What's your elevator pitch ... what's your experience? Jim.