Does your auto trim shop have a slogan? If not, maybe it should. According to Business News Daily, “[I]f there’s a lot of competition in your market, a good slogan could be the thing that separates you from the competition.” It helps build brand awareness and communicates what you’re all about.
Many of our industry suppliers already use slogans. It’s mostly independent auto trim shops that don’t. So let’s use the comments section of this blog post to share our slogans, as well as some of the best ones we’ve heard.
Industry Slogans
Our suppliers’ slogans range from the boring to the catchy and creative.
SMS Auto Fabrics, for instance, claims to be: “An Unmatched Auto Upholstery Inventor”.
While that may be true, their slogan is boring and lacks character. And to me, at least, isn’t memorable at all.
Katzkin leathers, on the other hand, encourages its customers to “Express. Transform. Drive.”
That sounds exciting; and makes me wonder how a Katzkin cover can transform my car’s interior to something spectacular.
However, my favorite slogan comes from Electron Tops. They proudly state “Our Reputation is Tops…”
It’s funny, catchy and straight to the point. What more could you ask for in a slogan?
Effective Slogans
The best slogans are those that clearly communicate what you do in a way that people will remember.
According to Tom Fauls, Associate Professor of Advertising at Boston University’s College of Communication: “Your slogan should express to people why they should care about your business. While memorable and clever slogans are good, they are not effective if they are not relevant to what you do.”
Fauls believes that the trick to creating a good slogan is to pinpoint what makes your business special and communicate that message in a clear and simple way.
Your input: Does your auto trim shop have a slogan? If so, share it with us in the comments section below. If you don’t have one, maybe you’ve heard one that’s really great (or horrible). Share that too. We can learn from each other’s successes and mistakes.
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I’ll start it off. “We got it covered!” would be a great slogan for a trim shop that specializes in seat covers. It’s clever and straight to the point.
Also, “Take your top off!” might be good for a trim shop that specializes in convertible tops. The dual connotation it carries may help it stick in peoples’ heads.
“Our tarps are tops!”
“Shade is Our trade!”
“Custom interiors don’t come in a box!”
Great ones Peppy! George – I think I’m going to start using that in sales pitches haha.
Some funny and clever ones I’ve read in the Upholster.com forum:
PDQ: “McDonalds has ‘I’m Lovin It’, Nike ‘Just do it’ etc… So I’m thinking of having ‘We’ll stitch you up in no time.’ What do you think?”
Mojo: “We will cover you” – or – “Gotcha Covered” – or – “Quality, one stitch at a time” – or – “Seating you in style”
PDQ: “A cut above the rest.”
byhammerandhand: “Plumber’s motto: ‘Our business is going down the drain.’ … How about ‘Our Sewers are the Best!’
kodydog: “When we first started out we used, ‘Shocked by the high price of new furniture? We’ll help you recover.’ This doesn’t work anymore as our prices have gone up faster than new furniture prices have.”
Mike8560: “Saw a septic truck. It said we want your stinkin’ business.”
RiCat: “I did a job for a lady in my area that does embroidery – and I liked her company slogan: ‘Again, Sew What’ ”
Sofadoc: “Besides ‘Don’t be a grouch, I’ll fix your couch’, I also came up with such brainchilds as: ‘Do not despair- I’ll also do your chair!’ [and] ‘Don’t be a whiner- I’ll recover your recliner!’ But my favorite is: ‘If value is what you gofa- Let me do your sofa!’ I can’t believe that Madison Avenue hasn’t snapped me up yet.”
jojo: “When I lived in CA, there was an auto repair place called Visalia Radiators – the best place in town to take a leak.”
jsquail: “We’ll keep you in stitches!” and “Going the distance, one stitch at a time”
gene: “I can not think of a clever ditty, but at least my work ain’t shitty.”
needles eye: “y’all got any outstanding work for an outstanding upholsterer?”
SHHR: “The one I use that’s on my logo is ‘unique is what we seek, bizarre is what we are.’
Ours is WE COVER IT ALL
What ever you do, two suggestions:
* Make sure you are not infringing upon a trademark. Nothing worse than spending money on a motto (cards, signs, etc.) and having McCorporation breathing down your neck.
* Proper spelling and grammar are important, unless you’re being sarcastic. One of my favorites is “America’s Got Talent” Just wrong, as the contraction would be “America Has Got Talent” I can see my fourth grade teacher scolding Jerry Burns right now.
Great advice Keith. I see that apostrophe mistake so often… too funny.
For years we have put “Sew What?” on the front of our T-shirts and hoodies. The back has our logo, number and info. I get so many looks and raised eyebrows from people reading me as I walk towards them, and they always look to the back to find out what the heck I mean.
My new hoodies are red with white type (very bright compared to my last batch of t-shirts which were bright green lettering on light gray shirts and they are kind of hard to make out). We were at a St. Louis Cardinals players Caravan a few weekends ago. EVERYONE had on red and white clothing. I walked by a guy who actually stopped me to ask what I meant with “Sew what?” He thought it was Cardinals related. I showed him the back and told him I own this company, the Cardinals don’t pay me enough to put their name on my clothing. I bet my shirt was the only one that got questioned that day.
That’s great stitcher_guy – people sometimes underestimate the effectiveness of company swag.
Naseem had the backs of a bunch of company jackets embroidered with his shop’s name and logo – high quality and very colorful. He gets stopped everywhere. Not just at car shows, but at the mall, out grocery shopping, etc.
Perhaps this should be the subject of another post? The effectiveness of company swag.
Thanks for reading The Hog Ring!
I’ve got “Quality isn’t expensive, it’s PRICELESS” on my business cards.
I just thought of another to add to it….”I don’t want to be the cheapest, just the BEST!”
Great additions Bobby! I just heard a new one the other day:
“If we please you, tell others. If we don’t, tell us.”
Though I imagine that’s probably a better sign to hang up in the office than something to put on a business card.
weve had the same slogan on our business cards since 1975 “the recollection of quality remains long after price is forgotten” works for us leo
we have a couple “something out of nothing” “perfection is the only option”
We do the impossible every day.miracles take slightly longer…
Worked at a trim shop years ago that had the shops name on the front.And on the back it had a pair of winking ladies eyes (only) and printed under the eyes Try me and see…The wife hated it and didn’t want me to wear it.P.S Now she is my EX-WIFE..
My Slogan I say time to time “I’m not the best! But, I’m dang sure not the worst!”
If you’re not the best, you sure are up there with them!
“Some companies sit on their seats, but we STAND BEHIND ours!” – works for a warranty slogan.
A friend of mine came up with it, now its on all my business cards “You Rip’em, I Stitch’em”
Our Front sign and cards read ” Its what’s on the inside that matters” We have been working on our branding over the last few years and they say that we should all have a TAG line that sticks into someones head when they think of our service!
Great web site, very interesting, diverse and informative.
My slogan is; “We cover everything”
Since they call interiors guts around here, my slogan was “We hate your guts”
“From Airplanes to Zambonies,” we do ’em all
From EDs Auto Upholstery
Austin Tx
“We keep your car in stiches”
With a car laughing with tears coming from headlights
BRAGGS upholstery = “quality to BRAGG about”
“Because it’s what’s on the inside that counts”
if your auto is not becoming to you then you ought to be coming to us
if your auto is not becoming to you then you auto be coming to us
We say “Sewn to be shown”
Creative names are almost a requirement, these days. I am manly a marine upholsterer, do a few cars couple times a year, mainly pre 1930. . My name of my Company and slogan are the same. I don’t advertise word of mouth and appt only. .
Uph Yoars
Marine Restoration
Vintage Car Top Fabrication
CTM Auto Upholstery
Vision. Design. Craftsmanship
is ours 🙂
Here is my slogan
“Live in a luxury”
Our slogan for almost 27 years is
“Don’t Worry., We can save your hide”!!
We have been doing custom refinishing, panel replacements, and full interior restorations, Top to bottom. And now large tractor trailer customizations.
off the upholstery subject …but I always thought was funny …septic tank pumping company .”..We are #1 in #2″