what about that new tagline?

As another ND, I'm tired of NDs being in competition with each other -- is this what you refer to? I like the idea of collaboration - as a former engineer, I'll tell you that although there are arguments between engineers, in the end, there are sturdier solutions as a result. I think NDs (like you and me) could take a page from that book, to make sturdier solutions for our patients.

I've actually always loved that tagline and when it was used as a 'secondary' tagline (to business networking that doesn't suck) I always wished it was switched around :) I like it because it's true, it's positive (collaboration), and it's got the 'clever' Seattle ironic edge ("beats competition"). While I like 'inspired collaboration' -keeping the competition in there makes one think a bit more, and keeps the 'biz' tie in more clear.

I'm with Leif on this, I love that tagline -- it's straightforward and to the point. Sure, it isn't "sexy", but I cannot tell you how many times I have used it when hosting a Biznik event. And people really get the word "competition".

It's funny though to watch faces of people when you say that line. I can always tell that although everyone nods their heads, in their hearts that's not how they really feel.

Thanks for the question, Hannah.

I'm loving this conversation...

The tag line can seem innocuous, but it is on of the first things that people see when they visit your site. So it sets an expectation.

Switching that expectation from "networking" to "collaboration" just feels - to me - like a big positive step. Collaboration seems more active to me, like people are working together toward a common goal. And the Networking aspect of it is important, but it is just one step on the way toward collaboration.

I am interested to hear everyone's comments on this! Semantics are fascinating to me!

I agree on the positive message it relays - Like the group I've been a member of, SECP (Self Employed Creative Professionals) - our motto there is "A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats" - which has pushed me to to rethink my thoughts on "competition"

I really like the new tag line. Networking can be a subset of collaboration but the reverse is not true - collaboration is a much bigger game. Love it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Ride the Amtrak from Bellingham to PDX with Biznik..... http://biznik.com/events/grab-your-business-plan-and-suitcase-bellingham-wa-to-portland-or

I'm in the "doesn't suck!" camp. It seems to me that the purpose of the tagline is to "sell" the service to other potential small businesses. The new tagline makes the service sound much more vanilla, luke warm, touchy-feely.

One of my favorite articles on the site is "Does your home page suck?" I read it because of the headline in spite of the fact that much of what I've read on the subject is the same old "blah, blah, blah"

The whole collaboration v competition sounds like a lot more like business blah blah to me. It wouldn't attract me at all.

Loved the "doesn't suck" simply because it tells it like it is. Collaboration vs. competition reminds me of my Corporate America days and daze...where I need to please most of the people most of the time. Not so good!

I see the merits of "collaboration" over "networking", but "collaboration beats competition" seems an oxymoron, undoing the effect of emphasizing collaboration.

I know this is tagline thing has been on the minds of Biznik for awhile; I'm glad it's not my challenge :-)

It was time for a tweak. It is a good one. I liked the "business networking that doesn't suck" a lot and made good use of it to drive people to this great site. Re branding is very difficult. Tweaking a brand can be dangerous in the fact that you will lose some but the gain??? Hopefully, this will reach an even greater population base. And I am sure you could even substitute other social websites for the word competition when talking to your friends.

Another thought-log to throw onto the fire of our discusson: We have always emphasized that Biznik is not a place to sell, rather, it is a place to find collaborators, to learn, to meet and create with other small business owners.

The word "Networking" has kind of been co-opted by the pushy sales crowd, who seem to feel that networking events are the place to push your product/service on a bunch of new people. In this crowd there seems to be a lot of talking and very little listening.

But when you flip the idea of "networking" to "collaboration", then the pushy sales crowd hopefully moves on, and the people who want to converse, solve problems, work together, and learn from each other, can get back to their pleasant and productive conversation.

Does "Collaboration Beats Competition" invite a different group of people to participate in a different way than the "Business networking that doesn't suck" or "Radical self-promotion" tag lines?

We shall see...

Okay, a littler late to the party here. I don't like "doesn't suck" because it says what Biznik is NOT, but not what it is. And it doesn't give me a picture. It's not specific.

I like "collaboration over competition" because it tells how unique Biznik is, how it is different. It's that coming together and supporting each other concept.

And I guess I think that "sucks" has become as much a cliche as, say, "killer." (As in killer copy, killer websites, etc.

Ok I am so weighing in here!

I love the Doesn't Suck tagline over the Collaboration.... Why? Because it's inventive and creative and says the simple truth of what is created here. While we do collaborate - I feel it's the trendy word for the month/year and that it too will get old.

So, the question on the table (thanks Christian) is Does the New Tagline Invite a New Audience to the playground. To me it does the opposite of what the goal seems to be - it promotes competition simply by putting it out there in the wording. It promotes the idea that we collaborate first and that some how will overrun the selling and the competition. However, by inviting it into the conversation you bring attention to it and I am not sure that is what you really want to do.

When I attend and host events - i am there to contribute first and to connect second. period. I have not gone with the expectation of selling anything. It's not my goal. And, I know that there are people who do. That is for them and I can choose to engage or not. It's not competition then, it's connection and conversation which leads to collaboration.

And honestly, the tagline isn't going to keep out the riff raft. the people are who are networking to build connection to community so that we can collaborate and create really cool things will prevail. The sales folks hit the road in pretty short order when our primary position is to contribute.

(Whew, guess I had an opinion on that one!)