New Roads is no longer the "prettiest city on the water." At least, not officially. Citizens voted last week to replace the slogan with a new one: "Come for the culture, stay for the sunsets.

But slogan crafting involves more than coming up with a catchysaying. As a mini-vision statement, your slogan should stateexactly why you are special as a business and how you will remainthat way.

The best slogan in the world won't help your business if it's already trademarked. The first place to search for trademarked slogans is the federal government's database, but it shouldn't be the last.