Six things to do when naming your brand
It only takes 1/10th of a second to form a first impression of someone, and this is the same with branding!
Add to this: studies have shown that 77% of consumers make purchases on the basis of a brand name and Only 18% said they would look upon a brand name change positively.
This is why getting your name right, and first time- can really make the difference when starting a new business.
Here are six things to take into consideration when naming your brand.
1. Make sure your name conveys some kind of meaning.
You want your name to resonate with your target audience so you will need to think about what it is that you want to convey to them about you and your brand. Write down some statements about your business.
Here are some examples to get you started:
Are you selling your personality as well as your product or service? Or you a larger business?
Are you trying to stand out from your competition? If so, what do you want to stand out for?
Is your product/ service selling a dream to your customers?
Are you a high end/ Luxury or an everyday product/ Service?
2. Don’t pick a name that could be limiting as your business grows.
This is an important thing to consider even if you don’t think you will change your business model any time soon.
For Example: You are a bakery who specialises in making cupcakes.
You call your business “cupcake bake”
One year down the line you realise there is a high demand for birthday cakes and lunch options in the area, but your name prevents you from growing the business.
3. Avoid hard-to-spell names.
Imagine having to spell out your business name- sometimes even twice- to the same person to every person who wants to google you or send you an email!
Then imagine being the person googling your business… This is why!
4. Brainstorm.
Here are some helpful sites that can help you brainstorm names:
VisualThesaurus.com (gives you a visual around a keyword)
Shopify Business Name Generator (generates business name ideas and checks domain availability simultaneously)
NameMesh.com (provides a startup company name generator)
Naminum.com (allows you to generate names based on a theme)
Alternatively, just get some paper/ post it notes and a sharpie and have some fun with it.
5. Conduct a thorough Internet search.
This is to ensure a few things:
Check that it doesn’t already exist. This may not always be possible but it is good to see what is out there and make sure you aren’t copying any of your competitors.
Make sure there is not a well-established company using the same name. This will prevent you getting lost in their content when your customers are trying to find you.
Check your name isn’t a slang term for anything else that might be offensive to people.
6. Get feedback on the name.
Come up with 2 to 3 names and then run them by friends/ family members, and colleagues. If possible it would be great to get feedback from your target audience as well.
Try and get reasons for their answers so you have an insight into why they prefer it.