_Five Tips on Getting a Great Business Name
_Naming your company can be hard and time-consuming. Here are a few tips that ought to help you find a great a whole new name for your company:
Company name
1. Take into consideration what you want your company name to convey. Your company name is an important part of the company’s identity. The name can look on your business cards, letterhead, website, promotional materials, products, and many other areas to identify your company or perhaps your company’s products and/or services. Service oriented businesses should think about whether it will be easy for their prospective customers to realize what services the company provides, based on the name with the company (example: Friendly Dog Walkers or Bright Accounting).
Businesses in rural areas and serving rural communities might want to project a smaller, hometown feel using name. However, businesses likely to focus on bigger markets or bigger customers might choose to project a larger, more corporate image using their name.
2. Brainstorm to identify name possibilities. Once you understand what you want your company name to show, you should set aside efforts and brainstorm. Think about words that describe your industry or perhaps the products/services you offer. Think about words that describe your competitors and words that describe the differences between products and services and those of one's competitors. Consider too words that describe some great benefits of using your products or services. Finally, consider words (and phrases) that evoke the emotions you want your customers to feel when they see your company name.
While brainstorming, lookup Greek and Latin translations of one's words - you will probably find new ideas from doing that exercise. Take a look at foreign words too (Swahili is obviously a great choice).
3. Keep the name short, simple, and easy to write and remember. Also - consider acronyms from the name. Think about the names of companies you admire. They typically have a few things in common: their names are short, simple, easy to write and easy to recollect. (Examples: Apple, Google, Virgin, Southwest).
Obscure business names are often difficult to write and much more difficult to remember. This can be a problem because for the majority of new companies, word-of-mouth advertising is the most successful form of marketing. If the customers can’t remember your name or can’t spell it for some individuals, it will make it difficult to allow them to help promote your business.
Whilst it might be tempting, stay away from a “K” in place of a “Q” or possibly a “Ph” in place of an “F” when identifying your company name. Such letter substitutions makes spelling the name very difficult.
Also, don’t forget to take into account the acronym of one's company name (an acronym comprises the first letter of each word in a phrase). You might not use an acronym, however, your customers might make reference to your business by an acronym. An identity such as Apple Support Services can lead to an unfavorable acronym - ASS.
4. Avoid names which can be too narrow or too literal. Think of how your company may evolve as time passes and make sure that the company name can evolve using the business. For example, in the event you name your company iPod Accessories and later on expand to sell accessories for other products, your original name is going to be too narrow and restrictive.
The identical advice applies even when your company sells a market product. For example, let's say you sell antique lamps, you should think of whether you might sell more than lamps in the future. Naming your business Peter’s Antique Furniture may be too limiting when you later start selling antique coins and stamps.
5. Avoid decisions by committee but do “test” your reputation with others. It’s tempting to involve our friends, family, employees and customers in finding a name for our company. Sometimes, this can work out really well. But you can find risks. People could be upset if you don’t look for a name they think is fantastic. You’ll also find yourself trying to find consensus - which can lead to a very plain name. If you must involve others, select a small group of people who understand you and the business (and select a mix of right-brain types and left-brain types to be able to have some variety. Once you’ve selected a couple of possible choices, you ought to share them with a few trusted friends, family and customers to obtain some feedback concerning the name.
Company name
Company name
1. Take into consideration what you want your company name to convey. Your company name is an important part of the company’s identity. The name can look on your business cards, letterhead, website, promotional materials, products, and many other areas to identify your company or perhaps your company’s products and/or services. Service oriented businesses should think about whether it will be easy for their prospective customers to realize what services the company provides, based on the name with the company (example: Friendly Dog Walkers or Bright Accounting).
Businesses in rural areas and serving rural communities might want to project a smaller, hometown feel using name. However, businesses likely to focus on bigger markets or bigger customers might choose to project a larger, more corporate image using their name.
2. Brainstorm to identify name possibilities. Once you understand what you want your company name to show, you should set aside efforts and brainstorm. Think about words that describe your industry or perhaps the products/services you offer. Think about words that describe your competitors and words that describe the differences between products and services and those of one's competitors. Consider too words that describe some great benefits of using your products or services. Finally, consider words (and phrases) that evoke the emotions you want your customers to feel when they see your company name.
While brainstorming, lookup Greek and Latin translations of one's words - you will probably find new ideas from doing that exercise. Take a look at foreign words too (Swahili is obviously a great choice).
3. Keep the name short, simple, and easy to write and remember. Also - consider acronyms from the name. Think about the names of companies you admire. They typically have a few things in common: their names are short, simple, easy to write and easy to recollect. (Examples: Apple, Google, Virgin, Southwest).
Obscure business names are often difficult to write and much more difficult to remember. This can be a problem because for the majority of new companies, word-of-mouth advertising is the most successful form of marketing. If the customers can’t remember your name or can’t spell it for some individuals, it will make it difficult to allow them to help promote your business.
Whilst it might be tempting, stay away from a “K” in place of a “Q” or possibly a “Ph” in place of an “F” when identifying your company name. Such letter substitutions makes spelling the name very difficult.
Also, don’t forget to take into account the acronym of one's company name (an acronym comprises the first letter of each word in a phrase). You might not use an acronym, however, your customers might make reference to your business by an acronym. An identity such as Apple Support Services can lead to an unfavorable acronym - ASS.
4. Avoid names which can be too narrow or too literal. Think of how your company may evolve as time passes and make sure that the company name can evolve using the business. For example, in the event you name your company iPod Accessories and later on expand to sell accessories for other products, your original name is going to be too narrow and restrictive.
The identical advice applies even when your company sells a market product. For example, let's say you sell antique lamps, you should think of whether you might sell more than lamps in the future. Naming your business Peter’s Antique Furniture may be too limiting when you later start selling antique coins and stamps.
5. Avoid decisions by committee but do “test” your reputation with others. It’s tempting to involve our friends, family, employees and customers in finding a name for our company. Sometimes, this can work out really well. But you can find risks. People could be upset if you don’t look for a name they think is fantastic. You’ll also find yourself trying to find consensus - which can lead to a very plain name. If you must involve others, select a small group of people who understand you and the business (and select a mix of right-brain types and left-brain types to be able to have some variety. Once you’ve selected a couple of possible choices, you ought to share them with a few trusted friends, family and customers to obtain some feedback concerning the name.
Company name
