If building a brand is a stage where you've just found yourself or are about to be, it's great. I have collected for you the most important information that will help you make a decision and save you from making costly mistakes.
The right name, like the right marketing strategy, can help you reach your audience before they even discover your products. It can be one of the most valuable assets of your brand, increasing recognition and differentiating you in the market over the years. With it, you can attract the attention of those right, target customers and increase your chances of staying in their spotlight.
The only problem is... it's not that simple.
Isn't it enough to sit down and figure it out? Fact — for those who are almost indifferent to the success of their own business, this is the right way. But if you're really serious about your business (and since you're here, I assume you are!) , you will find some tips useful.
Okay, so what? What should be characterized by the brand name?
Your brand name is a key part of your branding (as is visual identity with your company logo at the forefront) — think of it as your presentation to consumers. A good name will make a great impression and generate sympathy (95% of the decisions we make are due to emotions! (read more on Product is not everything. Why do you need branding? 👉 Go). Bad — it can put a shadow on your business and prevent you from concluding transactions. How to distinguish them? What matters is POWER, that is, whether it is:
1. simple
Do you know the saying “less is more”? No matter how well a fancy name would reflect your brand's unique personality and branding, remember — people still need to be able to pronounce it in order to remember it. If you overmix, you risk losing awareness of the company in the minds of consumers. The brain does not like to get tired.
2. Original
Plagiarism never pays. Copying or trying to emulate existing and thriving brands, will put you either on trial or in the eternal shadow of “the former.” Don't you want to be that T-shirt from the market that proudly embraces “Pumba” instead of “Puma” instead of the company logo?
3. Looking
The name should not only sound interesting, but also look good. Think about how it will be presented as part of an advertisement, a website or even a company logo?
4. Energetic
We like to surround ourselves with what has good energy and makes us feel comfortable — regardless of the industry. Therefore, think about how people will feel when sharing information about your brand with others? Word of mouth is important.
5. Realistic
This is not about a name that stands firm on the ground, but rather a realistic reflection of what your brand really is. The name carries a specific meaning, which should be a coherent reflection of the personality. You will read about exactly what branding is and why it is important here.
Types of names are an important part of advertising. How can they be divided?
Naming specialists have divided brand names into the most common types. What at first glance seems like pure art for art, in fact, greatly facilitates and organizes the process of creation. Which ones will you instinctively push away, and at which your heart will kill you faster?
- Descriptive Describe what you do to your audience — very literally. Like Booking.com or eObuwie.
- Fictional — invented from scratch, distinguished by originality. Like Google or Kodak.
- Metaphors — inspirations from other languages or parts of the world that carry specific associations. Nike chose the Greek goddess of victory, and Ergo Hestia, the home hearth.
- Acronyms — make the name short and simple. Bayerische Motoren Werke is easier to remember as BWM, right?
- Connecting words “FaceBook may not sound the best, but Facebook has already taken over. It is worth looking at combinations of several words from a different perspective.
Creating a name, like creating a logo, has its own process. What does the naming strategy look like?
The best first step you can take towards choosing a name is... a step back. And back to basics. Remember what your mission as a brand is? Who are your customers and what do they need? What is the market you are entering and who are your competitors? If you have not completed this lesson, I invite you to read “Your company — who is it and what does it want? Building a brand.” With my previous article you will find many valuable tips to help you start with a bang and not fall off at the start 👉 Go.
Once you have what your business is and wants in black and white, you can move on to one of the most exciting stages — creation. It is true that there is no single marketing strategy or universal approach in Naming, but there are several useful steps that can help you get started.
Create a word bank
What words will describe your product or service? Will they present the raw materials you use? Do they reflect the problem you are solving? Will they convey the feelings of customers? What are the industry terms related to your business? Or are there historical references as well? A dictionary of synonyms, foreign words and... grammar will work great here. Who knows if a given word changed by chance will not sound much better?
Conduct research
It's a nod to your consumers and your competition. Find out what kind of jargon your industry uses? What are the words used to describe your market rivals? What do you like about them and what you don't? Although the brand name is intended to be timeless and should not be the result of a temporary fashion, it is worth checking what treatments on words are currently carried out on the market. Maybe something will work for you too?
Expand what you have prepared
Let go of the cugle, write and draw everything that comes to mind. Such intense brainstorming is that one moment when quantity counts, not quality — only for a moment. It's about letting ideas flow and not judging anything yet. Invite more people to this stage who understand your brand. Advertising agencies or freelancers, for whom branding is everyday bread, can be of great help here. There are also online name generation tools. However, even though they sound like a fantastic shortcut route, think of them more as a curiosity and brainstorming supplement. The best brand names require an in-depth understanding of your organization and business, and that machines just can't do better than humans.
Delete
By the method of elimination, get rid of what definitely does not suit you. Maybe it doesn't sound right when you say it out loud? Doesn't look like it? Is it complicated, difficult to write or just too similar to another version that you like more? This is a natural process of narrowing the vertebra. It's only natural that some ideas — even if taken out of context are great — just don't fit.
Get down to earth
This is where the swaying in the clouds ends. Make sure that your favorites are no longer occupied by someone (it's hard to break through an already busy domain or social media of another company that has already adopted this name), and then throw them into the translator. For what? To make sure that your future name will not be vulgar or out of place in another language. Who knows if in a few years you will not want to start conquering the international arena?
The name of the company and the building of the brand as a whole. How do you know if what you have chosen is the right one?
The process of creating a brand is very emotionally strong. When, after going through all these stages, you finally feel that this is it! Wait for a burst of euphoria before unchecking all the checkpoints in the list below. This is the ultimate test of your brand name. Walk through it with a cold head. If your perfect name meets the conditions — you did it! All that's left for you is visual identification and logo creation 😉
- Is it attractive and aesthetically pleasing both on screen and in print (take the test)?
- How much does it stand out from the competition?
- What does it matter? Does it carry a message or a call to action?
- Does this message fit with your brand identity?
- Does it arouse in customers the emotions you care about?
- Is it short and easy to remember (this can also be tested, if only on friends)?
- Does it have the right phonetics (does it sound good, is it mild or hard)?
- Does it have a free domain and SEO potential?
- Can it be legally reserved?
- Is it flexible enough to stand the test of time (if you expand your business, for example)?
Internet Marketing — You're Not Alone
A brand name is how you define your business. In the end, no one can choose it for you or tell you which version will be better, but I hope these few tips above will help you in your decision.
However, if somewhere in the middle of this road you have doubts, or you already know that you can not afford such an effort - let me know. Designing the company name and logo is part of the support I offer to clients as part of the Brand Reveal process. If you are interested in building a brand, you can find out more about it here 👉 Go.
