What’s in a name? A lot, when it comes to small-business success. The right name can make your company the talk of the town. The wrong one can doom it to obscurity and failure. Ideally, your name should convey the expertise, value and uniqueness of the product or service you have developed.
Some experts believe that the best names are abstract, a blank slate upon which to create an image. Others think that names should be informative so customers know immediately what your business is. Some believe that coined names (that come from made-up words) are more memorable than names that use real words. Others think they’re forgettable.
In reality, any name can be effective if it’s backed by the appropriate marketing strategy. When thinking about a name think beyond your front door and think about your target audience and what would be appealing and attractive to them. The common trend of using your initials and those of your loved ones can be detrimental to your success especially if it is a hard name to pronounce or spell. Think about the web, how will it sound and spell as a dot com?
When selecting a name consider the message it communicates. Your company name should fit with your business image and should have a positive connotation in written and oral form. E.g. the name “Curl up and Dye” might be a creative name for a hair salon in writing but potential customers may not be very impressed when they call to make an appointment and are greeted by “Curl up and Die” because that is how it sounds orally.
Will the customer’s primary experience with the name be written or oral? Your business may have a cool sounding name, but if customers can’t spell it, they may not be able to find your phone number or web site contact when they are looking for you.
A descriptive business name can help create an image in the mind of your customers. Many of our clients are attracted to us because of our name. Everyone has a passion and most people if they care to admit want to enjoy profit. So the name works for us.
Take time when choosing a name for your business and choose a name that will be memorable and easy to spell. A name that has positive connotation when written in full or abbreviated. Do not forget to think about how it will sound as a website! Will it be too long when it comes to giving out email addresses? Avoid hyphenation and underscore because they are more difficult to share verbally.
