What’s in a name? It can mean all the difference to how others perceive your business. Your name is one of the first things people remember about your business. It’s what they’ll search for when they see an ad, or it’s the username they’ll be looking for when they want to follow your social media accounts. Your name can take your business to a whole new level.
Can you imagine if Lady Gaga was more commonly referred to as Stefani Germanotta instead of Gaga? Her brand just wouldn’t be the same.
Naming your business is like naming your child. It’s permanent (you can always change it but that’s a lengthy process in itself. Plus, if your business and brand is well-loved, it will be harder to rebrand and change your name) and you’ll be living/hearing/using the name for a long time.
Don’t fret – we’ve got some handy tips to help you pick the name of your new baby.
- Type it out and say it out loud – Seeing the name written in paper or typed in a computer can be a powerful step. So is saying it out loud. Is it easy to pronounce? Is it too long that you have to catch your breath when you say it? Ideally you want something short and sweet and easy to pronounce.
- Make it easy to spell – Speaking of easy, make it as easy to remember as possible. That means avoiding colloquial language that’s ‘trendy’ like swapping out letters for numbers. It’s harder to remember ‘flowers4u’ than ‘flowers for you’ if a potential customer is looking for your business online.
- Think about what you want your name to say – Think about the messages you want to convey, the feelings you want to associate with when people hear your name. Does it resonate with what you’re trying to do? Is it clear enough to showcase your vision and what you have to offer?
- Pick a name that has room to grow – by that we mean you never know what the future holds. One day you might decide to branch out to other areas or products and you don’t want to be stuck with a name like ‘Jess’ Dresses’ if you decide to one day venture into activewear too.
- Do a thorough internet search – Settled on a name that you just can’t get out of your head? Look online and see what’s associated with that name first. Use the hashtag search functions in social media sites
Once you’ve got a name that feels like ‘the one’, don’t be afraid to share it with your trusted friends and family. It’s always great to get outside perspective and see what others think. But remember, at the end of the day you are in control of the business and the brand so make sure the name is something you’re happy with.
