When creating a startup, one of the most crucial decisions is choosing an appropriate brand name. Since this will be your company’s digital avatar, you need to take time and do thorough research on the perfect name. It should capture your target audience’s attention and remain relevant.
With so many businesses sprouting up with unique names every day, it can take time to come up with a catchy name that stands out from the rest.
I know how difficult it is for some of us to find the perfect name for your brand. But don’t get disheartened! Here are my top 10 tips for choosing a brand name that will work for you and your business:
1 – Define Your Target Audience
Understanding your audience is one of the most important aspects of naming your brand. When naming your brand, you must keep your target market and audience in mind. This will help you narrow your naming options quickly and make the naming process much more manageable.
Make sure you understand the demographics of your target audience, their psychographics (attitudes, interests, and behaviors), and what they’re looking for in a product or service. Several ways to gain insight into your audience include:
- (1) Analyzing your competition – What are their target audiences? What are their brands like? What are the similarities?
- (2) Conducting surveys – Ask your audience about your product or service. Why do they buy from you? What do they like about you? What parts of your branding do they want?
- (3) Choosing your niche – Choose a product or service that is specific and targeted. Narrowing down your niche will help to focus your business.
2 – Don’t Be Afraid to Be Unique
Many naming conventions can help you pick the perfect brand name for your business. However, keep these conventions from dictating to you how the name of your business should be.
Remember, you want to stand out and shine from the rest of the crowd! You want to make your business memorable by being unique and special.
3 – Find Out What Your Competitors Are Doing
Name generators can be a great place to start when naming your brand. These generators make it easy to find inspiration for your naming convention by picking from a broad range of options. However, it is essential to note that you should never name your business after one of your competitors.
There are many aspects to consider when naming your brands, such as your company’s strategy and the type of company you are. To help you decide, ask yourself questions such as:
- Why is your company in business?
- What do your products or services entail?
- Are you a B2B or B2C business?
- What is your company’s mission, culture, purpose, promise, and vision?
- What is your company’s target audience?
- Is your company global or local?
4 – Make Sure It’s Available
The name you’ve chosen for your brand must be available both as a domain and a trademark. Before officially registering your business, thoroughly search for a brand name known on the internet.
You can do this by searching for your preferred name on social media. Aside from that, check on your local business registry bureau. If you thought of a word or monicker, there’s a good chance another might have thought of it, too. See how similar or different other businesses are with your name. Make sure the brand name you’re aiming for is available for your exclusive use.
5 – Be Short and Sweet
Keeping your naming convention short and sweet will help you to be memorable and easy to spell. You want your customers to easily recall your company name, product name, and tagline.
Keep your naming convention to 8 words or less. Your naming convention should be easy to remember and include the most important things about your company. When deciding on a name, ask yourself these questions:
- Does it provide value?
- Does it stand out?
- Does it communicate your business clearly?
- Is it memorable?
- Is it easy to pronounce and spell?
6 – Be Relevant to Your Product or Service
When naming your product or service, you will want to make sure that the name is relevant and that it can be expanded to other products in the future. Your product or service name will often be used in marketing campaigns, branding, and social media.
When naming your product or service, ask yourself: What do my products do? What does my service provide? What are my products made from? – What are the benefits of my products? What problem does my product solve? What are the features of my product?
7 – Be Dynamic and Have Flexibility
If you plan on expanding your business in the future, you want to ensure that your name has flexibility. Aside from that, it should be easy to repurpose and use in various ways. It should withstand changes in your company. What would you do if you were to name your business after your founder if they left the company? If you were to name your business after your product, what would you do if the product is discontinued?
If you were to name your business after your industry, what would you do if you changed the industry? What would you do if you were to name your business after your location if you moved? What would you do if you were to name your business after a company characteristic, then that changes?
8 – Give it a Test Run
Before you officially register your brand, give it a test run. Create a prototype of your product or service and name it. This will help you see if it fits the image you have in mind and will allow you to change the name if necessary.
You can also use social media to test out your brand name. Create a Facebook or Twitter account for your company and test your name with your followers.
Wrapping up
Choosing a brand name is a crucial decision that can make or break your business. It will be the face of your business, so you must consider naming your brand.
Follow these 8 tips in choosing a brand name, and you can find the perfect name for your business.
If you want professional assistance with your brand name, feel free to CLICK HERE to contact me to book a quick consultation.
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