Sometimes naming your business can become a stressful process if you are still not sure how to find the right name for you or if you have too many options and do not know which one to choose.
Starting a new business means an exciting challenge, a 180° change in your life, full of opportunities and challenges. A fundamental aspect of distinguishing your brand is the name it will have.
This naming guide is for finding the right name for your brand. The following tips are to help you “unlock” this challenge and move forward with the next steps towards the success of your business.
What does the name mean?
Naming is the process to choose the name of a brand, company, products, services, events, activations, and even promotions.
That name will be established through a series of techniques and will be developed in accordance with the company’s brand image, corporate identity, values, culture, mission, and vision.
Through the right name, your clients, prospects, target audience, suppliers, and strategic partners will recreate a mental representation of your brand and what they expect from it.
Tips for a successful naming
Knowing that a suitable name is important for the positioning of your brand, its visual identity, and corporate identity, can be overwhelming, but don’t worry, it will surely “click” when you find the ideal name for your business:
- The name should be easy to pronounce and remember, especially for your target audience. Consider what language it will be in and whether your target audience is fluent in that language.
- Check the meaning of the name. There are plenty of anecdotes about names that sounded right to entrepreneurs but meant something else to certain segments of their audience.
- Be sure that the name you choose is consistent with the values, mission, vision, culture, and personality of your brand.
- That the name will be timeless, meaning that it is capable of adapting to the growth and global vision of your company.
- Verify that it is not previously registered with Copyright and that it can be registered without any problems. Be advised in terms of the legality of the process.
- Try to make the name capable of telling a story, conveying a positive feeling, in keeping with your identity. Think that when your customer purchases your product or service, you will also provide them with an experience that will make them feel good.
Guide to a stress-free naming process
- Open mind: First thing is that you must have a reserve of patience and tolerance, not only with the process but also with the collaborators who are involved in this journey.
- Brainstorming: This is always the good ol’ “trusty steed”. Take a pen and paper or your smart device and write down the ideas that come to mind. Write down every feeling, image, or occurrence you think of. Don’t rule anything out…yet.
- Answer these 5 main questions and when answering them think about your brand promise, the personality of your business, your competition, and your target audience: How? When? Who? Where? Why or for what?
- Keywords: Lean on the main keywords of your industry. This is of great help to clarify where you stand within the landscape of the said industry.
- Decide: Think about whether your name will be descriptive or abstract. If upon hearing or seeing it, it will instantly describe what your business does or if this name will be more metaphorical or expressive.
- Take a risk: Think of a name that is unique and special, that distinguishes you from your competition in the market. Does it sound like Apple to you? We already know the story of that company that doesn’t sell apples and yet, millions of people not only carry one of their products but also identify with the company itself.
- Remember to think like a consumer sometimes and put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. A little bit of empathy can go a long way!
Have fun with this process that, perhaps, at first can be overwhelming. Enjoy the journey to finding the right name.
At Mijo! Brands, a creative digital marketing agency with offices in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Puerto Vallarta, we have a multidisciplinary team of professionals, specialists in the naming process, development of digital marketing strategies, and brand positioning. We have more than 10 years of experience in different industries, from tourism to consumer products.
Call us, we would be happy to help you find the ideal name for your brand.