Brand Naming Services

How to Get the Perfect Business Name

Getting a new brand name can be one of the most time-consuming and expensive aspects of developing your product or service. And if you’ve been around long enough, you know how quickly something that took months to develop can disappear overnight with little warning because someone else got there first. 

Or perhaps you were so close to launching when another company had already bought the domain name! Branding is about making sure people see you instead of some faceless competitor swooping down upon you while you weren’t paying attention.

Brand names are also important markers of identity for small businesses – not only do they have to stand out against larger companies, but they need to fit into their marketing efforts alongside everything else (social media posts, blog entries, etc.) 

They should reflect your core values, mission statement, target audience, and personality style. But this doesn’t mean they must be difficult to spell or pronounce.

Here at Inkbot Design, we work hard every day to build brands that resonate with our client’s customers and give them reasons to come back again and again. 

We believe the best way to do this is by creating memorable, impactful brand names that get straight to the point without being confusing or garbled yet still convey the essence of who they are and what they do.

So let’s look at why good name creation matters, where to start looking, and what goes into effectively using your chosen moniker once you have landed it.

The Importance Of Good Brand Naming

To create a successful brand name, you’ll want to consider these three things:

Your Company & Industry Names Should Be Concise Yet Memorable 

It may seem easy to pick two random words and slap them together until something “feels right,” but this will not necessarily result in a solid or distinctive brand name. 

Instead, think carefully about which word(s) will stick in people’s minds and become synonymous with your products/services. This could include combining multiple words to create a compound term (“SodaStream,” “Amazon”) or simply choosing a single word based on its meaning (“Google”). 

The resulting name should immediately tell consumers what kind of experience they can expect from your brand when done correctly.

You Don’t Have To Go After Generic Words Like Everyone Else. 

While generic terms such as “Best Buy”, “Apple”, and “Starbucks” might sound appealing due to their simplicity, they don’t differentiate your brand from others. 

These kinds of words often become part of the background noise rather than standing out among competitors. 

On top of that, generic terms are typically used across industries and categories, including unrelated ones, which dilutes your message. For example, although Best Buy was initially conceived as a consumer electronics store, today it sells appliances and home improvement supplies too.

If you choose a common noun or verb, you risk losing your uniqueness altogether since everyone will likely use those same descriptors themselves. 

Think twice before settling on anything that sounds similar to a competitor’s offering, or worse, comes off as copycat behaviour.

Don’t Make Assumptions About What People Will Understand.

One big mistake many entrepreneurs make when finding a suitable brand name is assuming they know exactly what their intended audience wants. 

While it’s true that certain types of names tend to appeal to particular demographics, it’s far better to focus on building a well-rounded brand that speaks to anyone interested in your offerings regardless of age, gender or interests. 

Remember that ultimately you want to connect emotionally with your customers and potential buyers, not merely try to grab their undivided attention.

Finding The Right Way To Use Your New Business Name

Once you’ve decided on a solid choice, here are some tips and tricks to keeping your brand consistent and incorporating and leveraging that name throughout your marketing materials.

• Make sure all communication is consistent with the voice & tone that your customers expect from your product or service.
• Use the correct font and size as appropriate for each medium.
• Be aware of any legal issues before changing your business name.
• Create multiple variations of your chosen word(s), such as hyphenated forms, different spellings, numbers & punctuation alternatives.
• Consider incorporating your logo into your business name where possible.
• Although being unique isn’t always better, there are ways to stand apart by doing something other companies won’t consider.
• Think beyond just having a great business name – include personality elements whenever possible.

How Do You Know If It’s Working?

When deciding whether or not to keep your new name after launch, it’s helpful to determine whether it works. 

One thing to note is that sometimes a lousy name becomes popular over time simply because no one else does anything differently — it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

So if you’re considering changing your name, pay attention to the following signs:

Customer Response: Does your existing customer base respond positively to having heard of your new venture? Perhaps they feel you’re taking your game away from them? It may behove you to change things up to avoid confusion.

Social Media Presence: Has your social media reach increased dramatically after announcing your decision? If so, you may want to reconsider.

Increased Sales: Did you sell more units during a specific period than previous years under your old name? This would indicate a positive correlation between your business name and sales success.

Word-Of-Mouth Marketing: Since your employees are usually the first to hear news regarding changes, did they react negatively to your announcement? If so, maybe it’s worth giving your current name another chance.

As you can see, it takes more than great ideas to turn a simple concept into a marketable brand. Establishing yourself online requires careful planning, creative execution and effective communication to ensure maximum results. 

When thinking about ways to improve your business communications, consider working closely with a professional graphic design firm or logo designer to come up with fresh concepts and designs that will truly set your brand apart.

Do you currently run a startup and struggle to find the perfect name? Here at Inkbot Design, we offer services specifically designed to help startups find their brand voice and identify opportunities to distinguish themselves from the competition. 

Contact us now to book a complimentary discovery session.