How to Create a Brand Name For Your Business
Choosing a name for your brand is certainly one of the most important business decisions you will ever make, which is why you really should take your time with it. Once you’ve chosen a name, show it to others to learn what they make of it. Don’t rush to launch it without getting feedback from others.
The challenge of choosing your brand name
The tricky thing when it comes to choosing a name for your brand is that there are no right or wrong answers. You can call your business whatever you like, as long as its not already trademarked or in use. You don’t want to choose just any name though. Great brand names like Apple, Oracle, Microsoft, Adidas, Amazon, Google, or Facebook have a few essential things in common. They are short and simple, memorable, playful, and offer endless marketing and advertising opportunities.
The line of business you are in certainly should influences the name you choose. Choose a brand name that suggests what you do is a great option. For example look at Microsoft. The words Micro and Software are both common in the computer world. Another example is Facebook, it started out as a place where people could post there photograph (of there Face) and read each other’s profiles and comments (kinda like a book). Alternatively, you could choose a name that builds a personality for your brand. Crazy Johns, Amazon, or Apple are excellent examples of this. This works best when it creates a picture in the mind when read or heard so it helps consumers recall the brand.
Things to consider when choosing your brand name
Website domain name availability. You really want to register the .com and .com.au domains if you are an Australian business. If the domain is not available, find out who is holding it and see if you can buy it. If you can’t get the domain name for your brand name then you really should consider using a different brand name.
- Originality. There are so many businesses out there today, both online and offline, that the name you choose might already be taken. You don’t want to be confused with anybody else.
- Story behind the name. Names that have a story behind them are often the best. Stories are memorable and therefore will make your brand memorable.
- Acronyms don’t usually work because they are often cold and meaningless to the consumer. They can work however if the acronym forms a word that is a great brand name in its own right.
- Likeability. Do you like how the name sounds? Do you like to spell it? Do others like it? If yes, you’ve chosen a great brand name.
In the end remember that the value of a name grows with the business. If you already have a brand name, it’s often best to stick with it and build it up rather than starting all over again.
