Coming up with the right name for your business can be an extremely challenging and time-consuming task. Many people spend hours agonising over what to call themselves that encapsulates everything that their company stands for. As it is such an important decision, there is no point rushing into anything until you are 100 percent sure that you have made the right choice. Remember, once it is set in stone, it is very difficult to change anything without a total rebrand. The difficulty comes in making it short, snappy and memorable, so here is a bit of a helping hand if you find yourself struggling.
Why is a name so important?
Let’s start by clarifying why your company name is just so important in the first place. It is essential because it will act as the first thing that a potential buyer will notice. Even if your end product is the best in its field, you are going to have a hard time convincing people of that if the name doesn’t accurately represent its quality. If you are going to sell online, you won’t be able to convince them face to face. For many people, the name is what provides the initial appeal and makes you stand out ahead of your competitors. A powerful name is at the heart of a strong brand identity.
Avoid personal names
Now let’s get into some of the pitfalls of coming up with a company name. First of all, it has been done to death to simply name the business after yourself such as ‘Smith’s Plumbers’, ‘Johnson’s Web Design’ etc. Though it may feel good to have your name at the forefront of your business, it doesn’t convey any sort of brand image and it has been done so many times in the past that it has become cliche.
Don’t be boring
Many of the best businesses use a single word as a name, and this is absolutely fine as long as you have a story that goes behind it. Alternatively, you could avoid being boring by injecting a bit of humour into it. If you get it right, a clever pun can help you stand out from the competition. The number one rule to follow is not to be boring.
Give yourself time to consider it
You are going to end up saying your company name several times a day, and it is what you will become known by so you should give yourself time to adjust to it. What sounds fantastic one day may make you cringe a couple of days later! Try to get other people to say it and see how it sounds to you. If you have chosen a name that is difficult to pronounce, you will be able to pick up on this problem. You also need to see how it looks written down in a logo and other visual representations. As well as this, you should double check to make sure that the domain name hasn’t already been registered.
