So you’ve decided to go into business for yourself. You’ve got a great business plan, your marketing strategies are all in place and your finances are solid. What about the name of your business? Back in the day, such names as ‘ACME Automotive’ or ‘Bill’s Cigars’ would do. Today, there’s just too much competition in the marketplace, no matter what your business venture.
Creative business names will get you more attention and stand out in the mind of your customer. Today’s consumer is besieged, through their home mail, email and websites with more information than they care to digest. The name of your business is the customer’s first exposure to your business and may be the only thing that initially sticks. That’s why it’s important that you choose your business name carefully.
The type of your business determines the creative direction of your business name. For example, if you’ve got a boating shop, a nautical slant is a good starting point for a successful creative business name. In choosing a business name, you want to target your clientele. If your customers are mainly yachting folk, perhaps a name like ‘The Mariner’s Den’ would work. You want to create an image that’s got a touch of the avant garde, a snappy sound to the cadence of the business name, an edge of mystery or romance. It all depends on what you’re selling.
Put yourself in the place of your customer. As an instructive exercise, look on the net or in the phone book for a business that sells a product or service you might want to purchase. Without examining ads for what they sell or offer in services, see which names jump out at you and attract your attention. You’ll see that every time, the creative business names are the ones that grab you.
Now look up businesses that sell what you’re selling. Which ones are boring and which are intriguing? Which names have a good cadence when pronounced out loud? You don’t want to choose a name which is a mouthful to say. Awkward sounding names generally tend to confuse and don’t stick. Don’t choose a name similar to competitors because you like the sound or imagery. If you’re especially taken with the name of a competitor, analyze why you find it attractive and develop your own concept along the same lines.
Imagery is another important component of the creative business name. You know what sort of imagery you ideally want to evoke in a potential customer’s mind. Use a free association approach and jot down some words that describe your concept and USP. Now get out a thesaurus or synonym finder and look up words that have that nuance you’re trying to convey.
Developing truly singular business names does take time, but in the end, you’ll find it pays.
