7 Tips for Company Naming & Its Importance in Brand Creation

What’s in a name? Well, when it comes to your business, quite a bit! Company naming is one of the trickiest aspects of brand creation but holds so much importance in developing a strong brand. To select the best name for your business, take a look at our tips!

The Importance of Company Naming for Brand Creation

Make an Impression

Your business’s name is most likely one of the first things that prospective customers will notice about your branding. Therefore, it’s important to make a good impression. Whether they’re seeing it as the result of a google search, at the top of a social media ad, or on a billboard, you want the name to catch their attention.

Memorability

Once you’ve captured your prospective customer’s attention, you’d ideally like to keep it. Having a memorable name will help greatly in these efforts. It’d be a shame for a potential buyer to have the desire to search your business again but be unable to because they forgot the name.

Convey Business Characteristics

You have the opportunity to convey your company’s values and characteristics through a name. This makes getting to know your business easier for consumers because they can tell what you do by your name. Names that hold meaning are also easier to market.

When in the Brand Creation Process should you Choose a Company Name?

A common misconception about company naming is that it should be the very first step in the brand creation process. Choosing a name first can actually hold you back from finding the best possible name for your business. You should have your brand purpose, mission, values, and target audience selected before choosing a name, as all of these aspects of branding can influence your final decision.

7 Tips for Choosing a Company Name

1. Leave Room for Growth

Don’t limit your business’s growth with a name. For example, if you choose the name “Southside Dog Grooming”, but later would like to expand your business to include cat grooming, dog training, or boarding, your name no longer encompasses everything your business offers and can be misleading to customers.

2. The Simpler the Better

Your name should not be too long or difficult to pronounce and spell. Short, simple names will grab people’s attention and stick in their brains much easier than complicated ones.

3. Make Sure it’s Original

While you may have thought of a name yourself, that doesn’t necessarily mean you were the first one. Be sure that no one else has the same or a very similar name. You can check this by conducting a simple online search or a trademark and Secretary of state search to be sure you’ll be able to legally obtain the name.

4. Consider your Domain As Well

Don’t forget to take your website domain name into consideration as well. You ideally want a “.com” domain as it conveys a more professional tone to prospective customers, so be sure that the company name sounds good within a domain context and a “.com” version of the business name is available.

5. Keep your Target Audience & Industry in Mind

How do you want your target audience to react to think of your business? For example, a business marketed for kids can stand for a sillier name, while a consulting agency should have a more formal name to gain a professional reputation.

6. Get Opinions

Don’t decide on a name completely on your own. Get as many opinions from people who fit your target customer as you can!

7. Consider Hiring Experts

We understand that a lot goes into choosing the perfect name for your business. Need some help? Schedule a call today to learn about the next steps on company naming!