So, you’ve finally decided you’re going to start your business? That’s great! But, here comes your first challenge. You have to choose a name for your business. You can’t have a brand without a name, and it’s quite stressful to come up with even one, at the same time, it’s an important decision that needs to be made. Often, entrepreneurs underestimate the impact of a powerful brand name. It has a direct impact on your business’s success. The wrong name can do more harm than good.
Whatever you choose to name your business defines your brand eventually. It defines your values, power, and image in the corporate sector. A powerful name paves the way for success and helps significantly in the branding domain.
However, you’re not the only one having trouble finding the perfect name. Many people struggle with the idea of coming up with a powerful name. There are immense pressure and expectations from all sides, but worry no more! Read ahead and you’ll find out how you can choose a winning name for your startup.
Be ready to brainstorm
Once you define what your business will be about, make room for creativity to brainstorm names for the startup. You can start with the products and services your company offers. Can you find any terms that define your business? Are they helpful in identifying a particular domain? If so, you can use those terms and your competitors’ terms to explain the services’ gaps. It helps point out how your business is different.
There are several ways to incorporate innovation and creative thinking in this area. The more you think, the more innovative you become, the more ideas you create, and therefore, the more options you will have.
Brainstorming is usually done in a series of sessions. Some of them will include a group discussion with your peers, while others include you sitting alone with your notepad. Target a humans psyche to create a name. For instance, French and Italian names instantly grasp a customer’s attention, so you can always look at meaningful words in foreign languages to come up with the perfect business name.
Don’t Choose a Name You Can’t Spell
The last thing you want is potential clients being confused about how to find your company online. Hard-to-spell names don’t do any favors and only leave your potential customers confused. They’re difficult to read, hard to pronounce, and almost impossible to recall. Unfamiliar names might be unique, but they’re tricky. Make sure the challenge of spelling the name doesn’t overshadow the identity and uniqueness of it.
Having to correct misspellings of the name can turn super frustrating. Choose a unique yet simple name.
Pick an Unused Name
Don’t go for names already in existence. When you’ve narrowed down the list of ideas, make sure you search the web thoroughly for any existing names. Thoroughly search the web for that business name. Chances are you’ll find some businesses using the same name. This gives you the opportunity to take a break and look over for other ideas. You can either look for another name altogether or go with the same one. It all comes down to preference. However, when customers search up a specific business name and see 2-3 different businesses with the same name, they end up confused. It’s confusion even a similar name can cause.
It’s always recommended to completely avoid confusing situations by choosing different names or targeting a name existing in a different Market altogether. Having the same or similar name as your competitors might imply the lack of effort or inspiration in choosing the name.
Your brand image matters the most, and the name you choose reflects that.
Make Sure the Name You Choose Is Related To Domain
If you find an available name, ensure its availability as a domain name as well. A .com domain name is powerful. When you decide to build a website, make sure the company name is eligible. In the beginning phases, Entrepreneurs often choose to save money by opting for alternatives such as .net, .fm, .org, and more. The identity of an established business is associated with a .com domain name. However, chances are someone is already using your domain name, but you can always ask to buy from them at the right price.
The domain name is significant to customers for locating your webpage easily. It’s convenient and easy to remember. When setting up your website and a domain name, you have to make sure a consistent internet connection is available as the availability of names is often unpredictable. One second they’re there, and the next second, they’re gone. With AT&T internet plans, you can stay connected and avoid losing the domain name to your competitors. The fast, reliable connection ensures you never miss out on the important stuff.
It’s important to note though that the domain name you go for directly reflects your marketing activities and online presence so, make sure you choose a strong one.
Don’t Use Your Own Name
It’s a common mistake many small business owners make. They name their business after themselves, and this particular mistake often drives potential customers away. The name doesn’t define the brand unless it speaks about the business somehow. An eponymous name of a business implies no meaning to potential customers. They don’t know what the brand is about unless they’re willing to know about the products.
People often look for a reason to latch onto a business and stay as a loyal customer. A name that doesn’t suggest any true meaning will leave customers and potential clients confused. Even if you’re deciding to use your name in one way or another, make sure there’s some kind of context people can understand from the name.
Choose a Catchy Name
Your business is your identity. You may want to keep it moderate with the name. A name shouldn’t be too boring or too much. Whatever name you choose should resonate with the brand image and audience. Yahoo and google are some examples of a catchy yet unique name. They’re meaningless, yet they have a certain appeal because they’re catchy. Meaningless names are difficult to sell out and brand, but once you build an identity over such names, there’s no going back.
The Bottom Line
No matter how many ‘sufficient’ options you have on the list, choosing the right name for your business is a big challenge. But the good news is, it’s not impossible. Whether you go for a conventional name or a completely unique name, how you brand it matters the most. The name you choose can make or break you. Follow these tips to help take off the pressure. After all, you want to make sure you leave a good first impression on the market.
