What should I name my Business?
Brainstorming and Research Guide
Choosing a name is often one of the first steps in launching a new business or brand venture. It gives you a clear directive while helping future customers or investors understand what your business offers. So let talk about some tools and Ideas that will help you get started. Use the following tips to pick a name that can help grow your business online:
The process for naming a business can be divided into two main steps
BRAINSTORMING AND RESEARCH.
You first need to develop a few ideas that clearly reflect what you sell, either a product or service. After choosing a potential name, you need to ensure that it is not already taken, which we will review later in this article.
Brainstorm Name Ideas:
You do not need to immediately come up with a name. Start brainstorming name ideas, writing down anything that sounds remotely suitable. The most important consideration when brainstorming name ideas is to choose something that is clear to your intended market and not just you. If people cannot recognize what you offer when looking at the name, you will fail to attract customers.
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“Brainstorm A New Business Name”
Don’t register a business name you will regret later. Use the following checklist to pick a name that can help you start and grow your business.
Do Not Use Copyrighted Names:
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make is using copyrighted or branded names. Incorporating Facebook, YouTube, Amazon, or other trademarked names into your name will only result in legal action and the need to choose a different name. You should also avoid using celebrity names.
Avoid a Names That Limits Your Business:
While it’s important to choose a clear name, you also want to avoid limiting the scope of your business. If your brand name directly references a niche market, it becomes difficult to break into other markets. For example, including the name of a city or a specific product may keep you from branching out into other product categories. You can always use your tagline to define your market when needed.
Keep it Short and Simple:
Keeping the name short and simple keeps it clear. Don’t be cute or clever, focus on describing your business in three or fewer words. If you are absolutely set on using a brand name that does not offer a clear indication of what you do, you should create a short tagline. For example, if you want to launch an online clothing store called “Clever Cheetah,” the tagline should clearly state that you sell clothes, such as “On Trend Clothes for Everyone.”
Research Your Prospective Name:
The next step is to research your name to ensure that it is not already taken. This includes trademarks, copyrights, and existing entities or social media profiles. Use the tools highlighted in Orange below to make your research easier.
Search for Existing Trademarks:
Start your research by looking for existing trademarks. Attempting to use a trademarked or copyrighted name may result in legal difficulties. Use Trademarkia to search for filed trademarks. The search feature will display any related names, including names that contain similar spellings or variations of the same words.
Google Your Potential Name:
If no trademarks exist, perform a Google search for your prospective name. Search with and without spaces. Check for anything that may go against your brand message or confuse potential customers. You may find blogs, small businesses, or various independent projects with the same name or a similar name. You should also look for big charity events, books by top authors, and existing products that could be a challenge to outrank in upcoming marketing campaigns.
Search Social Media for Your Name:
Googling your prospective name should uncover any social media profiles using the same name. However, you need to perform a thorough search of the top social media platforms. Namecheckr provides a simple interface for searching social media usernames across multiple networks. You can search on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and more. The website also allows you to check if the domain name is already taken.
In Conclusion:
The bottom line is that picking a name is one of the most important business decisions that you will need to make. Customers should immediately know what to expect when they see your business name. If you keep these details in mind, you should have no problem choosing a name that can propel your business to success. As a final tip, avoid finalizing your business name immediately. Sit on it for a day or two to ensure that you still like the way it sounds. Just make sure that you avoid waiting too long. You may end up letting someone else use the same name, forcing you to go back to the first step.
Once you are happy with your business name, work on creating a tagline, we have an article to help (here). A Tagline will help you create a more focused customer message driving more traffic and conversions to your business. To understand more about Online Marketing Terms, check out our information here.
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