What’s in A Name?

It never fails, whenever I drive around I find myself staring at some comical business name display. I won’t list any here but you know exactly what I mean. It amazes me that people really don’t think of how important a name really is to their business, it could make all the difference on how potential clients perceive you. “One chance to make a first impression” was never as true as it is in this case.

Before deciding on a name you should consider the following:
1- What kind of services/products are you providing?
2- Who are you trying to reach?
3- What is your message?
4- What are the names (competitors) that are out there already?
5-What kind of name will it be? Practical, Imaginative, Descriptive, Acronym, Expressive/Emotional?

And finally, perhaps the most important step… test it out! Ask friends and family to give you ‘their’ first impression of the name, what do they think when they hear it.

Taking the time and thinking through this process will avoid you from becoming one in many who wish they had done it right the first time. Oh yeah and don’t name your company ‘HUNG ELECTRICAL’ simply because your last name happens to be Hung and you’re an electrician… it’s never a good idea!

The name of your company is the first step stone into developing a powerful and recognizable brand. What is brand? Your identity, it is who you are and what you stand for (in this case, your company). If you don’t establish your brand, others will for you and it will never be beneficial.

We would love to hear your experiences with naming your own company, with other business’ names etc… Does a name affect your decision of buying?