Brand Thinking
In B2B brand naming whatever else you do create a long list of possibles before you hone it down.
If you are brave enough to enter the frustrating world of brand naming or renaming your company then here are our Five Key Tips for what you should be aware of from the outset. Clearly, the missing piece of advice is to employ brand naming experts and stop messing around! Yes, we are experts in this area but other experts are available…
Here we go, best of luck!
1. Probably already taken
If you have ever gone through the process of brand naming you will know that it is a real game. It is highly likely that whatever you come up with it will already be taken. We have been through countless hours of naming brainstorming sessions only to fail at the research stage checking availability. So whatever else you do create a long list of possibles before you hone it down. be ready to go back through the process on multiple occasions, as if you are successful first time around you are either brilliant or incredibly lucky. Go straight out and buy a raffle ticket!
2. Not just what appeals to you
Don’t fall into the trap of going for a name that appeals only to you. Stay focused on the kind of customers you are trying to attract. This is not about what you like and your tastes, it is about the fit with your audience and what will appeal to them. Ask yourself if it fits with who you are as a business and makes sense to your audience a part of your total branding package. This is not a time for ego to get in the way.
3. Doesn’t have to be instant
Your brand name does not necessarily have to be descriptive. This is a very common mistake that’s made, assuming that your brand name has to describe what your business does and to be instantly understood. This is one option but you can also decide to build your own unique identity around the brand. Silentnight and webuyanycar capture the brand focus in the name, but Apple and Audi have been developed over many years of consistent brand building without the name telling you what they do.
4. Classic techniques
There are some classic brand naming techniques, including 4 letter brands like Sony, Asda and Avon that work because they are: short, distinctive and memorable. Like most branding though there is no one way to do it. Brands like GlaxoSmithKline (that became GSK also showing the option of abbreviations..) and Great Western Railways (ok they also then went to GWR but you get the point about longer names) show that lengthy names can also be distinctive if you have the right balance. Leading nicely onto the usage of the brand acronym which can work well as both these companies show. Not everyone does though, as Harley Davidson proves a longer name also has impact. Whatever approach you take to brand naming the most important feature is to build a strong strategy and identity around the name.
5. Do the checks
If you do it yourself make sure that you check your preferred names with Companies House, trade mark registration and always do a Google search to see what is out there already. Availability of website domains is an important factor in name choice. So often your preferred domain is already taken. We have worked with clients who were light on this aspect, created the limited company only to find an existing brand with the same name! Don’t jump too quickly, make sure you do the checking thoroughly.
But, be ready to start again!
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