Launching a new creative business is always exciting. Whatever creative industry you want to launch your brand in – be it design, photography, handmade goods production, marketing agency or fashion – one of the earliest and crucial decisions is choosing a name.
While it may sound easy enough, the business name you choose is the cornerstone of your brand identity. It will become the name you will be remembering and recommending and searching for.
Successful entrepreneurs often admit spending weeks or even months working on their name, and all this extra work pays off by helping you build a memorable brand.
Start from Your Brand’s Personality
Firstly, try to define the image you are going to portray. Are you going for elegance, playfulness, modernity, art or professionalism? The name has to reflect your experience and convey a sense of your brand’s values. This is similar to personal branding, where the goal is to communicate identity clearly without making the message feel forced or artificial.
For instance, a boutique illustration studio can use a whimsical name, while a branding consultancy will pick something stylish and sophisticated. It is not always an easy thing to do but the congruence between your business and the name you picked helps you create credibility.
Try to write five words that describe the values of your business. These words can inspire your future business name.
Make It Memorable and Easy to Pronounce
Sometimes business owners are so passionate about creating something unique that they develop the names that can’t be easily pronounced or spelled by their potential customers. Originality is important, but it can never substitute for clarity.
Imagine recommending your business to somebody. Will he/she be able to remember it after you finish talking? If it is difficult to type the name of your company in search engines, you will miss a lot of traffic before they get to know about you.
Names that are short are easier to remember, but they should also tell something about the character of the company. Be careful not to make the names too complicated just for fun, especially if there are some numbers in them or unusual spelling.
Think of the Future of Your Business
Creative businesses change quite often with the time going by. The photographer starts working with video, and a graphic designer starts to offer branding strategy or web design.
The name that is too specific might be restraining the possibility of expanding in the future. For example, the name “City Logo Design” would not suit the firm that provides additional services such as packaging design or illustrations.
In case if the business name is broader, there is a chance to extend the business in the future without need for expensive rebranding.
Check Domain Availability in Advance
The business name should work online and offline as well. After choosing some names that you like, make sure that corresponding domain name is available.
While many people concentrate their attention exclusively on the .com domain, it is not the only feasible choice anymore. In some cases, usage of country-code top-level domain might add some local flavor to the brand identity and help building trust with the regional customers. Reviewing examples of ccTLD domains can help you understand how businesses use localized extensions such as .uk, .ca, .de, or .jp to establish trust with regional customers while maintaining a professional online presence. Also, do not forget to grab corresponding usernames on the main social networks if it is possible – it will improve overall consistency of your brand. Once the name is chosen, consistent visuals also matter, which is why brand-fit stock photos can help a creative business look more professional online.
Researching Before Choosing
There is nothing more disappointing than loving a business name until you discover that it is already trademarked.
Before choosing your business name for good, try doing the following:
· Check business registries in your country.
· Find existing trademarks.
· Do searches on major social media.
· Check whether the domain is available.
· Do an Internet-wide search on other businesses with similar names.
Sometimes even if there is another company from different industry which uses almost identical name can be confusing and difficult to manage.
Testing your business name on people
You might fall in love with your business name as soon as you start considering it. This means that sometimes getting an opinion from someone else might help you a lot.
Talk to your friends, co-workers or potential customers. Ask them to evaluate which name is easier to remember, which one is more reliable and which one looks interesting.
Often people’s suggestions may surprise you and a name which seemed brilliant in your mind turns out to be complicated for other people to understand. The same principle applies when brands learn to tell clearer stories online, because a message only works if the audience understands and remembers it. Meanwhile a simpler name often works better.
Do Not Go After Trends
Certainly, creative industries like trends, but your business name has to be timeless.
Words which are considered fashionable now can become outdated in just a couple of years. In the same way, the mention of some internet jargon or cultural phenomena can easily become outdated as well. As a rule, the name that does not chase temporary tendencies is more likely to help you create long-term recognition than the trendy name.
Think twice when choosing.
Be Sure You Love to Say It
The above piece of advice is easy to understand but very important at the same time.
You are going to use the name of your business millions of times when introducing yourself, answering telephone calls, making presentations, putting the name on invoices and so forth. Therefore, if you dislike the sound of this name now, it is unlikely to change in future.
It is recommended by many entrepreneurs who already have experience to live with their favorite names for a few days trying them out. Write it down, pronounce it and even think of introducing your business to other people. Then, you will find out that one name stands out from others.
Having a Great Name is Just the Beginning
Selecting a good business name does not necessarily mean that you find a perfect name that consists of two specific words. Rather, this step involves choosing a name that is reflective of your vision and that allows enough room for growth of your brand in the future.
Once you have selected the appropriate name, your task just begins. The quality of work and branding, together with the exceptional experience of your clients, is what makes people remember your business.
