Branding is critical when it comes to differentiating products. As an experienced Chief Marketing Officer, I\u2019ve heard my fair share of company names \u2013 and understand their importance. A company name needs to resonate instantly. If you need to explain it to someone, you\u2019ve already lost half the battle with your audience regardless of whether you\u2019re talking to media, analysts, potential investors or customers.<\/p>\n
Often, thinking up a company or product name can be all encompassing. You start writing down words that might make a good name and the next thing you know, you\u2019ve spent several hours on this project when other things needed your attention. When taking on the task of creating a new company name and making certain it garners the excitement and other attributes you hope to convey, there are five key factors to keep in mind:<\/p>\n
When rebranding a company, everyone needs to share the excitement and feel as though the company builds on their own personal mission. Be certain to inform the employee base that a new brand and name is coming \u2013 and of the processes being used to determine the final decision. After decisions are finalized and the new brand is announced, provide additional insight into why certain names weren\u2019t chosen, how the process landed on the name chosen and what the company hopes to accomplish with the new brand.<\/p>\n
Before selecting a name for the company, think about what you want that name to convey, what the story behind the name is. If there is no natural fit, build a story for the name. A name should be simple both in how it is said and what it means.<\/p>\n
Every company needs specific visual cues beyond its logo. Have your employee base suggest where the new logo, fonts and other elements should be used in\/around the office. Give them the ability and the tools to use the new brand in everyday communications, which will help them adjust to it.<\/p>\n
Find ways to “over use” your name at the beginning. It is not necessarily going to roll off your tongue and it really won’t for those who were not part of the naming process. Get everyone who engages with your brand using and hearing it at every company function and reading it in every correspondence. The more it\u2019s ingrained, the easier it\u2019ll be for them to use it.<\/p>\n
Where do you want to see your name? Have you considered international and cultural meanings of the name? There are the basics like your invoices, corporate collateral Powerpoint decks and payroll checks, but what about social media properties like Facebook and Twitter? Is your name taken? Add \u201cinc\u201d or \u201cllc\u201d at the end and leverage SEO to build your site\u2019s equity in Google\u2019s algorithm.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to remember that there will always be some people who will not love the name\u2014and live with that. Names are very personal. Make certain that it does what your company needs it to do and don’t worry if there are a few grumblings. Before you know it, the new name will feel like “home.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Branding is critical when it comes to differentiating products. As an experienced Chief Marketing Officer, I\u2019ve heard my fair share of company names \u2013 and understand their importance. A company name needs to resonate instantly. If you need to explain it to someone, you\u2019ve already lost half the battle with your audience regardless of whether […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":963,"featured_media":33798,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43902],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-professional-development"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n