If you want to come up with a name for your new project or latest product, but don't know where to start, here is a simple 7-step guide on how to do brand naming effectively.
A great brand is not just one that has a great logo or a name that is easy to pronounce and easy to remember.
A brand doesn't work just because you like it-it works instead if it can communicate something to your customers.
Yes, it is they, the people out there to whom you target your offer, who will always be looking for convenient ways to identify, remember, and, why not, compare the various brands with each other.
Here, then, is where the right name can be your brand's most valuable asset, identifying it, communicating its personality and protecting it, differentiating it from others and making it more acceptable to consumers.
The right brand naming approach can ensure that your name is relevant, memorable and meaningful, that it grabs people's attention and is easy to remember-which makes marketing, sales and brand awareness much simpler and more effective.
But choosing the right one can prove to be a daunting task-not just making up a random word or finding the one that looks best on paper.
So, how to find a name that works across the board?
Whether you are starting your new business, launching a new product in the market or renaming something already existing, depending on your budget and branding needs, it may indeed be a more or less complex step.
Certainly it requires planning, attention and perseverance and, ideally, the involvement of some experts.
The good news, however, is that you just need to have some guidelines to follow that allow you to focus on your goals, your company's identity and, as a result, understand how to do brand naming effectively.
Here they are!
How to do brand naming: things to remember
In my article on brand naming I have already anticipated to you all the basics you need to know to approach such a strategy.
Before we delve into the steps on how to choose an effective brand, I want to reiterate a couple of basic concepts.
Doing brand naming means finding a good name for your company, your product or your service; it is a process that definitely includes several steps, from brainstorming to research-we'll see them in more detail in a moment.
In choosing your brand name, it is not enough to focus on uniqueness: what matters is finding a memorable name that sets you apart from the competition.
So what makes a brand a good brand?
There is clearly no magic formula, but there are common traits that make a brand name easier for you to use and easier for other people to remember.
In addition to being aligned with your brand positioning and expressing your brand story and personality, it should definitely be unique in your target industry, as well as being easy to pronounce, remember and write.
Usually, brevity is a positive characteristic, as is a pleasant, bright sound.
It must be accessible and legally recordable, as well as easily visually translatable, through graphics and design.
Finally, as I mentioned at the beginning, what matters more than anything else is its ability to resonate with your target audience.
How to do brand naming: the strategy in 7 steps
Okay, now that we have remembered the basic concepts, let's see how to do brand naming effectively through a series of steps to follow.
#1 The heart and promise of your brand.
To create a brand that is truly meaningful and memorable, you must first understand what sets you apart.
This means that before you name yourself, you need to understand who you are and what you are trying to achieve.
You must grasp the heart of your brand, which includes your purpose (why do you exist?), your vision (what future do you want to help create?), your mission (what are you here to do? How do you create that future?) and your values (what principles guide your actions?).
Combined, these elements will influence everything you do-including your choice of a name.
Define your identity and your goals consolidates what sets you apart from the competition and how you plan to position your company.
This also helps you define the promise you intend to make to your target audience: mind you, it's not about what you do or what kind of product you offer, but the deeper emotional connection you make with people, based on how you make them feel in each use and that determines how you are perceived.
Indeed, remember that people choose a brand not only for the product it represents, but also for the long-term relationship they have with it. And just like any love affair, you will only be attractive in the eyes of others as long as you are sure of who you are.
#2 Context analysis (customers and competitors)
Context is key when you want to know how to create a brand name that makes an impact. While your business is still developing, you need to think of words not just as a combination of letters, but as a central element of your business.
Precisely because of what we just said, which is that people often identify with the brands they buy, it is essential to choose a name that resonates with your audience.
Clearly, you need to know your target users, their aspirations and needs, so that you strike the right chords. Defining your brand's target audience ensures that you find a name that meets their tastes and goals.
For example, while you can afford to use interesting foreign words for a younger audience, it will probably be better to use more established terms for a more adult niche. Always make sure your brand speaks the same language as your potential customers; to do this, you need to know your market.
Another crucial consideration is your industry. What is the general trend? What are your competitors doing? Based on your brand positioning, you must decide whether to follow the wave or instead choose an unconventional name that will set you apart.
Also think about how your name would look in combination with a logo or on a Web site, or try using it in a conversation.
The name you choose should make sense not only on its own, but also placed in the overall context of your company's communication.
#3 Brainstorming
Here's the fun part: the brainstorming is where you gather ideas, inspired by your company's business positioning and goals and directed by the objective criteria you established in the previous steps.
Whether you want to use post-it notes, spreadsheets, or a good old-fashioned pages (or word) document, the goal here is to compile a long list of rough proposals that you'll go on to whittle down later.
Leaving room for imagination is essential, but I still recommend that you set some guidelines for reference to make your job easier.
In fact, a clear checklist ensures you that the decision you ultimately make will be based first and foremost on a set of concrete reasoning.
Write down all the adjectives that describe your product or service, tell what you want your customers to feel when they use it, find the words you want to associate with your business.
Think about the different categories of brand names (descriptive, evocative, metaphorical, of a real or imaginary person, an acronym, etc.) and try to find one for each.
You can decide to involve more people in the decision-making process, or go it alone by possibly just asking for some advice from those you trust.
Remember that there is no need to overdo it by trying to come up with a name that is all-encompassing at all costs: a great brand focuses on communicating a central idea, rather than trying to be a summary of everything your business stands for.
#4 Refining Ideas
If the result of the brainstorming phase is a collection of concepts, this step is where you generate a list of possible actual names.
"Chop up" the list you have made so far, making some qualitative reflections and asking questions such as:
Does that name fit your brand personality?
Does it resonate emotionally with your audience?
Is it meaningful or does it relate to the history of your company?
How does it look on paper and on a screen?
How will it appear in a logo? What about on a website?
How does it sound when said alone, as well as when used in phrases that might appear in your brand messages?
Does it stand out from the competition?
Is it short, memorable, and easy to write and pronounce?
By doing so, you should get a shorter list of more or less good candidates who meet a whole set of objective criteria.
#5 Availability and protection
This stage could also be included in the previous step, but it is distinguished by its more "technical" and less quality assessment-based emphasis.
It may prove to be the most frustrating part, but then again, there is no point in testing something that has already been taken by someone else - do you agree?
You must then make sure that name is legally available as it is not yet registered and that you can then protect it.
Among other things, it should also not create confusion among consumers when compared with other brands (you can take professional advice to be sure).
Also evaluate the availability of the domain, do a Google search, and make sure there are not already social accounts with that brand name.
#6 Testing and feedback
You have narrowed down your list of potential names: now it is time to test them.
You might be surprised by the reactions and associations people might make, so don't overlook this step.
Consider listening to the professional opinion of those in the know or ask friends or family to get a perspective from the consumer's side.
You can also use surveys to test your brand name in your target market and do classic A/B testing on landing page with two different brands, for example, and see which one is more successful.
#7 Selection and dissemination
In the end, after making a whole series of rational considerations, it is true that choosing a name also involves some instinct.
If your mind and reasoning have allowed you to be objective so far, your intuition should help you figure out which of the few names you select is the right one and the most aligned with your company's personality.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that there is no such thing as the perfect name, just as there is no such thing as the one that satisfies everyone.
That's why the choice may seem uncertain, but following the process one step at a time starting with the right foundation will surely allow you to ensure much of the success of your business.
Finally, incorporate your brand everywhere and work out the various aspects of it accordingly, from logo, to colors, to slogan, to marketing.
Ensure that all elements work together consistently so that they convey reliability and trust to consumers.
How to do brand naming: keep it simple
In a world of social media marketing and viral content, it is critical to make your name as shareable as possible. After all, if consumers can't spell it, how can they post it or find you online when they type it into Google?
Keep in mind that short, simple names almost always work best, although there are exceptions.
"Less is more" is a sound principle of branding. To be easily memorized, a brand should ideally consist of two, three or a maximum of four syllables.
Conclusion
Finding the right name for your brand, your product, or your latest service may not be a simple matter, but following the steps I just outlined can certainly make it a little easier for you.
Brand naming is an important moment in the development of any business, requiring commitment and dedication; should you feel somewhat stuck in the creative process, consider, of course, seeking the support of an expert in the field.
And you, what stage are you in?
Have you found the right name for you yet?
Let me know in the comments!