By Syed Balkhi, founder of WPBeginner, one of the largest free WordPress resource site that helps small businesses start their websites.
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As a small business owner, you know that branding is key to success. But what makes a great brand name, and why does it matter?
A good brand name plays a critical role in your business’s success. It’s often the first thing customers see, and it sets the tone for every other interaction.
So how do you create a name that’s impactful?
In this post, I’ll share tips on how to create a brand name that stands out and resonates with your customers. Let’s dive in.
Why are brand names important?
Brand names are important because they create an identity for your company. They help you stand out from your competition. It also sets the tone for your company and lets customers know what to expect.
Other reasons that brand names are important include:
- Helping you build trust with customers
- Making it easier for customers to remember you
- Giving your company a professional look
Now that we know why brand names are important, let’s move on to how to create one.
Check if your brand name is available.
Many business owners don’t realize that they need to check if their brand name is available before setting it in stone.
There are plenty of online tools that will scour the web to find websites and social media profiles that match a brand name you’re thinking about.
But the best way to check for sure is to do a quick search on the USPTO (United States Patents and Trademark Office) website. This site allows you to search for registered trademarks.
Take your business type into consideration.
If you’re a solopreneur or someone venturing into blogging and content marketing, you want to consider using your personal name as your brand.
This can be a great option because it’s easy to remember and it’s unique (assuming your name isn’t John Smith). You can also change the content and products you create without having to change your business’s name.
It’s also a good idea to use your personal name if you’re in a service-based business such as coaching, consulting or freelancing.
Your name is your brand in this case, and it’s a good way to build trust with potential clients.
On the other hand, if you’re starting an e-commerce store or a physical product business, you’ll want to choose a brand name that’s not attached to any one person.
This can give you more flexibility as your business grows and allows you to scale more easily.
Use a business name generator.
If you’re struggling to come up with a great—and available—brand name for your small business, you can use a business name generator. This type of tool can help you come up with ideas for names that are available and relevant to your industry.
Also, look for generators that specifically do this thing: combine generic terms with a relevant keyword.
For example, if your business is about art, you’d get name combinations like “artpub” or “artpress.”
A great business name generator should also give you domain name suggestions and check to see if the social media handles are available.
Get feedback.
Business name generators and brainstorming are effective ways to pick a brand name. But don’t forget to get feedback from your customers, employees, friends and family.
Your target audience is the most important group to get feedback from. After all, they’re the ones you’re trying to reach with your brand.
You can get feedback in a number of ways, such as surveys, focus groups or even one-on-one interviews. Just a poll in your Slack channels or social media groups can work, too.
Use mockups.
One way to test how your brand name feels is to create mockups. This can help you see how the name looks and feels across all channels.
You can create mockups for your website, social media pages, business cards and other marketing materials. When you’re done, you can use them to create a branding guide. This will help ensure that your branding is consistent across all channels.
You’ll also get a sense of what it feels like when your brand name is out there. If it doesn’t feel quite right, you can always go back to the drawing board.
In conclusion, it can be hard to come up with a good brand name but it’s worth taking the time to do it right. By following these tips, your name-picking process can be much easier, and you’ll be able to choose a great name for your business that can help you attract customers and grow your brand.
