Creating a great brand name is almost half the
battle in establishing your company or your product. But getting there involves
the kind of creative thinking that might be outside a small-business owner's
purview. If you're having trouble, branding experts say the first step is to
pinpoint your strengths. Why are you the best? And what do you deliver that's
unique? Then, consider the customers whom you're targeting and what they value
most, such as social responsibility, authenticity or customization. Then, think
about how you can best express these principles effectively through
words. Here are the three best ways to come up with a brand name: 1. Take inspiration from
everywhere. Write down the first few ideas that come to mind when you think
about your business' service, product and personality; try using symbols,
metaphors and word variations, says Michelle Adelson, owner and creative
director, of brand agency Copia Creative Inc., of Santa Monica, Calif. That's what Dan Kim, chief executive of Red Mango
Inc., a frozen yogurt franchise in Dallas, did while trying to name the flavors
of his frozen yogurt and iced tea drinks. He wanted names that would give
customers 'an emotional experience' and appeal to their sense of adventure. For
a tangerine-and-mango yogurt, he combined the flavors with the word
'pandemonium' to create Tangomonium. For iced tea drinks, he wanted customers to
hear the 'tea' sound when they order, so he named drinks Fanteasia (a wild berry
hibiscus tea) and Mysteaque (vanilla black tea with hints of bourbon flavor).
qweig0903 'We embrace having fun with the names,' Mr. Kim says. 2. Make your brand name memorable. 'If it sounds like something else, it's
not going to be strong in the marketplace,' Ms. Adelson says. The founders of
Bonobos Inc., an online-only men's apparel retailer in New York, wanted a name
that was whimsical yet reflected that their clothing was clearly for guys, not
gals. So they named the
company after a great ape, an endangered species that's pronounced bo-NOH-bos,
not BON-oh-bos. While some customers end up mispronouncing the name or asking
quizzically about what kind of animal it is, it's an opportunity that Andy Dunn,
chief executive and co-founder, relishes. While saying the name correctly, he
mentions that the company also has donated $15,000 in the past year to a bonobos
sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This gives anyone an 'excuse to talk about who you are
beyond your product,' Mr. Dunn says. 3. Make sure it matches your company's
mission. Robbie Vitrano, a founding partner of Naked Pizza in New Orleans,
wanted to differentiate his take-out and delivery-company's name from the buzz
words surrounding the organic, healthy or green industries, since they don't
necessarily work in appealing to a wide variety of customers. He should know. In
2006, the original name of Naked Pizza was the World's Healthiest Pizza. It was
just a little too preachy-sounding, Mr. Vitrano says. It didn't bode well for a
company trying to franchise and court investors. 'It was less
customer-friendly,' he says. 'It was a bit egotistical. It was a little too much
about us.' Liposuctionface liftear correctionbotox Liposuctionface liftlaser skinear correction Leslie Homan, designer and founder of Femme Metale Inc.
of Corona, Calif., makes edgy rock-n-roll jewelry for women. She wanted the
company's image to be strong, chic and feminine. So, she played with the word,
'metal,' and the French phrase, 'femme fatale.' It clicked for her: 'Femme
Metale.' The company's original name, Superstar, didn't seem as cutting edge; it
'was very junior and didn't say anything about what I was doing,' she says.
Today, her jewelry line is sold at Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's, and Ms. Homan
counts Cheryl Crow, Christina Aguilera and Kate Moss as clients. 'I think you
have to look into what makes your brand significant, different and interesting,'
she says. 'What would make you stand out in the marketplace?' Liposuctionface liftlaser skinbotox breast surgery
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