9 Criteria for Choosing the Best Business Name Possible

There are few words you will create in marketing that have greater importance than a name. Whether you are starting an entirely new business, launching a new product or service, or creating a new campaign, the handful of letters or words that make up the name go far beyond a simple label.

Think about the names or campaign themes that have become so familiar even small children can identify them. Wal-Mart. McDonald’s. Just Do It. In fewer than 10 letters, each of those names and themes evokes an image that is universally understood.

While that image is created by the overall brand behind the name, in order for a name to be effective it should score high in nine different criteria.

So as your team brainstorms the name for your new business, product or campaign, consider these:

1. Appearance:

Sounds simple, but how will the name look? Have you seen the image that floats around the internet periodically for the second-hand children’s clothing store Kids Exchange? Put it in all caps and push the words close together, and you get “KIDSEXCHANGE”. You can see it, and 49 other poor name choices here.

2. Distinction:

How is this name differentiated from its competition? If the name is too similar to all the other names in your industry and marketing, it won’t be memorable. As you read through a long list of _____ Dental, ______ Dentists, and _____ Orthodontics, which are you more likely to remember: Moore Dental or Moore Smiles?

3. Depth:

Developing a name with layers of meaning provides plenty of jumping-off points for further extending your content and brand positioning. Think about the McDonald’s slogan “I’m lovin’ it!” It has the depth and flexibility to have supported years of seasonal campaigns, with something new all the time.

4. Energy:

Your new campaign name needs to have life and the energy to carry a campaign on its shoulders. Drink companies are great at infusing their names with energy: Sprite, Monster, Rockstar.

5. Humanity:

Don’t forget to give the name some warmth. No matter what you are selling, your buyers are people, not computers. What could more detached than electrical power? Most power companies have clinical names dating back decades that say simply what they do: Kansas City Power and Light, Baltimore Gas & Electric. But one electrical power provider in Wisconsin and Michigan brought its customers into the mix when it rebranded in recent years: We Energies.

6. Positioning:

Think about the messages you will be working with, the services offered and the industry served. Is the name relevant? JONES partner TeleVox<www.televox.com> used a marketing campaign to reposition itself within the health care industry as much more than an appointment reminder service. The Healthy World Research Initiative expanded the company’s position and services to that of a partner in improving the world’s health.

7. Sound:

Have you ever looked a business name, but been unable to decipher exactly how to say it? Take the agricultural firm Alforex — is it AL-forex? Al-FOR-ex? Alfor-EX? If your customers don’t know how to say it, they won’t. There go your referrals.

8. “33”:

This characteristic refers to the mysterious “33” printed on the back of Rolling Rock beer bottles for decades, which generated talk because no one was really sure what the meaning was. Is there something in your name, and in your brand, that makes people lean forward and want to learn more?

9. Trademark:

Here’s where the legal aspect comes in. If the name isn’t available to be trademarked, it just won’t work.

As I said at the beginning, a name or campaign theme is only a small part of what goes into creating a complete brand image, but it is one part of your brand that will be with you for a very long time. It’s important to get it right.

Learn more about the decision-making that went into TeleVox’s Healthy World campaign, including the name, in our case study. Download it here and get ready to create your own success.