| Selecting a name for your new business is
| |
| | different massage and bodywork centers:
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| not easy. A name does more than identify
| |
| | - Champlain Valley Therapeutic Massage
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| your company. It tells customers who you
| |
| | - Clouds Above Massage
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| are, what you do, and more than a little
| |
| | - Speedy Spa
|
| about how you do it. Your name
| |
| | All three companies are providing the
|
| differentiates you from your peers, peaks
| |
| | same service: massage therapy. Yet the
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| customer interest, and invites further
| |
| | first appears to favor a more medical
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| investigation -- if you do it right.
| |
| | approach, the second, a dreamy, luxury
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| I didnt do it right. At least, not at
| |
| | approach, and the third focuses on fast
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| first.
| |
| | service.
|
| All entrepreneurs make mistakes, and I
| |
| | 4. Differentiates You From Your Peers:
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| made one of my first ones right off the
| |
| | Your company name is the first
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| bat. Thrilled with the fledgling business
| |
| | opportunity to tell customers how you
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| I was starting, this precious enterprise
| |
| | differ from the competition. This can be
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| so near and dear to my heart, I
| |
| | done by emphasizing what makes you
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| christened my company Diadem
| |
| | unique, pinpointing what aspect of your
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| Communications. Diadem means crown-- a
| |
| | products and services cant be found
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| fitting name for what I felt was
| |
| | anywhere else -- or that you do better
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| acrowning achievement.
| |
| | than anyone else.
|
| What does Diadem say to you? Does it
| |
| | Consider the massage therapy example we
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| evoke thoughts of me coming into your
| |
| | looked at in number three. Each
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| company, training your sales team to be
| |
| | organization clearly has a different
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| the best booth staff ever, ensuring that
| |
| | focus and approach to their customer
|
| every single trade show you attend turns
| |
| | base. Theyre attracting different types
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| out to be amazingly successful? Does it
| |
| | of clients, who are seeking fundamentally
|
| make me sound so good that you just cant
| |
| | different approaches. All of which is
|
| wait to hire me?
| |
| | conveyed in less than five words.
|
| No. It doesnt say that to me either. And
| |
| | 5. Peaks Customer Interest: Creating
|
| even worse, it didnt say that to any of
| |
| | customer interest is an art and a
|
| my potential customers. Going by name
| |
| | science. Think carefully about your
|
| alone, no one would be able to determine
| |
| | target audience. What qualities of your
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| the least bit of information about me, my
| |
| | services are of the greatest import to
|
| company, or the services we offer. The
| |
| | your customers? What kind of words are
|
| name said nothing, and it did nothing for
| |
| | likely to appeal to them?
|
| me.
| |
| | Emphasize the important qualities in your
|
| The name had to go. More importantly, it
| |
| | name. For example, busy homeowners are
|
| had to be replaced by something
| |
| | drawn to the inherent promise of speed
|
| effective. How do you come up with an
| |
| | offered by Bobs Instant Plumbing while a
|
| effective name? Consider these six
| |
| | reader in search of a good mystery will
|
| elements:
| |
| | gravitate toward Crime Pays Books.
|
| An Effective Name:
| |
| | Word choice is also important. Two yarn
|
| 1. Tells Who You Are: Your name should
| |
| | shops can both specialize in specialty
|
| reflect your identity. This is an
| |
| | fibers, but the one who labels themselves
|
| essential aspect of branding. Youll be
| |
| | All Hemp All the Time will draw in a
|
| promoting this name, getting it in front
| |
| | decidedly different crowd than the one
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| of as many eyes as possible as often as
| |
| | named Natural Beauty: Organic Yarns.
|
| possible. How do you want the public to
| |
| | 6. Invites Further Investigation:
|
| think of you?
| |
| | Customers are funny creatures. What one
|
| For some, that means integrating your
| |
| | group finds to be funny and engaging
|
| personal name into the name of your
| |
| | turns another group off. You want your
|
| business. This is very common in some
| |
| | name to be inviting and approachable --
|
| professions: legal, medical, and
| |
| | as those qualities are perceived by your
|
| accounting leap to mind.
| |
| | target audience.
|
| Others prefer a more descriptive name.
| |
| | The best example of this may be seen in
|
| One successful small baker runs her
| |
| | the individual investor segment of the
|
| business under the name The Cookie Lady
| |
| | financial services industry. Charles
|
| because thats how her first customers
| |
| | Schwab has spent years cultivating a
|
| identified her. Its doubtful that most of
| |
| | classic, formal image -- but now that the
|
| the customers even know her first name
| |
| | consumer base is changing from old people
|
| (Its Pat) but everybody in her market
| |
| | with money to everyone with a 401K,
|
| knows The Cookie Lady.
| |
| | Charles Schwab has launched the Talk to
|
| 2. Tells What You Do: Its incredible how
| |
| | Chuck campaign in an effort to be more
|
| many company names give little, if any
| |
| | approachable.
|
| indication of what type of work the
| |
| | Make sure your name doesnt intimidate
|
| organization actually does. Take the
| |
| | customers away! Some industries are more
|
| following examples:
| |
| | formal than others, but adopt pretension
|
| - Smith and Sons
| |
| | at your peril.
|
| - Hulbert Brothers
| |
| | After following a series of simple
|
| - Only One
| |
| | step-by-step instructions to match my
|
| Can you tell me what any of these
| |
| | corporate identity with my service
|
| companies does? Of course you cant.
| |
| | offering, I came up with the
|
| Theyre relying on customers already
| |
| | quintessential name: The Trade Show
|
| knowing who they are (a tricky
| |
| | Coach. This name instantly tells
|
| proposition for new businesses!) or by
| |
| | customers what I do assist companies
|
| having their name found in context, such
| |
| | with trade shows and a little of the
|
| as a yellow pages or on-line business
| |
| | manner in which I do it coach, rather
|
| directory.
| |
| | than dictate, direct, guide, or organize.
|
| 3. Tells How You Do It: Words are very
| |
| | See the difference? So did the buying
|
| powerful. By carefully selecting what
| |
| | public, some of who quickly became my
|
| words you use in your name, you can
| |
| | best customers. The same thing can happen
|
| convey a great deal about your companys
| |
| | for you -- if you pick the right name.
|
| image. Consider the names of three
| |
| |
|
