What’s in the name?

There’s no escaping it or any need to play down the importance; but a name is crucial to the company itself and it can likely be significant in the perception and growth of a company. In other words; the name can effectively make or break a company and subsequently will require careful consideration and selection.

It may seem like a typically trivial aspect, but it has to be absolutely right and suit the company’s activities, ethos and vision. You certainly don’t want to be faced with a large cost of having to alter and rebrand, because you weren’t happy with your choice of name. It should be perfect for you right away.

Bluntly speaking; the design of the name is the foundation of the marketing and communication output of the given company. It’s the starting and focal point of identification and brand awareness. Subtleties in name can make a difference, and particularly for a small company referring to localities can have a positive effect in the overall image of the company. However, this may need to be revaluated in the long term if there were expansion plans, for example.

Generally speaking; to have a strong and relatable brand name can typically take a lot of reinforcement and careful strategy to secure this and doesn’t necessarily happen by accident. Take Apple or Google for example. The words isolated don’t really have much value, they’re just words. But years and years of branding, communication and reinforce have turned them into some of the most commonly aware words. They have become immensely relatable in their own right, and now effectively synonymous in their respective industries (particularly Google).

Relationships between company and customer can be dictated by first impressions, so a powerful impact is necessary to get off on the right foot. Most of us are aware that the average industry is competitive, and small companies may struggle to full capital in differentiating themselves. But a well-designed company name can make you stand out from the crowd. It’s also effectively a free form of marketing output for your company. Every little helps! (As I’ve heard somewhere).

Observing a more strategically and pragmatic perspective; it’s always advantageous to create a name that’s web-friendly and specific and searchable within your industry. The right name can be worth a lot to your company, and can be a great tool in building a web strategy and ultimately make it easier for your target audience to reach you.

Ultimately, when choosing your company name it’s beneficial to look at the chosen name from two perspectives. You should of course be comfortable yourself with the name, it should reflect and summarise the company appropriately.

Also, you should look from an outside-in perspective as if you were prospective customer or investor, and evaluate how attractive and credible the company looks from that point of view. Put yourself in a different, no biased position to really understand how viable and effective your company name is.

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This post was written by Chris Beck