Are you starting your online business and don’t know how to make yourself recognized? Sure you want a name that is memorable, and recognizable over time and you may already have something in mind, but naming your business involves more than just picking a name you like. A good name reflects the identity and goals of your business.
The naming, and therefore the choice of the name to be attributed to a brand, a product (or a line of products) or a service, must be oriented towards the expression of its identity, positioning and characteristics of your online shop.
The name of your online business will be with you for a long time, so it’s important to carefully consider your choice before investing money in the web domain and corporate identity. Here are some tips to get you started:
- 7 things you need to know before choosing a naming
- Where to start to find the right name for your business
- How important is the right naming?
7 things you need to know before choosing a naming
- Follow your country’s guidelines (if any)
Each state has its own specific rules: before thinking about the name your online business will have, find out about any limitations. Some countries prohibit the use of awkward or misleading words; having limits will certainly help you define the area in which to work. - Don’t choose a name that is too similar to your competitor’s name.
If having a name similar to your already known competitor may seem like an excellent idea at first, it could be very deleterious in the long run.
First of all, if your business is successful, you will not want to be confused with the competition and also another business could accuse you of trademark infringement and you may find yourself fighting a lawsuit.
A great way to identify free naming is to research the domain for your ecommerce. - Choose an “easy” name.
A long name, complex to pronounce and difficult to remember heralds the death of a business even before its birth.
Stick to the use of simple words, easy to remember, that have interesting assonances and are relevant to your kind of business. When people hear about you, they should already understand what you do, what merchandise you sell, and who is your target. - Your name must be web-friendly.
To start your online business, it is essential to have an online shop and social pages. Do your research and make sure your business name is free online to immediately purchase the most relevant domain, as well as the nickname for the various social accounts.
An unusual spelling or a name that is too long may sound good to you, but it can make it harder for potential customers to find you online or type your name accurately. - Memorable yes, but not too particular.
Ideally, you’ll be able to obtain the copyright for your company, if you decide to file your trademark. Don’t choose names that are too complex or too generic. Try to find a balance by choosing a name that is unique and creative, but that describes the qualities of your business. - Choose a consistent name.
Why should customers buy from your online shop? How do you differentiate yourself from the competition? Wide choice? Great customer service? Before choosing your business name, try to figure out what you want to be known for, and then choose a name that reflects that quality. “Speedy Car Wash” and “Velvet Touch Car Wash” describe the same type of business, but convey different images and attract a different clientele. - Don’t limit yourself, play with your imagination.
The beauty of owning an online business is that you can sell all over the world, you don’t have to limit yourself to entering the name of the city where you are based.
The same goes for the names that describe your products. If you get too specific, you may end up with an inappropriate name as soon as you expand your offering. Make sure your name allows your business to grow and evolve.
Where to start to find the right name for your business
We learned that the business name is a fundamental element of your brand strategy, it represents the first impact that your brand has on customers and is the stone on which to build the whole strategy.
If you’re groping in the dark and don’t know where to start, you might start by studying the competition first, trying to figure out what strategic choices they’ve made. From competitors, you’ll be able to find inspiration to identify a name of your own.
Get help from the strengths of your brand and create a SWOT analysis: from the latter, extrapolate the main adjectives and words to create a mind map. Putting everything down in black and white will help you perceive everything more clearly and concretely, finding the effective combination for your naming.
Think Pink, Peg Perego and Babybel for example used assonances or alliterations to create their branding, easy to say and remember.
Other brands have chosen to remove or replace a letter from an existing word to create an original naming, such as Vimeo from the word video.
You can choose to coin a whole new term, even if it’s a risky move and requires a lot of branding work like Google and eBay did for example.
Get help from existing words and create a merger such as Pinterest (pin + interest) or FedEx (federal express).
If you have thought of a long name made up of many words, you can think about using an acronym that sounds good, as IKEA and FIAT did.
Evaluate the hypothesis of using words belonging to another language, as did Sky, an Italian private television broadcaster.
Finally, a choice that is often made is to use one’s name or nickname for a more personal and unique brand; however, keep in mind that choosing a proper name can make marketing more difficult, as it is more generic.
How important is the right naming?
Finding the right name for your online store may seem like a difficult task, but taking the time to research is crucial to making the right choice because it will be from your business name that customers will begin to know you, recognize you and talk about your shop.
What if the name is too hard to remember? You will lose a lot in terms of word of mouth and therefore you will see possible sales fade in front of you.
