Expert Tips for Creating Your Business Name/Brand

In this article 26 business owners share their tips on how to stay positive as a business owner. Please share with all your friends and networks so everyone can benefit from this knowledge!

A brand that connects with your prospective customers

To find a name that clicks with your target market and attracts online searchers: Go to the Google keyword tool and type-in your services. A list will come up of actual search terms people use. Pick a popular one that not many other businesses are using eg “garden design”. Then add a unique name to it eg “Eden”. Then use the URL www.eden-garden-design.co.nz for your website to attract suitable prospects.
David Frank, Spectra Media Content
www.spectra-media.net.nz/

A crazy business name is memorable – we should know!

I can’t claim the credit for coming up with a cheeky business name, but it certainly has helped with our brand awareness and word of mouth. With a poor name you make the job of getting into the mind of your consumer that much tougher. A great business name will certainly help with the success of your brand.
Jaron Phillips – Cheeky Monkey Hosting
www.CheekyMonkeyHosting.co.nz

Your Business Name Should Be As Unique As Your Personality

Your business name should be unique and memorable. Think of words in your niche that rhyme. A name that has a ring to it will help people remember it. You are likely to remember names like “Edible Arrangements” or “Fuzzy Wuzzy”. Most importantly, you should throw in a touch of your personality. Your style and way of doing business is what will ultimately attract and keep your customers.
Sherry, The Perfect Pearl Place
www.ThePerfectPearlPlace.com

Create Content and Lots of It!

To get the word out about your brand create informative content on your topic. Content can include blog posts, articles published on ezine websites, press releases, feature articles published on your own website, e-newsletters, even comments you make on other people’s blogs. When someone Googles your your specialty, all your great content will come up, thus positioning you/your brand as the authority in the field.
Susan Greene, Freelance Copywriter
www.SusanGreeneCopywriter.com

Highlight the weakness in your opposition

Look at your industry or profession and note down the biggest frustration your customers have with your opposition. Once you have done that, brand yourself the opposite. So for example, the biggest frustration with lawyers is that they are stuffy and unapproachable. That’s why my business is called Approachable Lawyer – it is the opposite of people’s biggest frustration with lawyers. By being the opposite you stand out from the crowd and people notice – as Seth Godin would say, you become a Purple Cow.
Michael Smyth, ApproachableLawyer.com
www.approachablelawyer.com

Use the power of language precisely and eloquently

Language is a tricky thing. Certain words generate an emotion or perception that is either good, bad, or neutral. Whatever branding you pick, the language has to be carefully thought out. Choose words that are positive, pro-active, forward-thinking, inspirational, and engaging. Be also cognizant of current cultural trends that are hot and avoid the ones that are blasé (e.g. Synergy).
Bobby Umar, President Raeallan – Transformational Training and Speaking
www.raeallan.com

Communicate well to create a strong brand

Strong brands create ongoing impressions with customers. Your interaction with your customers is important and will set the tone. At Business Advisory Accounting & Tax Services, our team knows that every contact with customers must be professional, polite and where possible carry our brand message “helping you succeed”. Branding is establishing your name & image. Review your communication methods, including stationery, to see if it promotes your brand & image.
Mark Gwilliam – Business Advisory Accounting & Tax Services Limited
www.bizadvice.co.nz

Do not forget the legal issues

Tip: When you have a selection of names and before giving the go ahead to your marketing people speak with your legal advisor. A strong brand always comprises a trademark. So, your name/brand must be trademarkable. Carry out searches to ensure that the name you choose has not already been registered by somebody else and ensure that the name you choose satisfies the trademark requirements and can be trademarked
Dr Maria Anassutzi, Anassutzi & Co Limited
www.anassutzi.com

Curiousity

Brand name and logo is an important element to grab customer’s attention, and behind every brand name there must be a story. Apple is a great example of brand name that don`t mean something related to technology but its catchy and everyone is curious about its story and can easily remember. The name shoule be easy to pronounce and not too long. And define your business quality so your brand name can boost your vision.
Naif Saeed – Naif Saeed for trading
www.naif-firm.com

Don’t Try To Be TOO Creative!

So many businesses try to be too creative with their name by using funky spellings of words. This may make it unique but it doesn’t do you any good if no one can remember how to spell your name. Remember that if they can’t remember how to spell it, they won’t be able to find it!
Ely Delaney, My Business Marketing Mentor
MarketingMentorTraining.com

Global Influence

Geographic limitations are so last decade! Today’s techno-takeover is breaking down physical and cultural barriers – and if they want to survive, businesses must follow suit. Creating the brand — the core of your company’s being – requires that you first look within yourself and then to distant lands. If you can’t travel, explore the world in books, films, foods and friends. Stimulate your creativity and spark your imagination. Bon voyage!
Lauri Flaquer, Saltar Solutions
www.successwithsaltar.com

Are You Nike?

Do you think you can be Nike? Start with symbols. Think of the feel and connotation that imagery has for you. Then start your naming session.
Go absolutely “Clear” or “Crazy.” Absolutely Clear ties in: “PlumbersOnTheGo.” Absolutely Crazy is like “Steega.” It’s not a real word but conjures up a fun meaning. And create a strong logo. If that logo stood alone, what would it “say?”
Pamela Hawley – UniversalGiving
www.universalgiving.org

Making Your Product/Service Stand Out

The market place is filled with many businesses and consumers are bombarded with advertising. To stand out from the pack, I recommend that you think big and 1) Have a Logo that is visually appealing and recognizable (e.g., Nike, McDonalds, Starbucks, etc.), 2) Target your Product/Service to consumers on Twitter via hash groups, and 3) Leverage local media to help advertise your business (It’s much easier than you think – feel free to read my article on “How to Brand Yourself (An Insider’s Guide to Getting on TV).
Bernardo Tirado, The Project Box
www.bernardotirado.com

I broke all the rules and now are enjoying massive exposure!

My designer and I broke the rules and went with a ‘Fun Style’ logo and brand in an extremely conservative industry. This brand has now gained International exposure and is growing our business in ways we had not thought were possible. Do what others don’t do and create a logo and brand that fits your personality and don’t let ‘industry norms’ hold you back!
Ashley Newsome – Property Guy
www.propertyguy.co.nz

Building up a Niche brand

Build your brand on the idea of your products/services, Your brand is what or how you want people to perceive your company. Make sure you analyze industry competitors and be sure you are able to come up with an idea or campaign on how you can differentiate from them, so that your business stands out from the rest as being one of a kind.
Michael Upton – SafeNSound Car Audio & Security
www.facebook.com/pages/SafeNSound/113276424408

Consider your global potential

There are many words in our great language that can mean very different things in other culture. You should also ensure that any word you use in your business name doesn’t have detrimental meaning in another culture.
Craig McKenna – TheGrowthAcademy
www.thegrowthacademy.com

Are you missing a piece from your Jigsaw?

Branding is at its most effective when it encompasses not only the name, logo, colour and slogan but also the entire ethos of the business from product values to consistency of service, whilst capturing the attention of its target market and personality of its employees. Without the complete jigsaw, you have little more than a trademark. A small business would be better served by concentrating on the quality and consistency of service and communication to raise awareness and gain recognition, with a view to building reputation by recommendation. Remember, people buy from people!
Alison Page – Alison Page Marketing
www.alisonpagemarketing.co.uk/blog

A BRAND to Remember: 7 Steps to Immortality

Big Corporations have a clear advantage over the small businesses besides their Million Dollar Budgets, it is their Branding. This is not an easy task to accomplish. As hard as you might think it is, we have cut it down to Seven Steps that will guide you to Brand Immortality.
Brandon Lewin, DoughNuttz, Inc.
http://doughmarket.com

Make Your Employees Your Brand Ambassadors

Your employees are your best brand ambassadors. They will talk to their former colleagues, the customers, and they’ll be talking and representing you even when they leave. With the use of social media, they’re going to be easily accessible to your next set of customers, and employees, too. So if they’re engaged employees, they’ll also go out of their way to represent your company the right way.
Yu Yu Din, EmployWiseTM HR Software
http://employwise.com/

It’s All About Consistency

Develop your business’s core message so that it resonates well with your target market (they get it!!), once this is done make sure all your marketing collateral reflects that core message by making sure the branding developed represents this message. Then ensure it is consistent across all marketing medias from business cards and brochures to web sites, social media sites and even email templates and signatures.
Dave Sewell
www.davesewell.co.nz

Creating your brand persona

A brand is not a logo, tagline or product name. It’s the promise of an experience. To help create that experience; think of your brand as a person or type of person. Are they conservative or trendy, traditional or contemporary, professional or casual and so on? Understanding your brand persona will help you develop a brand that communicates the values, beliefs and experience your ideal customers are seeking.
Lee Retimana, Muritai Marketing
www.muritai.com

Be Unique and Intriguing

Tip: You want customers to instantly remember your name and brand even if they’ve only heard it once so your name has to be UNIQUE but INTRIGUING too. A name may not always be able to convey what you do but once it’s out there people will start using it so it’s impossible to change it. Also, make sure your logo and the image you portray fits with the type of business you aim to be.
Paul Slater, Mushcado Consulting
mushcado.wordpress.com/

Have the end in mind

With regards to creating a name – be very clear where you would like your business to grow. If you’re planning a national or international company you’ll most likely need to make up a completely new name so you can trademark it. If it’s a small home based business you have a little more luxury in creating something you love. And always first check the .co.nz and .com. are available and then check its available through www.ipol.co.nz.
Vanessa Davey – Venus Club
www.venusclubs.co.nz

Names are as important as staff hires

Be different, be brave, don’t be generic & don’t be descriptive otherwise you will end up with a homogenous, dull, boring name no one notices. Think phonetically. How does it sound? Use doing words or create your own doing/verb words. These ingredients will provide you with the best naming options (Scrabble/Google/Lego/Apple/Sting/Blink). ps: best tip if you’re still struggling – see what the name translates to in a different language (Distinct in Latin is Evidens – nice aye?).
St John Craner, Distinct Marketing
www.distinctmarketing.co.nz/blog

One out of the hat

Talk about what you do, your company ethos, aspirations and target market, etc then throw all that away and sit around a table with some of your close friends or family, a few beers and think outside the box. What name would your target market associate themselves with? My nephew came up with Red Fish Blue Fish in that exact scenario. At the time he was 15 years old.
Red Fish Blue Fish Limited
www.redfishbluefish.realstew.com

Passionate Purposeful Names

Find a name that you can be passionate about, that’s easy to pronounce by your potential clients and when possible hints at who you are but be aware that a brand is different from a business name and you need to keep them separated. A business name can last longer than a brand and a brand can last separate from the business name. Have fun with BOTH.
Roberta Budvietas, Get out of Stuck
www.robertabudvietasspeaker.com