Originally Published June 16, 2016.
When choosing a company name, you want it to be creative and different—but don’t forget to make it simple as well. Too often, people name their companies thinking only about what they want it to be called, rather than considering how it will be received by potential clients. Remember, the name of your company is the first impression of your brand. As the founder of a public relations agency, here are my top tips on choosing the perfect name for your business and your brand:
Make It Easy for Them to Find You
Honoring your grandmother or another relative in a company name is sweet and meaningful to you, but it could potentially be confusing for your clients. If your company includes a name that is not your own, clients will always think you are someone else, no matter how much time and money you spend on PR or advertising. I have had many clients that have company names that don’t match their own, and I often find myself starting to type an email to them using the wrong name –and I know them personally! If name confusion happens to someone with whom they work closely, imagine how many times they’ll be called the wrong name by new and potential clients.
Convey What Your Company Does
Make it easy for potential clients to recognize the service that you offer or the products you sell. While there may be a personal story or an inside joke that led to the creation of your company name, clients do not know that!
Be Unique and Memorable
You want the name to stick out in your clients’ minds to ensure that they will remember you in the future. Be different, but not too different. A distinct company name will help you and your business, but a name that is different to the point of strangeness will turn clients off. Don’t get too creative with spelling, either. People will spell your company name the way that makes sense to them when researching online. Keep in mind that your company name is your domain, which is also typically your email address. Choose an easily spelled name and save your colleagues and clients the frustration of bounce backs and lost emails.
Pick a Name That Feels Right to You
My company began when I saw the need for wedding PR in my industry. I was so inspired that I came up with the concept of launching the first wedding PR firm to represent wedding businesses. Literally being “inspired” helped me come up with my name. I wanted it to be something that people could feel after they read the name, visited my website, and followed my social media accounts, so it was fitting to name my company Be Inspired PR.
Intention is important when choosing your company name. It will dictate how you are searched, referenced, and remembered. If you think your company name isn’t working for you, don’t be afraid to make a change. A bad name will hurt your business more than rebranding with a new name, so make the switch now to maximize sales and grow your brand as quickly as possible
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Written by Leila (Khalil) Lewis’ for BusinessCollective
