When creating a really good business name, the number one consideration should be the level of “commitment”.
“Commitment?” questions in disbelief.
Yes… commitment.
While there are all sorts of naming strategies… metaphors, acronyms, coined/invented, key attributes, positive connotations, etc., the only common denominator that separates the mediocre from the memorable is the degree to which the name appeals to the mind. . Consumer Most new business owners opt for company names that inform and describe, leaving nothing to the imagination. They often don’t realize that the context surrounding the name (the ad, store sign, proposal, brochure copy, etc.) will define what they do, so the name can be free to describe how do they do that. In other words, no customer will hear or see the name in a mental vacuum. However, this is how we often judge names when brainstorming. And that’s why focus groups are notoriously poor judges of good names. It’s not the people that have flaws, it’s the process itself. Most of the feedback takes the form of free associations, all in an effort to determine if a name is “good” or “bad”. It’s something like this…
Interviewer: “What do you think of the name Monster?” Respondent: “Ew! They’re scary and dangerous!”
Interviewer: “What about Amazon?” Interviewee: “Jungle… drowning… snakes… piranhas…”
Interviewer: “Apple?” Interviewee: “One bad apple spoils the whole group.”
Interviewer: “Caterpillar?” Answer: “Squishy, soft and twisty.”
Interviewer to the new owner of the company: “I think we can safely assume that these would be bad brands…”
So if it’s not free association, what determines a good name? Again, it’s that important element known as “commitment.” Commitment is what makes you lean forward, ask twice, ask for more information, and continue the conversation. A good name should invite discussion, start a conversation, and “catch” the other person’s interest and attention. That’s why Amazon, though it doesn’t say anything about what it does, does better than Books-A-Million. Amazon is open and welcoming and Books-A-Million is literal and descriptive. Amazon talks about the process… smooth, easy, abundant. Books-A-Million talks about the products… books. And while Amazon leaves room for the company to grow in either direction, Books-A-Million leaves the company in a bind. I once heard an ad for a company called Just Brakes. Having outgrown this narrow niche, they adopted a new slogan… “We are more than just brakes.”
Let’s take another example. Linens & Things is unnecessarily redundant since most people, after seeing a newspaper ad or walking past a store window, will know that the company sells bedding and other things. It would be better to use the name to capture some key strategic position or advantage, or to evoke a feeling or emotion. Is Linen & Things the best, the fastest, the biggest, the most service-oriented, the most modern? We just don’t know. They have described but have not evoked. They have explained but have not committed.
The objection I often hear is “But with names like these, no one will know what I’m doing!” And that’s when I explain that it takes trust… trust in the power of context to fill in the blanks. That way, the name is left free to paint a picture, engage the senses, and position the brand to reflect not what you do, but how you do it.
So will any weird words work?
No.
Strange for strange will only leave the customer scratching their head in bewilderment at nonchalantly moving on. Bold, catchy names will create a desire to know more, and that’s where you need to be ready to tell the story. The name then becomes a transition to a larger story. Start with the name and tagline, then move on to the 15-second elevator pitch and beyond.
One of our clients that we named was TKO Surgical. When asked if that is a boxing reference, our client answers with a resounding “yes”, explaining that they are on a mission to advocate and fight for their clients’ needs. They will plead their cause and stay in their corner until the last bell rings. His catchphrase? “Technically superior.”
So whether a name is based on a metaphor, a key attribute, an acronym, or a positive connotation, the overall goal is to create a name that appeals. Perhaps that is why Albert Einstein said that “imagination is more important than knowledge.” If given the option to participate vs. informative, opt for a name that asks for more. It may seem strange, but the results can be wonderful.