by MCM

Created on: May 30, 2009   Last Updated: June 22, 2009

A key moment in the life of any business owner is that time when you choose a name for your business. "Choose wisely", you are told, "a name can make or break you". But which decision is a wise one? How can you know "the one" when you hit upon it? You may be lucky and find the right name straight away, or you may spend days, or even weeks, agonising over it. Either way there are a number of things that must be taken into consideration prior to taking the step of registration. The following are ten things you should consider when choosing the right name for your business.

1. Know your market

First of all, sit down and think about your target market. Are they young, old, wealthy, poor, international, or local? What qualities are you trying to communicate to them? Would it be possible to communicate one of those qualities as a business name? An excellent example of this is a chain of shops called "Penneys" selling budget clothing and accessories.

2. Keep it short and sweet

Shorter names are more memorable and more functional. Logos, signage and advertising in general are all easier to work with short business names. A lengthy business name even makes something as simple as answering the telephone difficult. My parents have had to shorten their three word business name to just one of those words when answering the telephone. The one word they use is "Farmhouse" - they do not sell farmhouses and so every time they answer the phone in this way it is a lost opportunity to reinforce their brand name.

3. Be memorable

Short, one or two syllable words, with hard sounds, are generally more memorable. Think of brands like Apple, Google, and Nike, which are some of the world's most successful brands. They all meet the criteria of being short and memorable, with hard sounds.

4. Avoid double meanings

Be careful about using words that have two different meanings. By this, I do not only mean English double meanings, although if your target market is English speaking this should certainly be your priority. Look the proposed name up in a good dictionary to find alternative meanings of it. Slang uses of the word can be checked at www.urbandictionary.com and may save future embarrassment.

Also, check to make sure that the word does not mean something negative in other languages. Recently I was considering Avaro, a mixture of various initials, as a business name. Thankfully I did not, as upon closer examination I discovered that avaro

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>