Brand enhancement involves crafting a name for your business as one of the strategic processes to make your brand known to the world. As humans, we are obsessed with naming. Let’s get back to time.
“Brand enhancement is a strategic process involving crafting a memorable name that sets your business apart in the global market. Understanding your target audience and their needs is key to creating a brand name that resonates and helps you stand out from competitors. Keep it short, memorable, and reflective of your product or service.”
As kids, we named toys and pets, as teenagers we gave pet names to friends and family, and as adults we might name our kids too. So naming isn’t a new thing to us but naming a brand isn’t the same. It will be a factor that defines who we are and helps your Targets to identify you from your competitors in this open market.
Business is all about understanding the Target Audience and what they feel like or need, marks the success of a firm. So name your brand something your audience wants to be or like or may need or be inspired. So naming a brand is a strategic process wherein we tend to bring in a naming word to represent our product or service.
The main purpose of the name is to make the prospects remember you among your competitors in this global market. So it’s important to be wise and remember to keep your name short and memorable.
Your brand is a gateway to your true work. You know you are here to do something—to create something or help others in some way. The question is, how can you set up your life and work so that you can do it? The answer lies in your brand. When you create a compelling brand, you attract people who want the promise of your brand—which you deliver.
-Dave Buck, professional coach and CEO of Coach Ville.
The Objectives for Your Brand Naming journey is in naming your brand in a way that it is memorable and could be easily remembered by your audience. Again naming a brand is a tedious process wherein it takes some time to settle with a right name.
Although it may feel like playing an endless game, you should always remember to be patient and trust the process. The biggest brands of today’s global market we’re not obtained in a few minutes. But it may look like it’s simple and catchy.
All you gotta do is trust the process and brain storm with the idea you’re about to name your brand. The second goal is in how the name helps to position the image of a product or service.
Branding is the process of connecting good strategy with good creativity.
– Marty Neumeier, branding expert and author of The Designful Company
Inspirations and Examples for Brand Names
Naming a thing is associated with emotional attachment towards it. That is why kids are so much attached to their toys and pets. But while naming a brand it is important to be more strategic than emotional.
Giving what your prospects may need or expect or get inspired is much more important than what you feel or how you feel about the naming process. We have presented you some of the most famous brands that have named themselves. Let us delve into some of the types of naming a brand.
- Founder: These brand names are the names of the founders of the business. It helps to build a personal connection and conveys a sense of credibility and heritage.
For example: Ford named after Henry Ford, Disney named after Walt Disney and Dell named after Michael Dell. These names often tend to create a legacy about the founders and their charisma. - Descriptive: These brand names clearly explain the role of themselves. Such that they are easily remembered and are much more reliable.
For Example: Toys “R” Us indicates a store that specializes in selling toys, The Weather Channel indicates that they provide weather related information and updates and Whole Foods Market indicates that they focus on selling on wholesome, natural foods. - Aligned: These are the names that are often seen as a metaphor of a brand or aligns with a brand.
For Example: Patagonia which reflects a brand’s commitment to outdoor adventure and environmental Sustainability, ever lane which reflects the brand’s value of transparency and straightforward products and Tesla in aligning with innovation, advancement and efficiency. - Invented: These are made up names and are derived from a word or phrase. And it has no real meaning these are often seen short and catchy.
For Example: Google, Xerox and Spotify.
The keys to brand success are self-definition, transparency, authenticity, and accountability.
— Simon Mainwaring, brand futurist and best-selling author.
- Lexical: These are words that rhyme the same (begins with a similar alphabet or rhyme (i.e. Alliteration)). These are often catchy, contains two words and are easy to memorize.
Examples: Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme and YouTube - Acronym: These are the names that are made Short and can be pronounced as a word but as Letters. Although this a method of naming brand is often too hard to persuade but here are some:
Examples: IBM (International Business Machine), AT & AT (American Telephone & American Telegraph) and UPS (United Parcel Service) - Geographical: These names are the names of particular geographical areas or locations and these comes with the intention of letting the whole world knew about a product.
Examples: Amazon in suggesting the vastness and variety, an e-commerce platform, British Airways in reflecting its Origin of Britain and Cisco in reflecting the company’s origin in the Silicon Valley of San Francisco.
Products are made in a factory, but brands are created in the mind.
– Walter Landor, branding pioneer. (Source)
Brand enhancement: Steps to an Effective Brand Name
Creating a brand name is a crucial part of building your business identity. Here are seven effective steps to guide you through the process:
Step 1: Know Your Audience
Understanding your audience is the foundation of creating a successful brand name. Your brand name should resonate with the people you aim to serve. Start by conducting market research to gather insights about your target audience’s demographics, behaviours, interests, and pain points.
Knowing what your customers value and what influences their purchasing decisions will help you craft a name that appeals to them. Consider factors such as age, gender, location, lifestyle, and cultural background. A name that resonates with your audience can create an immediate connection and foster brand loyalty.
A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is—it is what consumers tell each other it is.
-Scott Cook, co-founder of Intuit
Step 2: Know Your Position
Define your brand’s unique position in the market. This involves understanding what sets your brand apart from competitors and identifying the unique value you offer. Your brand name should reflect this positioning by highlighting your distinctiveness and aligning with your brand’s core values and mission.
Ask yourself what your brand stands for and what promise you are making to your customers. Whether it’s quality, innovation, sustainability, or affordability, your brand name should communicate this promise clearly and compellingly.
Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room.
-Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon
Step 3: Position Keywords
Identify and select keywords that encapsulate your brand’s essence, values, and offerings. These keywords should be relevant to your industry and resonate with your target audience. Start by brainstorming words that describe your products, services, and brand personality.
Consider the emotional and functional benefits your brand provides. Use these keywords as a foundation for generating potential brand names. They should convey the key messages you want to communicate and help your audience understand what your brand is all about at a glance.
Step 4: Merge, Morph, and Make Believe
7 – Effective Tips for Crafting A Compelling Brand Story For Your Small Business
Use creative techniques to generate unique and memorable brand names. One effective approach is to combine words (merge) to create new, distinctive names. Another technique is to alter existing words slightly (morph) to make them unique.
You can also invent entirely new words (make believe) that capture your brand’s spirit. Experiment with different combinations and variations to see what works best. Play with phonetics, alliteration, and wordplay to create a name that is not only distinctive but also easy to pronounce and remember.
Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.
-Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon
Step 5: Quality Selection
From your list of potential names, select those that best capture your brand’s identity and resonate with your audience. Evaluate each name for clarity, simplicity, and impact.
A great brand name should be easy to spell, pronounce, and remember. It should also be flexible enough to grow with your business and adaptable across different mediums and platforms. Consider the emotional response each name evokes and whether it aligns with your brand’s values and vision. Narrow down your choices to a shortlist of names that meet these criteria.
Adversity in business is inevitable, but it’s how you deal with hardship that helps your brand stand out from the competition. People—both customers and staff—rally behind brands that learn from their mistakes and rise above challenges.
-Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, author, and philanthropist
Step 6: Check Availability
Before finalizing your brand name, check its availability. Ensure that the name isn’t already in use by another business, and verify that domain names and social media handles are available. Conduct a thorough trademark search to avoid legal issues down the line.
You can use online tools and resources to check domain availability and search for registered trademarks. Securing a unique name that you can legally protect is crucial for building a strong and recognizable brand.
Step 7: Practical Application
Test the practicality of your chosen name. Consider how it will appear in logos, marketing materials, and signage. Say it out loud to ensure it’s easy to pronounce and doesn’t have unintended meanings in different languages or cultures. Visualize how the name will look in various fonts and colors.
Gather feedback from a small group, including potential customers, to see how it resonates with others. Ensure the name aligns with your overall branding strategy and supports your business goals. (for more infor)
Branding is the art of aligning what you want people to think about your company with what people actually do think about your company. And vice-versa.
-Jay Baer, marketing expert and best-selling author
By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to creating a brand name that not only stands out but also effectively represents your business and appeals to your target audience. A well-chosen brand name can enhance your brand’s identity, foster customer loyalty, and contribute to long-term business success.
Crafting an effective brand name is a crucial step in building a strong brand identity. By thoroughly understanding your audience, defining your unique market position, and employing creative techniques, you can develop a name that resonates and stands out.
Evaluating potential names for clarity and availability ensures legal safety and practical usability. Ultimately, a well-chosen brand name not only distinguishes your business but also fosters connection and loyalty among your customers, laying a solid foundation for long-term success.
