James Archer brought up some excellent points about naming your company:
- Remember the Name’s Importance
- Stand Out
- Avoid Generic Surnames
- Avoid Descriptive Names
- Avoid Acronyms
- Avoid Faux Latin
- Avoid Names ending in -nt
- Avoid Spaceless Names
- Avoid “Tech Power Synergy” Names
- Find Examples to Emulate
After reading his explanations, I’d have to say they make sense but they do leave me with a few thoughts:
What if you’ve already picked a name?
So you’ve had your company name for years. Are the points above useless? No! You market your company using your name everyday. If your company name is hard to spell, pronounce, or remember, try marketing your products or services by name instead.
Domain Names
Your domain name is your address on the Internet. If your company name is hard to swallow, it is a good idea to pick a different name for your web domain.
Phone Number
Often times your business will have a phone number like 1-800-CALL-ATT. Keep this simple. If your company name is too long or hard to fit the phone number format, try using a word that describes your services. For example, 1-800-FLOWERS gives both the name of the company and clearly defines the service.
First Impressions
Your company name is often the first thing a potential client will see or hear. Does it represent what you do? Does it convey a sense of professionalism?
Your return customers will have a hard time referring friends if they can’t pronounce or spell your company name. Choose a name wisely and the business will continue to roll in as easily as your name rolls off the tongue.