Creating A Business Name
What’s In A Name? The answer: The Future Of Your Business
Business Names Are Vitally Important
Names are important. Research suggests that most people think primarily in images. Some people think primarily in words. Whether they think with images or words, a name evokes associations that create feelings that lead to decisions. Here we are concerned about decisions about consumption, about buying goods or services. Some business names are destined to win, while others are destined to fail no matter what. Sometimes it’s better to choose a neutral word especially if there won’t be a lot of public exposure. A few years ago I was shocked to see a retail business name with the words “Death by–” and wondered when that business would go belly up. It didn’t take very long. A business name should not make any association with death, funerals or cadavers unless it’s about services for the deceased. As a short rule of thumb people make buying decisions to feel good and content.
I must admit I’ve always had this nasty habit of nicknaming people that sometimes lost me friends, I just couldn’t help it since I have a humorous view of life somewhat along the lines of Woody Allen. The thing about my nicknames is, they stick for life since most people find them descriptive and funny. Except the victims, of course.
I take pride, however, in some of the business names I created. My first ever business was a tiny, obscure retail shop for swimwear. I called it Exposee after the French word. The shop started filling up with customers from day one. Customers, especially women found the name very sexy. The business name I found for a friend’s retail shop was said to be worth a fortune. When he sold the store the buyer made it clear that he was buying the name. The most success I’ve had personally, however, were the business names I created for my trade business and my airline ticketing web site. The latter, in fact, was a hobby that I set up with virtually no knowledge of website creation or SEO. Thanks to the name it reached the top of page 1 on Google search results in a short time. The trade website brought us dozens of prospective customers every day without any advertising.
Nowadays there is a brand-new dimension to creating a business name if your business will rely on exposure on the Internet. The name has to be not only attractive to consumers or businesses but also to search engines.
Steve