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Tips on choosing a good brand name for your company

Is it possible to actually "own" a word in everyone's mind? The short answer is "Yes!". (Or perhaps Yahoo!)You can own just about any word in any language, or even create new ones, if you undstand the dynamics behind branding. Take for example Amazon, Monster and Virgin. None of these names have any directcorrelation to the companies they represent, but they have become so well known, that in some cases, theyhave surpassed the original meaning of the word. Google has become so ubiquitous that it's often used as averb, as in "I googled to find the best deal on a watch."So what does it take to "own" a word? It comes down to four key criteria, at least one of which must bemet, in order to pull off this feat. (And by "owning" I mean that consumers think of your company or product as much as, or more than, the original meaning of the word itself).Rule 1: First in wins.If you are the first in a category (or the perceived first in the category), you get to name the category. If youinvent it, create it, revise it, or re-position it - you get to name it. And so you have Apple and Blackberry, aswell Frisbee, Rollerblades and Slinky. You also have completely invented names such as Xerox and Kodak.When companies or products are new to market, they beg for mental "handles" to describe them. So thefirst company or product in a new category, if they are aware of this fact, can create a new name or invent anew noun, that can become the recognized name for the entire category.When people ask for a "Coke", it often means whatever carbonated beverage is on hand. Same for a"Kleenex" or making a "Xerox". So first in gets the right to name itself. That's what happened when wenamed PODS. There was an opportunity to create a new "handle" for a new product. One competitor wentwith the name "Door-to-Door Storage", which does not work well as a noun. It's much easier to say "I'dlike a POD" than it is to say "I'd like a Door-to-Door Storage unit".If you are first in your category you have a tremendous opportunity. Before grabbing any name, see if itworks as a noun and a verb. People "google" but they don't "overture". It's a subtle,but important,distinction. Some companies blow this tremendous opportunity to define a new category by creatingforgettable names. The prototype nameBrand name is the key to sales and marketing. Brand name is vital to promoting a product. Brand name is acrown to any product for identification; it is a tool for better understanding of the product's qualities and amyth for consumers' satisfaction and emotional attachment.Choosing a brand name thus becomes more important and it should necessarily be a great intelligent work to coin a good brand name.We should find out the features of a good brand name from the successful brands in the market.

SHORT AND EASY:

1. Every one knows that Coke and Cocoa cola are short and sweet brand names in the soft drink market. Toall, Kodak means camera and film roll-just click and enjoy.The name is short, and easy to pronounce and spell. It is easy to call and ask for it on the counter. It is easyfor remembering. People will like to repeat; hence it is very easy for advertising also.

UNIQUE AND SHARP:

2. The name should not be basic and broad, general and common as other peoplewill also use it, making the registration of the brand very difficult. Geographical names as brand or company's name is not much advisable, as the on line business will have territorial response or negativeinfluence.James's color company, Martin's shoe company, New York tailoring are the brands not expressingany quality. A common name like "General stores and services" is not advisable.

INSPIRE AND ATTRACT:

3. The brand name should inspire confidence and attract new customers."Gold Winner" is a brand winning the hearts of thousands of consumers as the Sun flower oil is ideal for cholesterol-free cooking for heart."Easy-O-Bang" is a brand name for a cleaning and whitening liquid that is applied to floors and ceramictiled surfaces.

EXPRESS SUPERIORITY:

4. The brand name should be meaningful and instill great power in its strength."Dettol" is a brand name for a sanitation liquid ready to deter all germs and bacteria."Velvette" is a shampoo that assures velvet softness to hair, besides cleaning.

MARKETING LOGO:

5. The name and letter style should be simple and bold and should be turned into a picture for easyremembrance. It is the autograph reflecting great picture about the company, employees. It should representthe superior quality, service and remain to be the marketing logo."Woks wagon" with double "W"s represents the high value by virtue of its position in the world of motor cars."Mercedes Benz" has a star to explain its excellence

Tips on Choosing a Good Brand Name for your Company

What's in a name? Plenty, if selected wisely. A well chosen name for your company will be goodadvertising in itself. Make a poor choice and you could miss out on a great deal of revenue. What's in aname? The bottom line is a better bottom line. Here are several guidelines you can follow to help make aname for yourself.Select a name that identifies with your profession. Let's face it, most of us have limited resources. We can'tadvertise our name until it becomes a household word the way big companies with huge amounts of working capitol can. Who knew what a "Google" was before all the ads and promotions. If you select aname that corresponds to the service you offer, it's like free advertising every time someone sees it. Thiscan really add up. Each time potential customers pass by your store front, see your business card or hear your name spoken, they will not only think of your company but also what you do there. The more theythink about the service you offer, the better chance of them realizing they need it.Take your time. Remember, your name is going to be with you for the long haul. Spend an appropriateamount of time finding just the right one. After you make your first choice it may already be taken byanother company. Think of several possibilities before settling on one in particular. If the name that best fitsyour business is taken, use a Thesaurus to see if you can find something more unique that has the samemeaning. Once you've decided, sleep on it a few days before you commit yourself. You may think of something that fits even better.Don't choose a name that limits you. When selecting a name, think about the future. Are there other areasyou may wish to expand into at a later date? Suppose you want to make donuts. Maybe the name "JustDonuts" would be a good one for your company. It would be if all you ever want to do is make donuts. But perhaps you may decide to expand into specialty breads. If you think ahead for this possibility whenchoosing your name, "Just Donuts" may not be a good choice. Try to find a name that includes as manyservices as you offer now and are planning in the future.