Business Naming Should Start with a Naming Brief
Business Naming for a fellow named Matt R. was characterized by him as the Business Name Blues in a three-part blog.
Matt’s a self-proclaimed computer nerd trying to establish a one-person computer repair service in Maryland. The blog explores his quest to find a name worthy of his enterprise and available for trademarking.
As an adjunct, he created a list of the steps required to create and register a name. I had to comment that I believed he’d left out a couple of vital steps – the preparatory steps.
Below is his list followed by my comment.
8 Steps to Naming Your Business
1. Make a list of possible business names - Make a list and ask friends and family to help you narrow it down to a few final choices.
2. Search local and national business databases - Exclude any names from your list that are already being used. (Note: My business is based in the US so this only applies to US businesses.)
3. Search the Web – Type the remaining business names into a search engine to see how they are being used online and make sure the domain name is available.
4. Choose your business name – Now you should have enough information to settle on a good name.
5. Register your business name with your local government – The department of government that handles business name registration varies from state to state. Visit the website of your Secretary of State to get more information. At this time, you will also need to decide what business structure you want to use.
6. Register your business name with the US Trademark Office – if you plan on doing business outside your state.
7. Register your domain name – Even if you don’t plan on having a website at first, you may decide you need one later on and it’s best to try to get the name registered ASAP.
8. Congratulations! – You have a business name!
My comment
Matt: good series. I’ve been down your road many, many times with all types of clients. We all know the blues part when a particularly attractive name is not available to us. We also know the elation when just the right name is available.
But I’d like to comment particularly on your list of Naming Steps. I believe you left out the most important one of all – the one that prepares the foundation of your name as well as the other elements of your brand. It’s the strategic step that precedes, or should precede, building a list of name candidates.
I believe strongly that a naming brief be created first, even if you’re a sole proprietor whose had this business boiling in his brain for the past 6-months. That document will be based upon the business plan, and will document the company mission, vision and values; the business model, the markets you plan to serve, the competitive climate including competitive branding examples, and most important, the attributes that differentiate the offering in a positive way.
From that document should come the criteria for your business name. I’m speaking of those characteristics above and beyond the generic “keep it short” type admonitions. Should the name reflect a unique benefit? Should it convey a particular mood or tone? Should it work globally or locally only?
The criteria will arise from the naming brief.
Thus, I’d add two more steps prior to beginning the list building process: Preparing a naming brief and establishing you name criteria.
I can’t emphasize enough how important these steps are, even for a one-person business.
Related business naming posts:
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- Five Questions About Business Naming Preparation I’d like to know what you think is necessary prior to beginning the creation of name candidates. Specifically......
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- Business Name Registration Can be Tricky Registration of a business name in a single state is usually easy. But if you’ll be doing business in more...
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Thanks for featuring my article!
I think a naming brief is a great idea, and will ensure you’ve made the smartest decision with your business name.
Since I based my naming steps on what “I” did to come up with my name, it certainly isn’t an exhaustive list, and the addition of a naming brief and name criteria definitely sounds like a wise plan.