If you own a business with a name that blends in with every other Tom, Dick, or Harry Enterprises, it may be time to rethink your branding strategy. On ranchers’ livestock, a hot branding iron makes a permanent mark by burning through the hair and into the skin. If the branding iron isn’t hot enough, it will only make a temporary mark that eventually fades.
Let’s face it, when many of us small business owners start our companies, we don’t really consider the power of a great brand name. With all the other “stuff” going on as businesses are being hatched, we often don’t take the time or invest the resources to come up with a hot brand name that sticks.
Some of us opt for the simplest of brand names, such as Bill’s Tour Guides or K&S Hair Salon. Some opt for mystery names, such as Industrial Solutions or Southern Sales, which tell potential clients very little about the business or products.
If you are starting a business or want to heat up your brand, then think red hot. You need a name that will burn on the minds of your potential clients. Your brand should define who you are and what your company does and do it in a way that is memorable. The brand also needs to conjure up the right feelings and emotions about your business.
There are many different strategies for developing the perfect brand name for your company or product line. Here are a few examples.
Address Client Concerns – lets them know ahead of time that you won’t disappoint
One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning
Speedy Printing
FedEx
Build Trust or Stability – make your client confident in you and your product
Duracell Batteries
Under Armor
Be Visual – put an image in your customer’s mind
Blue Dot Technologies
Two Fat Daddy’s BBQ
Be Creative – this usually requires a larger marketing budget, but can be powerful
iPod
Kindle
Starbucks
Steps to Build a Brand That Burns
Brainstorm – throw out all of the words that describe you. Throw out all of the words that describe your product or business. Then throw out all the words that describe the emotions, thoughts, or feelings you want your client to have. Write them down or enter them into your computer for later reference
Thesaurus – get out the thesaurus and look up catchy synonyms for any of the words generated during your brainstorming
Test Word Combinations – combine some of the above words as direct sum combinations, as in Blue Fin Salon. Also combine some of the words as melded word combinations, as in Invisalign
Get Input – from friends, family, potential clients, business owners, or advisors. Something that sounds really good to you might sound really bad to others
Domain Check – this is one of the most important parts of the process. You need to secure a domain name (http://www.mybrand.com) that uses a majority of your brand name, if not the entire brand name. Potential names should be checked as you are thinking about them, so you know what is available. If your brand name isn’t available, keep thinking. A great web tool for searching domain names on the fly can be found at ddwhois.com Also, check out makewords.com to find word combinations and domain names with one tool.
Trademark Search – you need to run a trademark search to see if anyone else has a registered trademark using your brand name. Visit the US Patent & Trademark Office search site at http://tess2.uspto.gov/ If you want to register your name, consult a qualified trademark attorney
Search The Internet – even if your name is not registered, someone may be using it already. Perform a Google search of the name in “quotes.” This will turn up any exact word combinations of others who may be using the name. If someone is using the name already in a similar industry, it is probably best to steer clear. When in doubt, consult an attorney
Think hot when developing your brand name. If the brand really burns, it won’t fade.
Russ Frazier is the Marketing Director at Redhead Web Development and co-founder of Red Rock SEO. Mr. Frazier has a marketing degree from Buena Vista University and has over 15 years of sales and marketing experience. Specialties include: marketing plans, web strategies, new business and product launch, identity building, branding, SEO, and press marketing. Visit for more information, or call (417) 272-1932.
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