So you're starting a business and wracking your brain for what to call it. Maybe you had an idea that you loved but realised after a while that the name is already taken by a well established business? We feel your pain.
Here we're going to chat about a few things you can do to ensure you are choosing a unique business name that still represents your business accurately and resonates with your audience. Make some notes as you read through this post and keep them where you can see them when you sit down to find the perfect name.
(Ink & Wild was the second of two business names we narrowed down our search to. We of course ended up choosing The Kind Design Studio as we felt it represented us and the business more accurately but we still love Ink & Wild as a business name and the brand we designed for it too.)
It's always great to start with some competitor research, see what other people in the industry are doing and what seems to be working with the audience you are targeting.
Grab a scrap of paper and start writing down words you feel are relative to to describe the business/products, this can be absolutely anything but aim to write down a minimum of 30 words. Then start picking out the words you really resonate with, words you could see possibly being in the name of the business. If none of those words work then get a thesaurus up on your computer and tap those words in keeping your eyes peeled for other words with the same meaning and write them down.
If you still feel like there is nothing to work with in front of you then get a family member or friend on the phone and ask them to give you words and ideas, sometimes you just need a different perspective and/or another brain. Bear in mind that this could be a process that takes hours or even days. This is often not something that happens within the first 10 minutes of brain storming.
When you have a few ideas for the name its worth ensuring it ticks the following boxes:
- easy to spell
- legible
- clear when written out on paper
- not too long
- memorable
- unique
- catchy
It's a good idea to have a few names you like at this point because this is where we really test whether it is a suitable name or not.
Firstly we're going to want to search the business name on google & companies house and see what the results are. If there are no other businesses with the same name we're on the right path to finalising.
Next we'll hop onto social medias and ensure the social media handle you want to use is available everywhere, e.g @thekinddesignstudio. If that goes well then make your way over to a domain provider website and ensure any website domains you might want to use are available (you'll want to claim all of the relevant domains when the time comes to ensure no one else uses them).
If at this point you have a name you are feeling good about then there are two other things you can do to confirm it is right for the business, firstly check with family and friends especially if the products you are selling are quite personal to you and think about doing some kind of survey online to get some public opinion. Try to share it in places where your target audience might see it.
I hope by this point you have a business name that represents the business, ethos and products you are selling accurately. Now it's time to really pull the brand together with a brand identity. See our post on 'how to choose the right designer for you' and start getting in touch with graphic designers! Here is the link to our 'work with us' page if you're thinking about working with The Kind Design Studio.
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