There’s something similar between riding a rollercoaster and starting a business. For one, they’re both thrilling events full of great excitement, anxiety, and growth.
And as your company grows, your brand identity will be one constant factor that’ll help you stay focused and maintain your integrity.
But when it comes to your brand’s identity, your brand’s name comes first because it’s the first thing people see before engaging with your company.
Take a moment to imagine how embarrassing it’d be for customers trying to buy Pee Cola, Urinal Drink, ISIS chocolate bar, or even Ayds Diet Candy.
Every startup hoping to enter success must do everything necessary to avoid getting an unpleasant brand name because it will damage their brand’s reputation and kill their company’s chances of survival. So, we prepared this article to help you avoid getting an embarrassing brand name.
Don’t use Names that are Difficult to Say or Spell
Trust us; every customer would be upset if they have to waste time trying to pronounce your company’s name, so avoid choosing difficult-to-pronounce brand names.
People prefer short, memorable brand names over long ones since they are easier to say, remember, and search online. Long names have several drawbacks, one of which is the potential that clients would misspell a letter when looking for your shop on the internet.
Your business’s name makes the critical first impression that your company needs to build a solid foundation in the eyes of its customers. As a result, make sure you pick a wonderful name that is short, easy to say, spell and sounds lovely.
If you want your target audience to adore and promote your brand, then do your best to avoid picking a name like ‘Susan’s Special Shoe Selling Shop.’
Be Careful with Politics
It’s essential to keep in mind that upsetting clients is a tried-and-true formula for brand failure. Many businesses have made the mistake of showcasing their originality by choosing a ridiculous brand name, and it has never worked out well.
And in these times when customers are much more aware of the brands they buy from, sending the wrong message through your brand’s name on issues of culture and politics will undoubtedly create a huge gap between your brand and its customers, just as Aunt Jemima’s name did before it was renamed to Pearl Milling Company.
But it doesn’t end there because if you’ve found a unique name, you’d also need to stay away from anything that will make your customers uncomfortable with your brand. Every business owner must be extremely cautious when dealing with political issues.
Mike Lindell became so active in politics; customers couldn’t tell the difference between his business, MyPillow, and his political activities. As a result, his client base suffered, causing Parkland massacre survivor, David Hogg, to launch his own pillow company in an attempt to put MyPillow out of business.
Failing to Position Your Brand Properly
Even though the primary goal of every company is to make a profit, they’ll be unable to accomplish that if they aren’t properly aligned to their target audience demographic. So, if you want your business to succeed, avoid giving it a name that doesn’t resonate with your target market.
According to a recent survey conducted by Squadhelp, customers between the ages of 25 and 34 prefer new and innovative brands over traditional and trusted ones. In contrast, customers between the ages of 45 and 65, on the other hand, prefer traditional and trusted brands.
With that said, you must examine how your customers perceive the tone of your brand name. Edgy names like Alienware are great for brands targeting Millennials, but you should avoid using edgy names entirely if your target customers are Baby Boomers.
So, every entrepreneur must learn about their target market’s demographics and come up with a name that fits their needs and personalities. And when it comes to picking the best name, using a reliable company name generator is the fastest and most reliable option.
Failing to Test Your Name
Not testing your brand name with an audience is another guaranteed way to wind up with a name that’d make your customers flinch.
So spend some time testing your name with a small sample of your target audience to see if it connects with them. Testing your name will not only reveal if your clients like it but also if it will restrict your company to a niche or not.
Like Ayds Diet Candy, most business owners do not feel the need to regularly test their brand name to verify that it supports their company’s growth. And it was this failure to retest its brand name that led to the downfall of Ayds Diet Candy.
Treat Your Brand with Care
Your brand has a name, a voice, a purpose, a vision, a set of objectives, as well as friends—your customers. Any entrepreneur who genuinely wants to achieve great success must treat their brand with the respect it deserves because it isn’t just an idea but a company’s personality.