With the rise of freelancers and side hustlers taking their dream job into their own hands, there has been an unnoticeable rise in new businesses, and startups. YAY if that’s you!! Definitely exciting times ahead!

From creating a logo and brand, through to setting up a website, and creating a marketing plan for your new venture. You will have lots to think about and lots to do.  That being said, I want to help you name your business.  So today, I will be sharing my top tips on how to name your business.

Target audience and target market

So you have decided to start a new business based on your passion, based on you actually being GOOD at what you do. That great but it’s not enough. You really must identify your target audience. 
Work out who your ideal client or customer is and focus on how you can help them, what is your best asset and how can you help that ideal client/customer?
When I started out, all I knew is that I wanted to help “people” with their design needs because I was good at designing and I enjoyed it.  As I developed my business over the years, I realised I wanted to help startups and small businesses, and that I really enjoy helping create the assets/designs of a small business when it is just starting out.  Hence I have driven my business to focus on the branding and website needs of new businesses and startups.  I also noticed that not many designers in my position offer “the whole package” for a new business or startup.  I saw a need and decided to pursue it.

Brainstorm keywords and phrases

Whether you are aiming to create a personal brand or a business brand the keywords and phrases that you could use to describe your business should be brainstormed.  You can use a spreadsheet, a word document or simple pen and paper to identify words you think relate to your new business and brand.  Having more words on the list, even if it is broad is a good idea.  You can always cross your least favourite off the list later on.

Tip - If you have trouble thinking up adjectives or ideas, use a thesaurus.  I found this is a great way of finding alternatives or similar words related to that particular adjective/noun.

Keep it simple

You want to steer clear of words that are too long, or difficult to spell.  The easier, the better.  Also, think about how your potential client will spell it, or rather google it.  Don’t forget to go back to your list and cross off any words that are not “simple”.

Stay away from unusual spellings

As much as I love a unique brand and product, I am easily deterred from a brand and business that spells its name using unusual spellings.  Trying to be “Kool” is not a good look for your business.  Although that is purely a personal statement, using unusual spellings in your business name can also deter your clients as they may not be able to find you. 

Research

You want to ensure the name of your business is not too similar to any competitors so be sure to do your research and cross-check any keywords you may be using. Also, don’t forget to check for availability….

Check for availability

The last thing you want is to decide on the name of your business, design a strong brand, and then find out that the perfect domain name or social media handles are not available.  Trust me on this one, it’s one of the most frustrating things to face.  It’s also annoying having to settle for “second best” so it’s better to check the social media handles, domain names, and email addresses before you sign off on creating a strong brand using your business name.  You could always use a variation of your business name, but this is more than likely to make you unprofessional and untrustworthy.  And, that is the last thing you want as a new business owner/startup.

Test it out

Ok so you have finally decided on the perfect name, and it's available on the social channels you plan to be on, plus the email address is available too. Great news…

But before you get too excited and go full speed ahead, it is definitely worth testing out the name you have settled on with your friends, family, and coworkers.

You may be surprised at the feedback you receive, plus you never know, you may even learn something new about how people perceive your name and therefore your business.

Now that you've read my top tips, remember to ensure your business name needs to be:

• Relatable

• Memorable,

• Easy to pronounce and spell,

• And finally available.

Have you recently set up a new business? How did you go about naming your business?

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