What’s in a name? Well, if you’re considering opening up your own shop, it could be the difference between success and failure. Your business name is one of the first things people see when they come to your store front or website. It can make or break whether they stay on as customers or move onto another company with a better brand. We all know that having a catchy and memorable name is important for any business, but what about avoiding these 12 sins of O Names?
Sin #13: Being too vague
The more specific you are about your brand, the more people will be able to identify with it. When they can’t tell what service or product your store sells from just a quick glance at its name, chances are they’ll move on to find one that’s easier for them to understand. The best names give potential customers an idea of what products and services the company offers before even entering their domain (web address). For instance, if opening up a dog daycare center called “Doggy Daycare,” potential clients would know immediately that this business is all about dogs - no cats allowed! You want your business name to set expectations so there isn’t any confusion once somebody visits your site or storefront.
It’s not enough to just pick a random name for your business. If you’re serious about growing it into the success that it deserves, then you should be deliberate and thoughtful with the decision making process. A good way to start is by considering these 12 deadly sins of your shop name so you can avoid them at all costs.
- Make sure there are no numbers in your company or domain - This may seem like an obvious one but how many people do you know who have “1234567” as their phone number? There could easily be someone out there doing the same thing with their store’s name! Avoid this mistake by giving yourself some unique digits from which to work off of instead such as adding letters onto the end of your name or using a number in place of one letter.
- Don’t pick a generic word - Shop names are not plays on words, they should be unique and memorable to anyone who hears it for the first time. Generic words such as “shop,” “store,” “boutique” are bland and forgettable so try selecting more specific keywords from which to base your naming off of.
- Use an acronym if you can - Most business owners want their shop to have meaning behind what they’re doing so why not incorporate that into the name? An acronym is something like NBC (National Broadcasting Corporation) that makes sense with everything else and allows people to become familiar with what’s going on there without being forced into any formal introductions.
- Avoid offensive words or concepts - This is a no brainer but it’s important not to include any derogatory terms in your shop name because this can hurt you more than provide help for the brand. If that word doesn’t fit into what your company is about, don’t use it!
- Don’t copy another business’ name - It may seem like the perfect idea at first glance but if you’re going up against an established competitor then this could be less of a wise decision and more of an uphill battle to achieve success with something they already own all rights too. You’ll have better luck coming up with a unique concept that fits well within your target market, so just go ahead and do something different instead of replicating the competition.
- Avoid generic names - You’ll want your company name to convey something specific about who you are and what you do. Generic words like “bakery,” while descriptive, can also be limiting so make sure that when it comes to naming your business, you’re not just thinking in terms of one category but rather as broad or narrow a range as might fit for how wide reaching your ideas may vary from industry to industry (ie: if all types of baked goods is what’s being offered then bakery will work; however, if only cupcakes are on offer at the shop then this would limit branding potential).
- Be creative with new ways of spelling old words - If there’s some word out there that has an existing meaning, but you want to give it a new one for your business, then this is the way to go. As long as there’s no trademark that might be violated and if someone else doesn’t already have an established use of the word in their branding, then feel free to get creative with spelling!
- Avoid names that are difficult or impossible to pronounce - Some words just don’t roll off people’s tongues easily because they’re hard not only to spell but also say aloud too; these types of names can confuse customers which could lead them away from making a purchase altogether (ie: “Hyrdogen” vs hydrogen). If any potential name causes confusion after seeing it written out or hearing it pronounced by another person, avoid using it!
- Avoid names that are hard to spell - This might be a little redundant, but it’s worth mentioning. If your customers have trouble spelling or recognizing the name of your store then they may not make a purchase at all (ie: “Kine” vs “Cinema”). The goal here is for people to recognize and remember your shop easily because when you’re in charge with marketing yourself online, it doesn’t take much for someone else to step in if their product looks easier than yours.
- Take into account how easy words can change meaning depending on context - It’s important that no one gets offended by the name of something so try using a word without any connotations related to religion, sex/gender orientation, or any other sensitive topics.
- Avoid names that are hard to pronounce - This is an important one because nobody wants to spend time saying the name when they could be looking at it and ordering instead! So, if your customers have trouble pronouncing a word then they may not find you as easily online and will likely turn to another store due to convenience.
- Don’t use company ids in your shop’s name - There can be some legal issues with using acronyms for companies since there are benefits like discounts (ie: IKEA) so steer clear of those just in case.
Content Version One: 12 Sins of O Names and How to Avoid Them Description: 12 Deadly sins of naming a business Though Sin # One: Using an acronym as a name. The problem here is that the abbreviation doesn’t provide enough information for people to be able to make assumptions about what you are selling or who you are targeting. It’s just too generic and could mean anything from toys, to tapioca pudding! If your business offers consulting services we suggest avoiding this sin at all costs because it can cause confusion in the marketplace which leads customers astray. Be sure to include the full word or phrase with any abbreviations spelled out so there is no room for misunderstanding- “Toys ‘R Us” instead of “TRU”. Some acronyms do work well though if they’re associated with certain values such as Chipotle Mexican
