Introduction
When you’re starting a new business, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the many decisions you have to make. But one of the most important ones is choosing a product name and this decision can make or break your business.
A product name is the name of the thing you’re selling. A product name can be short, long, or somewhere in between—but it always needs to convey what your product does and why someone should buy it.
With so much competition out there, it’s crucial to stand out from the crowd and capture customer attention with a unique product name that resonates with your target audience. If you choose incorrectly, you could miss out on sales opportunities and customers’ interest in what you’re selling.
Guide to Product Naming
A well-crafted product name allows you to get people excited about your business without having to explain too much about what your company does. It also helps you build trust with potential customers by giving them an idea of what they might get from using your product.
When they hear those words (or see those letters or numbers), they’ll have a better sense of whether or not they want to use your product. A great product name can also help you build brand recognition and establish trust with customers which helps customers remember your brand and makes them more likely to buy from you again in the future.
You also want to think about how your product name is going to be used by your target customers and potential users. If you sell dog food for dogs with allergies or sensitive stomachs, it might make sense to call it “Dog Food For Dogs With Sensitive Stomachs.” On the other hand, if you’re making dog treats for puppies who are teething, then “Puppy Treats” might be better than something like “Gourmet Dog Treats.”
Why Your Product Name Is So Important
Many people have the impression that a product name is just a piece of text. However, a great name can be the difference between an industry-leading product and one that barely makes it into the market.
A great product name is a key component of your brand identity. It can help you stand out from your competitors, and it can help you convey the essence of your product or service.
A bad or incorrect name can make it difficult for people to remember what you’re selling, or even worse, make them think twice about buying from you. When choosing a name for your company, don’t just choose something that sounds good—make sure it has meaning and helps communicate how your product works.
Strategies for Crafting the Perfect Product Name
The product name is your identity. It’s the first thing people see, and it influences how they feel about your company, product, and brand.
Therefore, let’s first take a look at what a name should be like:
- A name should be clear, concise, and easy to say out loud.
- It should be memorable and easy for your customers to remember.
- It should be unique but have a similar feel to other names in your industry and category.
- It should be short (no more than 5 words). Longer names are harder for customers to remember and harder for search engines to index, which will hurt your SEO (search engine optimization) efforts.
- It should not include numbers or special characters because they can make it harder for search engines to index your site or find it on social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter if someone posts about it there.
Product Name Brainstorming
The best way to ensure that you’re choosing names that are effective and memorable is by brainstorming with other people who are also interested in the project. This can help you build consensus around what makes sense, as well as identify pitfalls or areas where there is disagreement.
It also provides an opportunity to explore different ideas, which can help spark creativity and encourage innovation. When brainstorming for names, think about what’s unique about your product or service and how it stands out from other similar ones out there.
For example, if you’re developing a new kind of clothing line, consider using words like “sporty,” “athletic” or “trendy” in your name to reflect this focus on athleticism/style/trendiness (whatever words you want to use). The goal here is to come up with as many options as possible that represent the essence of your product while also being short, catchy, and memorable.
For You: Free Name Testing Survey Template
Avoiding Common Naming Pitfalls
There are some common pitfalls that businesses often fall into when naming their products:
- Trying to be funny or clever (for example, “Silly Putty”). While this might seem like an easy way to make people laugh, most people don’t get the joke and just feel like you’re trying too hard. According to research, 73% of consumers want companies’ communications to be funny, however, humor is subjective. This is why it is better to avoid being funny so that your product name is not misunderstood.
- Using generic names like “Blue” or “Red.” makes it harder for customers to remember your product.
- Being too broad or too specific: Avoiding this pitfall is simple: think about what you want your product to do, and then narrow down the name until it covers those things. For example, a watch could be called “Time,” but that’s just too general. A more specific watch could be called “Timex,” or even “Nike” if it also has fitness features.
Examples of Great Product Names
- Nike: The name Nike comes from the Greek goddess of victory, who was also the wife of Zeus. Nike has been a leader in their field for 40 years, and their name has become synonymous with athletic shoes and clothing.
- Patagonia: Patagonia is a region in Argentina that is famous for its rugged landscape. Patagonia was founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, and they have made outdoor clothing that is functional and fashionable.
- Amazon: The company name Cadabra was changed to Amazon because a lawyer misheard its original name as “cadaver”. The name Amazon means “large river” in Greek.
- Virgin: Virgin was founded by Richard Branson in 1970 when he set out on a mission to build spaceflights for travelers who couldn’t afford space travel. He went on to found Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin Mobile Ltd., which both still operate today under the Virgin brand name.
- Monocle: A monocle is a single-lens eyepiece worn by older men to correct visual distortion due to presbyopia, which occurs when the eyes become less flexible with age.
- Apple: Apple stands for “appleseed,” which means that apples grow on trees as seeds do. Surprisingly, Steve Jobs named his company Apple because he liked the fruit.
- Greyhound: Similar to the Greyhound Dog breed, the company name Greyhound stands out. And according to the company’s history, a driver, Ed Stone, who was reminded of a greyhound when he saw a passing bus in a reflection.
Product Name Study
A product name study is the process of finding or creating a name for your product. It’s one of the first things you need to do before you introduce it, and it’s an important step in building brand equity.
For You: Brand Equity Survey Template
Before you can write your product names, you’ll need to research the industry and customer base. You’ll want to identify what types of products are already being used by consumers, and how they’re marketed. The information gathered will be used as a starting point for your own research on the subject.
Once completed, the results of this study should be used as guidelines while writing new names. Your goal is to come up with names that customers will find memorable and relatable but not so generic that they don’t mean anything to anyone else.
A good product name study will help you avoid pitfalls like using too many syllables and using a word that’s already taken. It can also help you come up with an idea that’s unique, memorable, and evocative—all qualities that make people want to buy your product.
It’s also a great way to keep track of all your products in one place. And after conducting a study, you’ll know exactly how to describe your product in a way that resonates with your target audience.
Conclusion
Product naming is a tricky business. You want to create something that is memorable and appealing, but you don’t want it to be too much of a mouthful.
It’s important to remember that naming your product will set the tone for everything about your brand and its relationship with customers. It should also be something that makes people go “Wow!” when they hear it, but not so much that it feels forced, or like you’re reaching too far in trying too hard.