Opening a new business takes a lot of work. On top of all of the time and effort, you will need to dedicate to it, you also need to do a lot of thinking. One thing in particular to consider is the name you want for your company. If you are opening a physical store, you should think extra carefully due to the physical impact that branding can make beyond a computer screen.
If you feel stumped when you first try coming up with names, it can be helpful to look over a store name ideas list at a company such as NAMIFY to warm your mind up to some additional brainstorming. To start, consider these:
1. Understand Your Business
One of the topmost good moves you can make for any company is to thoroughly understand it. For entrepreneurs who are in the beginning stages of creating a small business startup, understanding their business should be a priority. This is especially true when it comes to the task of naming it. What do you want it to represent? What do you want your customers to understand your business to be?
2. Name To Remember
How many business names can you think of immediately? Take a few moments to try to come up with as many as you can. Then, write them down. When thinking of possibilities for your new store, take some time to think about why those store names stand out to you.
Approaching naming from examples of success can be a good way to find some direction and “ah-ha!” moments. In general, store names should not be too long. In most cases, short, simple and easy-to-remember does well. Spelling often matters, too.
3. Check Trademark Availability
Another business naming tip that is definitely worth the extra time is to check the trademark availability. You do not want to brand everything and start working the name into your logo design when you realize there is another long-term business with the same name.
In the United States, there are around 32 million registered small businesses. You can visit the official United States Patent and Trademark Office website to instantly search.
4. Think Carefully About Initials
Although short and sweet is typically best, using initials does not always do well. Unless your company has been around for a long time, it is usually wiser to have a store name that is interesting and attention-catching.
With that said, IBM, 3M and REI are exceptions to this tip, so do not be completely afraid of some initialing creativity if it is something meaningful to you and your brand.
5. Know What To Avoid
In addition to thinking about all the good things to do, it is also useful to consider business name mistakes to avoid. Keep in mind, that you should never let these lists lessen your creativity. Instead, consider others’ mistakes as perspectives that you should weigh carefully. Furthermore, do not be afraid to make mistakes. Many times, mistakes are what lead to some of the greatest business breakthroughs.
Naming a business can be overwhelming, but it can also be a lot of fun. Try not to let it stress you out because there are far more pressing things to encounter along your business running experience. Use these tips to help make things easier.
