Many business owners have pondered the importance of their beauty brand’s name. And yes, a company’s name is a critical component of any business. And although your brand—thanks to its awesome products—will see some success, it won’t be able to reach the top as it should.
This is particularly the case in today’s world, where companies are meticulously designed to enchant their clients through branding.
Salons with names like ‘Hair Today, Dye Tomorrow,’ and ‘Lunatic Fringe,’ for example, would strike the ordinary first-time customer as odd. And in most situations, they may decide to avoid them entirely.
Your company’s brand name is its true heartbeat. It could boost your beauty brand if done correctly, but it could also be the demise of your business if done incorrectly.
So, before you start searching for great beauty product names, bear in mind that the simplest way to keep your company alive is to avoid using unappealing names. And answering these three simple questions will help you save your brand from chaos.
1. Is your brand name complicated to say or hard to remember?
It’s best to avoid using difficult and complex words when naming your company. The best name for your business should sound memorable and simple. One of the best ways you can avoid confusing your customers with your brand name is to avoid using odd characters and spellings.
Customers prefer short, straightforward, and unique brand names instead of complex names because they are easier to say, spell, remember, and search online. If your company name is too ‘long,’ you risk losing business to competitors with short, original, and intriguing brand names.
Considering the fact that your brand’s name sets the tone for your company and gives the first impression of your business to customers, choosing short, appealing words that roll off the tongue is a sure way to have customers remember your brand name.
Here’s an interesting fact: In China, long and complex business names have been outlawed.
2. Have you researched your competitors’ brand names?
When you’re launching your brand, it’s highly recommended to research your competitors in the industry. Creating a simple competitor analysis to have a list of names down is especially important when you’re thinking about how you want to stand out, even from the standpoint of your brand name.
For example, when you’re launching a skincare line, you don’t want to accidentally create a brand name that is similar to a competitor in the skincare space! When you have that list of competitors, you can then take a look at how you can stand out with your brand name – what values do you want to convey? What colors match your brand values and packaging?
3. Is your brand name appealing for your target audience?
Every business wants to increase its profits, but only brands that are perfectly connected with their target audience will reach this goal.
In a recent Squadhelp survey, people aged 25 to 34 prefer innovative and modern companies over classic and established ones. Meanwhile, people aged 45 to 65, on the other hand, favor classic and established brands.
If you want your company to succeed, don’t pick a business name that doesn’t connect with or attract your target market.
Ensure you evaluate your target customers and use a tone that suits them. If you’re targeting customers between 24 and 35, edgy brand names like Urban Decay is great, but if you’re aiming for people between 55 to 65, stay with classic names like Estee Lauder.
The first step to coming up with words that reflect your customer requirements and personalities, every business owner must have a clear understanding of their target audience.
Test your brand name
Everyone starting a business must test their brand’s name on a small portion of their intended audience to see if the name strikes a chord with them. You can also test your brand name on family and friends! But don’t stop there, also ensure you run a thorough search online to ensure that your brand’s name would evoke strong positive emotions from customers in another country.
Conclusion
With these 3 critical questions to ask yourself, you’ll avoid any common brand naming mistakes.
First, think about your brand name – is it long and complicated to remember? The one thing big brands have done is keep it short and simple so people remember. Memorability is important!
Second, try putting together a competitive analysis and make note of the various brand names you are competing with to think about how you can stand out from the crowd.
Lastly, ask yourself if your brand name targets the audience you are speaking to. Is your name playful for millennials or timeless for middle-aged audiences?
Whatever you decide, you will know which brand name is right for you. Brainstorm, receive feedback and play around with different names that suit your products.
Author bio: Grant Polachek is the head of branding for Squadhelp.com, 3X Inc 5000 startup and disruptive naming agency. Squadhelp has reviewed more than 1 million names and curated a collection of the best available names on the web today. We are also the world’s leading crowdsource naming platform, supporting clients such as Nestle, Dell, Nuskin, and AutoNation.
