7 questions to ask when choosing a brand name
By Mackenzie Ryan Walters
CEO & Strategist
Choosing a business or nonprofit name is challenging. It’s one of the hardest decisions to make, and yet it’s a foundational step.
It’s equally challenging if you are considering changing your brand name.
But it’s a decision that needs to be made as everything else — your logo, collateral, website, domain, (I could go on and on) will be based on your name.
As a marketing consultant, my clients have asked me the following questions:
“Should I change our name?”
“Is our name confusing?”
“Does our name reflect what we do?”
These questions don’t come out of the blue, but rather are part of a deeper challenge to connect with their clients or community of donors.
Maybe it’s a feeling that something is “off,” or you find yourself having to explain what you do over and over again.
I’ve also met employees who confessed they hated sharing the organization’s name because they felt it was too long or confusing - never a good sign!
Another common, although less vocalized, concern is whether the brand name is modern enough to resonate with a younger audience, or whether there is a reputation that needs to be repaired.
In my view, the decision you make should be grounded in your customer or support base, the product or service mix you offer, as well as the competitive landscape.
Here are some common reasons why you may want to consider a new brand name:
You’ve grown from a solo operation to a team.
You find yourself wondering if people understand or connect with your name.
You’ve acquired or merged with another company or nonprofit.
You plan on acquiring or merging with another company or nonprofit in the future and want to make the case for keeping your name.
You’ve pivoted your company or nonprofit to focus on a different client base.
You want to resonate with a younger audience.
You have a reputation to improve upon.
You don’t want to be confused with another organization operating under the same or similar name.
You’ve shifted your products or service offerings, or you’ve expanded your offerings.
You want to sell your company one day and want to select a unique name that’s not tied to a specific person.
It’s not to say you need to change your name if one of these happens, but if you’re finding yourself wondering about it, then it’s typically a sign that a deeper conversation is warranted.
I would caution you on leaping to a decision, however.
For example, you want to make sure your new name is embraced by your customer base and team members.
(And you want to prevent the worst from happening, which is your new name being outright rejected, and instead people refer to your company by your old name or poke serious fun at the new one.)
A simple way to start is through a brand discovery process, where you ask your clients and supporters how they would describe your brand. Depending on time, size of organization and financials, this can be done through interviews, surveys, or focus groups.
You’re looking for descriptors that can give you a sense of current perception and help prompt name ideation, among other questions about sentiment and client experience.
You also should take into account digital factors, such as whether domain and social media handles are available. There are also strategic considerations to take under advisement when it comes to Google and other digital search services.
That’s why I’ve put together the 7 questions you should ask when walking through a naming process. Once you make the change, you don’t want to have to go back to the drawing board a second time.
Make sure your new name “passes” each of the seven questions so you can launch your new brand with confidence!
View the 7 questions to ask when evaluating a brand name
Mackenzie Walters is the CEO and strategist at StoryStruck Marketing, and a champion of using journalism techniques to identify and implement customer segmentation strategies. By identifying and targeting their priority customer segments, companies can increase revenue, reduce risk, and elevate customer experiences. A former national award-winning journalist, Mackenzie lives in West Des Moines with her husband, Andy, two boys, and two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys gardening and baking sourdough bread.