Brand Development Tips – #1: Brainstorming Your Brand Name

March 12, 2017June 24, 2017 Eric Lyon 1 Comment advertising, brainstorming, branding, brands, business, coop, design, development, identity, logo, marketing, start-ups, strategy, techniques, tips

I decided to start a new series for brand development tips to share some of the things I’ve learned over the years. When it comes to starting up a new online or offline business, the number one thing you need to get started is a solid brand to represent you or your new company. If you are an existing company, you may want to think about rebranding at some point if your current brand isn’t doing the job it’s supposed to.

Brainstorming Your Brand Name

Note: You may also be interested in reading some of the brand building related articles I wrote in the past:

Dec. 26th, 2012: Top 11 Online Start-up Business Mistakes
Dec. 24th, 2012: Starting a Legal U.S. Business 101
Sec. 23rd, 2012: U.S. IRS Domain Business Tax Information
Sep. 22nd, 2016: Getting started with your first online business
Feb. 19th, 2017: Branding Your Brandable Domains

Brainstorming – Brainstorming is where every good idea is conceived. This is the moment that you come up with a great idea that you want to develop into a lucrative business model. It could also be a moment in life where a light turns on in your head as a reaction to a situation you found a fix/solution for that hasn’t been done yet. Or, it could even be a modified version of an existing solution repackaged in a better-looking box.

Brainstorming Essentials – Not everyone can easily come up with creative ideas. Because of this, we sometimes need to stimulate the psyche to get those creative juices flowing. Let’s take a look at a few different ways you can come up with good creative ideas for your new brand while using the checklist below to brainstorm.

Optional Brand Variables

Determine what your name needs to accomplish
See how it will work with existing product or service names
Describe what you do
Conveys what you need it to convey
Be playful with it
Make sure it isn’t confusing
If it’s 2 words, maybe make it rhyme
Take a word out of context
Make sure it’s targeting the right consumer demographics
Make up a word
Keep future growth in mind
Keep it as short and simple as possible
Is it available in .com to register?

Motivational Examples Of Creative Brands

Let’s take a peek at some creative brands out there with a unique touch to help provide some visual stimulation to your brainstorming.

The above brand identities should give you a basic idea about your brands potential. It should be noted that you do not want to copy anyone else’s brand, never use any clipart/stock images, and be as unique/creative as possible to set you apart from the rest of the businesses in your industry. The last thing you want is to infringe on someone else’s copyrights/trademarks. That would be a bad way to start your new venture. If you need help branding yourself, business, product, or unique service, I am more than happy to assist you. Get a free brand/logo design quote.

Motivational Creative Branding Tips

Authority/Trust – This technique allows you to stand in your target customers shoes. Be sure that your brand idea conveys trust and authority instantly. If you can’t capture the trust of a potential customer within the first 6 seconds of them seeing your brand, you probably just lost a lead.
Brand Mapping – This technique is executed by writing your primary business goal in the middle of a piece of paper. Then create sub-categories of that goal around the primary and link them all together. Continue adding as many sub-categories as you can until your brain goes numb and then start the process of elimination to identify the best brand solution.
Group/Coop – – Don’t be shy. Be sure you ask your existing inner-circle of professionals what they think. If you don’t have one, form a small group of local professionals to brainstorm with once or twice a month over a cup of coffee.
Reverse Psychology – This method can be fun. Try to find as many things wrong with your product/service as you can and then do the opposite by fixing it and adding what you found to your list of ideas.
Visual Stimulation – Research a ton of images/photos related to your industry and events. Let the feeling of the images overwhelm you with ideas that drip out of your pen onto the paper.
Competition – What are your competitors doing successfully? Research and mirror what they did and put a creative twist on it to set you apart from the rest. Don’t copy, be unique.
Get Out! – That’s right, it’s time to step away from your computer and get some fresh air. Go on a random road trip with no destination in mind. Maybe venture to places in or out of town you haven’t ever visited before. Take notes of all the signage, branding, and other marketing campaigns you come across. Later you can review the notes (Taking pictures might be better) and inject a little more creativity to what you discovered on your adventure.
Use a thesaurus – A thesaurus is packed with some alternative word ideas.
Founder’s Name – It is what it is. Sometimes it’s more desirable for people to brand their own name.
Domain Investors – It may also be a good idea to see what domain investors are buying and selling these days. Some domain investors have a pretty creative imagination when it comes to investing into a brand. They might have the brand you’re looking for. Check: Domains For Sale

It’s my hopes that the above can at least help get you headed in the right direction. The tips above are in no way inclusive and you should continue your research to find solutions that work best for you and your new venture.

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Eric Lyon

Entrepreneur, Freelancer, Domain Investor/Developer, Brand Designer, Brand Manager, Founder of Scorpion Agency™, Founder of OfficeDrift™, And A Father.

Since 1996, Eric has managed companies with 240+ employees, online communities with over 1 million members, attended numerous industry related events/conventions and has personally worked with start-ups, personalities, small mom and pop businesses, corporations, freelancers, news outlets, and a variety of domain investors one-on-one from all over the world. That equates to a lot of years behind the scenes with his fingers firmly on the pulse of multiple industries.

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