One of my regular joys throughout my years as an upline has been helping demonstrators select a team name/blog name/brand name for themselves. In the past, we could only choose a group name once we hit three or more members in our downlines, and the only place we had a brand name was our DBWS sites. However, since the proliferation of the blogging world and the advent of Facebook business pages, Pinterest and Instagram, it's now crucial to pick a brand name very early on.
Unfortunately, having to choose a brand name so early means many people are stuck with ill-chosen names that don't grow with them. It's much harder than people realize to choose a good name! With that in mind, I've compiled a list of 7 concepts to consider when choosing what to call your business.
Pick a brand name that:
1. Is not already taken. Check by googling it and looking at the list of Stampin’ Up group names under My Business on the demonstrator site. Until you do both of those things, no responsible blog designer will create a header for a theme that may already be taken. Remember that while it may be technically allowable to have a name that is extremely close to someone else's, it's definitely not advisable, and isn't really very polite either.
2. Does not have any form of “Stampin’ Up” in it. As independent contractors, we are not allowed to use the company name unless in the long form of “our name, comma, Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator.” Which is NOT suitable for a blog name or brand name. No copyrighted terms or slogans from any source can be used in your blog name.
3. Is spelled correctly, not “cutesy,” and with no numbers in place of letters. This is very hard for people to recall and type in correctly. Don't use acrobatics to make it fit into an acronym. People won’t remember or care what your acronym stands for. You must make it as easy as possible to get it right every time.
5. Is memorable in a good way. If your name is unusual, strongly ethnic, super long, or hard to spell, leave it out. It’s not worth the aggravation. On the flip side, if your name is TOO common, it can also confuse people and send them to the wrong sites. Best to leave your actual name out entirely and build your brand instead in those cases.
6. Isn't too long. The longer it is, the less likely people will remember it. Think of the major brands you like. One or two words, three at the most, right? People always think “more specific is better” when it comes to brand recognition, but the truth is that the name itself has very little to do with why we recognize a brand. It’s all the work that has gone into connecting that name with that product that is sticking in our minds. The number “31” has nothing to do with tote bags, except that we all recognize it, don’t we.
7. Will grow with you. I always feel bad for people who have limited their own growth by picking a name that is either regional-specific, too-exclusive of other types of crafting, or in some way unprofessional. You have no idea where this blog can take you. Don’t think small—dream BIG!
Whew! Lots to think about, eh? It's worth the time to consider well! My best suggestion is to brainstorm with your team. Tell them about yourself, what else you like to do besides stamp, what collections you have, what you consider your style to be. Share this list with them so they know what makes a good brand name. We have come up with many a name in my group by pooling our suggestions, sharing our thoughts on how different things sound, and eventually hitting on an idea that resonated with the demonstrator.
Best wishes on discovering a brand name you love that will grow with you as your business takes off!
PSST...Once you have your brand name, now you need to lock in the domain name! Read: About Domain Names: Your own little piece of the Internet
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