Startup Bootcamp, Part 10: What's my freaking brand name?

You’ve determined who you’re up against in the marketplace and what your competitive advantage is, but what do you call yourself?

What will your logo look like? Having the words “TBD Company” (even in a really clean, modern font) in the header of your landing page isn’t a recipe for success. Now that you have a firm grasp of who your target audience is, you have the tools to determine what names, tone of voice, personality and aesthetic will resonate with them. Here’s where to start:

Make it memorable. You want your name to stand out, especially compared to your competitors. What name or phrase will linger in the minds of your potential customers?

Don’t make it too long or complicated. Don’t make your name hard to remember or pronounce. Simple and straightforward names are more likely to be remembered. Don’t get too kreative with the spelling. You want customers to easily Google your company name. Getting weird with the spelling makes that more difficult.

Make it a reflection of your brand. With your target audience identified you should have an idea of what will resonate with your customers, including your name and logo. What’s going to grab their attention?

Make sure it’s available. Before you fall in love with your name, make sure the web domain is available. We also recommend inquiring with your state’s Secretary of State (who approves business entry filings) and the U.S. Patent Office for trademarks.

Don’t be too narrow. If you make your name hyper specific to the product or service you’re offering right now, you may make it difficult for your company to evolve over time with new products or services. Don’t box yourself in!

Gather market feedback. Test your name with a few folks in your target audience to see if you get the reaction you want. Before your anxiety kicks in and you feel like you need to knock it out of the park right way, let us be clear; don’t get too hung up on your name and logo during this process. Many successful companies had other names before they took off; Nike was once Blue Ribbon Sports, Google was called BackRub and Best Buy started as Sound of Music. Like everything else in this guide, iteration (even your name and logo) is OK at this phase.

Don’t break the bank on the design right now. Unless you’re a graphic designer or someone owes you a favor, don’t spend a lot of time or money in logo development right now. With tools like Fiverr a designer can develop your logo for as little as $5. Once you’ve determined there’s product/market fit, you can invest more in logo design. Keep in mind, however, that a complicated or intricate logo is not a requirement for success. Google and Apple have simple logo designs, and they’re doing OK.