The internet is oversaturated with businesses. No matter where you go you will find advertisements and marketing efforts. Escaping commercialism and business is impossible. With so many businesses competing for the same clients, it should not come as a surprise to learn that originality has gone the way of the dodo. Rarely do businesses come up with novel names and concepts. If you are planning on starting your own business then a good name will distinguish you from your competitors. Here is how you can brainstorm a good name for your business, product or service:
Defer Judgment
During brainstorming sessions it’s important not to judge anybody else’s ideas. When you are naming your new product judgment can ruin team spirit. Nobody is going to want to participate in brainstorming sessions with you if they are judged in front of their colleagues. If an idea does not sound good then instead of ridiculing the person who suggested it or dismissing it, add it to the list of names you have developed during the session and remove it later on.
Encourage Ideas
Assuming there are multiple employees participating in naming sessions, encourage them to contribute ideas. Creating a positive working culture and avoiding judgment will help motivate staff to put their own ideas forward. When an idea is not good or does not mesh with your company’s vision do not immediately dismiss it. Sometimes bad ideas can be built upon and made better; sometimes they cannot. If any of the other team members participating in group sessions give negative feedback to co-workers about their ideas, punish them. Naming sessions should be a positive experience for all parties regardless of the substance of their contributions.
Building Up
Bad ideas and suggestions will be made, it’s inevitable; however, bad ideas can be built upon and made better. It is not easy building on a bad suggestion but with hard work and determination it is possible. There is a fine line between criticizing somebody’s idea and making better suggestions. If a team member contributes a name that you think could work then instead of telling them it’s rubbish and needs to be improved, tactfully explain that it is not suitable but can be made so. Everybody should then work together to figure out ways to make the suggested name more appropriate.
Stay Focused
Focus is essential; until your working group has a clear focus and direction choosing a name for your product or service won’t be possible. Achieving focus is a relatively easy thing to do. In terms of putting the group together, it’s important that you select only the most talented employees. Do not include anybody in group work that you think does not have the right attitude. You can tell a lot about employees by the way that they behave in group sessions. If anybody exhibits negative characteristics reconsider their position in your company.
Visualise
An important part of the naming process is visualization. You may want to bring a graphic designer into brainstorming sessions so that they can create digital renderings of what product packaging would look like with a new name on it. An alternative to this is to sketch diagrams yourself. Visualizing your product’s packaging with its new name can be an effective way of determining whether or not an idea’s suitable. If a name looks good on the packaging then it could be the right one. Names should roll off of the tongue so visualization isn’t everything but it is an important factor.
Quantity of Suggestions
Choosing a name isn’t likely something that’s going to happen right away; it could take several sessions or perhaps more. During sessions, it is important to get as many suggestions written down as you can. Quantity is more important than quality at first. A large volume of suggestions will improve the naming process and give you ideas. You can also work on the suggestions that have been made so they do not have to be perfect at first. Ask staff to brainstorm at home and then bring their suggestions in on a piece of paper, so they can contribute them.
Avoid Distractions
Distractions can be detrimental to your sessions. To that end, hold them in a private place where there won’t be any foot traffic or noise pollution. Giving staff somewhere quiet to focus on brainstorming will yield better results. You will also want to ensure staff are compensated for their time so offer a small pay raise and consider supplying food. Brainstorming sessions can take hours a piece which is why it’s important to make the experience as positive as you can for your employees. If they do not have a good time they will not want to return and help in the future.
Positive Feedback
You need to try and get feedback from your staff after each session so that you can figure out how good they were. Not everybody is going to enjoy brainstorming sessions but some employees might; even those that do not have a good time will still be able to give constructive feedback that you can then use to improve future sessions and prevent employees from having negative experiences. Send an anonymous email out after each session asking employees to leave feedback. Do not ask for their names as this will dissuade them from being brutally honest.
Consistent Efforts
If you are not able to come up with a good name for your new product or service immediately then make repeated, consistent efforts. The more you try to think of a name the closer you’ll get to finding the right one. If all else fails then you can hire a service to come up with one for you. These agencies are abundant online and many charge very reasonable prices. The names they suggest are entirely yours so you do not have to worry about copyright claims. Ensure a document is signed giving you full ownership over name suggestions prior to payment, however.
Naming a product is not easy. If it was, every business’s products would have interesting and captivating names. As it stands though the vast majority do not. You can either brainstorm a name internally or hire a company to come up with one for you. Make the best decision for your company and conduct extensive research either way. Researching agencies before hiring them can help you to make the best decision and ensure they offer a quality service.