It seems like every other day someone quits their job in corporate America to start up their own business. People want the flexibility of having total control over their success and failure. They feel confined at their traditional job and want to follow their dreams. But, many do not realize the competition their company will face. Many people think having a unique product or service is all that matters. However, this is not the case. The business name and logo are just as important as any other business category.
Naming your business can put you on shaky ground, whether because of under thinking, overthinking, or even just not doing a simple Google search to see if there are other businesses out there with the same name.
So, here are the top 6 biggest mistakes small businesses make when creating their name and logo
Too Generic
Generic business names are extremely common. Is it because no one wants to put the effort into thinking up something new? Or because they shrug and figure, “Eh, that’s good enough”?
Whatever the cause, a generic name is nobody’s friend. This is especially true if you’ve already conceptualized and executed an attractive logo design, slapping “Acme Co.” underneath it will be a huge detriment to the impact of your visual.
Too Specific
On the flip side of that coin, some business owners also end up with headaches because of names that are a little too specific. For instance, when you first start out you provide a certain service, and you include that service in your name and logo.
What happens when your products and service lines alter later on?
What if you add something completely new and you’d rather focus on that instead?
Being too specific in your company name and your logo design can lead to a re-branding fiasco, as your customers try to figure out where the connection is between either your old name and your new services. It is best to rebrand a company name and logo slowly over time. So, as the company changes, the name and logo transform as well.
Sounds or Looks Too Much Like Another Company
Over the years, we’ve seen companies lose customers or even be on the receiving end of a lawsuit because of stepping too heavily on trademark laws. Nobody likes a copycat, no matter what market we’re talking about. Naming your company something that could easily be mistaken for an existing company is confusing for your customers and a mistake for your brand. Likewise, making a logo that looks similar to another popular company’s can further confuse customers. To avoid this, do a Google search for similar-sounding businesses.
Too Long
Your business name can be too long in one of two ways. It can have too many words included, for example, John Harold Little And Sons Expert Persian Rug Cleaners And Fringe Disposal. Or, it could simply be that the words themselves are too long. As a rule, we tend to like short, choppy names, with fewer syllables.
Moreover, a long business name can impact your logo design as well. Many types of logos include the name as part of the design, and if your name is too many letters, it will look crowded and ungainly.
So, if your potential business name has more than four syllables, it might be a good idea to consider something else.
Hard To Spell Or Pronounce
Names that are hard to spell or pronounce to the business’s target market also impact logo design. In other words, if the target market does not understand the name, they may not understand the logo. Furthermore, if your potential clients don’t know how to pronounce your business name right, even in their own head, they may actually shy away from seeking out a further business relationship with you.
Too Complicated
Overthinking, underthinking, or a total lack of thinking can all sink your chances of creating a memorable, effective name for your business. Moreover, making any of these mistakes can make a negative impact on your logo design, as well as other visuals.
Whether you’ve already designed your logo, or you’re waiting until after your name is in place so it can be inspirational to the visual, we recommend that you opt for a simple business name.
Simple names are easy to say, hear, write, and remember.
If you ever need help creating a logo or managing your digital marketing, contact us! We are a small business that is here to help other small businesses.
