SMALL BUSINESS TIP #23 WHAT’S IN A NAME? EVERYTHING.

For a small business, a great brand name highlights the personality of your business and serves as a promise to your customers.  Your brand name will demonstrate your customer values, how you communicate your product, and what you want people to feel when they do business with you.

Developing an exceptional name—one that is memorable, easy to say, emotionally appealing and different—is arguably the most important element of creating a brand.  Jema Tran’s Giftzza, in New York City, has a unique name that does just that.  Giftzza, a combination of gifts and pizza, is a curated gift company that specializes in experiential gifting– hand delivered in pizza-shaped boxes.

Tran came up with her special name after her first job in the United States at Pizza Hut.  She wanted to capture the joy customers experience when receiving a pizza delivery and translate that same excitement into her gifting business.  She attributes networking to helping her in developing her brand identity the most.  For the 2020 holiday season, her networking skills have landed her some pretty talented holiday helpers. Due to the pandemic, Tran has hired unemployed Broadway performers to deliver your Giftzza and perform at a safe distance when you open your door.  This holiday venture emphasizes her community minded, generous and experiential brand identity.

Deciding on a name for your new business can be challenging. Brand experts recommend starting with a brainstorming exercise. Try short and simple ideas, acronyms, combining two words, and using your own name to start. Avoid names that may be considered too narrow or literal and obscure words that may be hard to pronounce or recognize.

BetterSweet Vegan Bakery, in Miami, Florida, has a brand name comprised of 2 words –“better” and “sweet”.  Owner and Founder, Indira Cristin, says she chose her name for its simplicity and was inspired by the bittersweet chocolate she uses in her vegan treats.  Cristin practices a vegan lifestyle and preaches that “veganism is ‘better’ for you”. In turn the adjective “better” was a perfect fit to demonstrate her brand identity and vegan products.

In addition to having a good name and product–company morals, exceptional customer service and a relevant digital presence are Cristin’s benchmarks for branding success.  Personalization and great flavors make BetterSweet Vegan Bakery a memorable and delicious experience.

Brand identity works in collaboration with a business’ name, logo, typeface, tagline, and colors.  Consistency is key in establishing a recognizable and memorable brand.  Establish clear messaging and themes to strengthen your impact.  Check back next month for more branding tips!