Know-How Exchange : Taglines/Names

Naming is a sophisticated process if you want to do it right. There are a number of different issues and possible approaches, so let's start with answers to a few critical questions.

First, who is your target audience? Where? Who makes the decision and how do they approach it? When? What are the most important criteria for hiring someone who does what you plan to do? What are the other options and trade-offs? (You might want to do a SWOT analysis. That usually flushes out the issues quickly.)

Next, what's the ultimate benefit for the target audience/decision-maker? What emotional payoff can they expect if/when they hire you? Without a clear statement of the key positioning benefit, it's impossible to come up with a really great name that will make a compelling promise.

Then, how are people going to find out about you? Do you have a marketing plan as part of your business plan? If so, it's important that you share it with us as we sort through the naming options. If you don't have a marketing plan, that should be your next step. The business and marketing plans really ought to precede the naming process.

Finally, how are you going to evaluate name candidates and pick a winner? What are the criteria? If we know that in advance, there's a good chance we can deliver for you. If we don't know the criteria, this is a fool's errand.

Hope this helps guide you to an informal creative brief that we can use to come up with a dynamite name for your new business.

Great comprehensive advice from mgoodman. Also, your business/domain name may not be enough to really explain what you do. Consider developing a supporting tagline that works well with the chosen domain name.

Senior Support

Dignity in Old Age Services

Care for the Elderly

Care Services Watch

The Care Watchdog

Guardian Angel Services for Seniors

Again, it's late and I'm not on form namewise right now. More importantly you've been in this business and I would like to point out something that'll speak directly to your better clients.

My point is that you'll have a stack of references amongst which are commonalities that point to your real strengths. Also, what have people told you who've phoned you having been referred by an already happy customer? Putting these together means you have something that's not only unique but also true to the core of your business.

Using this as the focus for answers to Mr. Goodman's questions will allow you to see them in a light that makes them way more meaningful, both for you and those who you need to read your name.

I can come up with a bundle of names, but would rather hear from you first. That'll make the naming process far more worthwhile for everyone.