The hottest topic in the MarketingProfs discussion forum -- from Day One -- has been names and taglines. There have been 2,481 conversations about positioning.


In fact, there are 31 active discussions right now. Feel like brainstorming a few taglines for a house cleaning service, a software company, a savings account or a vacation policy? Jump on in! But I'll warn you, it can be addictive.
Every product, service and company needs a name. And most of them need taglines too. Small business owners realize these are important decisions, but they don't necessarily have experience making them. They rarely have the budgets to hire consultants to help them. So Michael Goodman, one of our forum's top experts, is presenting an online seminar on Friday (July 20) to teach them how to do it themselves. Goodman also offered these pointers in a recent Get to the Point newsletter article.
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Would a Rose by Any Other Name Smell as Sweet?
According to marketing strategist Michael Goodman, there are five common ways to name a brand or a company. The next time you're stumped when trying to think of a name for your new product, service or organization, try brainstorming a little down each of these different paths.
1. Take the names of people, animals, places or symbols: Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Scientific Atlanta, Ford, Heinz, Alamo, Eli Lilly, Disneyland.
2. Literally describe the business, product or service: American Airlines, General Motors, Metropolitan Life, General Electric, Universal Studios.
3. Use contractions, acronyms or initials: IBM, FedEx, Nabisco, ESPN, 3M, AAA, HP, AT&T.
4. Make up a nonsense name, or pick an unrelated or coined name, or use a foreign phrase that sounds good: Google, Yahoo, Zocor, Exxon, Dos Equis, Tivo, Xerox.
5. Come up with a benefit-related name: Spic 'n' Span (household cleaner), Edge (shaving lather), Head & Shoulders (shampoo), Nice 'n' Easy (hair coloring), I Can't Believe It's Not Butter (margarine).
With so many choices, which is best? Goodman recommends a benefit-related name, if possible. Admittedly, it is the most difficult to come up with, but it is often the best approach. Why? A benefit-related name brings you one step closer to attracting target customers by communicating your company's positioning at the outset.
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To learn more, attend the MarketingProfs Small Business Seminar Positioning, Naming, and Taglines this Friday at 3pm Eastern.
Or click here to subscribe to Get to the Point, our newsletter for small business marketers.