Marketing Tip: How To Pick A Product Name

Pick a Good Product Name

Choosing a name for a product is easier said than done.  Ultimately, it’s a subjective call, but there are a few things you can do to make the name  selection run smoother.  Concepting is a creative process and takes time.  Sometimes you need a name fast.  In that case, here is how you go about the process:

• Have a large whiteboard ready.  It’s the best “old school/analog” tool there is.
• Narrow down the key product characteristics or attributes.  Perhaps two or three attributes.
• List on your whiteboard as many names as you can think of that match or are close to the key attributes.
• Think metaphor and images, too.
• Don’t be critical.  Just shotgun the names–as many as possible.  Keep naming.
• Look at a thesaurus for indirect connections and ideas.
• Also think casual, fun, off-the-wall, and unique.
• Keep naming.
• Once you have roughly 50 to 60 names, do a survey.
• Focus the questions on your objectives.  If the question does not support an objective–don’t ask it.
• The larger the survey population, the better the data.
• Find a targeted respondent pool for either paper or email surveys.
• Narrow down the top 10 based on the respondent feedback.
• Brainstorm some more based on the survey top 5 to 10.
• Select the best 3.
• Pick a name.
• Have a good trademark lawyer do an existing name search for your pick.
• Done…

Your thoughts?