3 words triggered by your post: Igor's Naming Guide. I'm still learning the principles from it but it's one of the most useful reads I've come across.

The philosophy is that "the best company and product names need the least advertising."

Here's the link: http://www.igorinternational.com/process/igor-naming-guide.pdf

Hi, Valerie. Good post.

I'm not sure I agree with Igor, though. I can come up with a great-sounding nonsense name, but without the size and budget to market and advertise it, who's going to care?

Elian, I agree with you. The best names generally got to be best names by having great products or services or by spending lots of money marketing.

That said, a catchy name easier to remember and may get more word of mouth advertising. But without quality products and services that doesn't last.

Personally I find all the numerous requests on Marketingprofs for names and tag lines to be tedious. I just can not see how you can do a good job of naming with no information. Well, that is just my opinion.

It's like a marriage. People spend too much time planning the wedding and not enough on the relationship.

People often spend too much time on logos & taglines and not enough time on figuring out the benefit of the product/service to their prospective clients.

Do spend time brainstorming ideas. Learn from experts. But don't obsess if you're just starting out. If you're an established business, crafting the message for various marketing campaigns does make sense.

Harry, I think many of the Answerers in KHE (the MProfs discussion forum) would agree with you! The patient ones try to walk the Askers through a process of defining their positioning before getting down to the business of suggesting names or taglines. But the majority of members just seem to enjoy the brainstorming. They don't worry too much about background -- perhaps because they've learned it's difficult to get that information out of the Askers.

And Jay, I couldn't agree more. In fact, we're really just using the lure of the word "taglines" to pull people into a seminar where they can learn about positioning. Names and taglines are the icing on the cake. Positioning is where the real power is.

Like Harry and Jay, I too find that many people are more concerned with the name and tagline than with the product and strategic marketing issues, but until we scratch their itch it doesn't go away.

My approach has always been to try to explain to them that the name (and/or the tagline) is just part of what branding is all about, and then guide them through the positioning process.

Does it always work? No, it doesn't. But I feel we do them a gross *disservice* if we simply throw a bunch of naming suggestions at them in hopes that one will stick.

I always wonder about the people who volunteer names or taglines without ever knowing who the target audience is or what the brand positioning is. What's the point? It only demonstrates that the person coming up with the name/tagline suggestions is as clueless as the person requesting them.

David, I spent a little time looking at the Igor materials and their website. Certainly a lot of what they have to say is true and important, but you need to remember that they are setting up a logic framework that is self-serving. They're giving you a not-so-subtle sales pitch for their services.

What I like about their approach is that they recognize out loud that positioning needs to precede naming and tagline development. It's been my experience that most smaller businesses are so eager to get a name/tagline that they tune out when you try to do it the right way -- by first nailing the positioning down, making sure you have a strong, benefit promise that will resonate with the target audience, and a product/service offering that truly addresses a legitimate need.

I think the world is into immediate gratification when it comes to the marketing mix.

Of course, some names are current & trendy like Flickr and all the rest of the web 2.0 abbreviations...

Personally, too many corporations, and thus smaller businesses, crafting what I call "Corporate Poetry." Taglines should be a simple benefit statement, in the lingo of the target prospect.

Last year, one of my newspaper columns was entitled, "What Should You Name Your Business?" http://www.scribd.com/doc/202197

~ Vik Rajan
PersonalBrandMarketing.com

Bravo Jay Hamilton-Roth. Totally agree. For new business start-up (particularly small businesses) so much time and effort is devoted to creating just the right business name without the commensurate effort in a business plan, business model, or benefit strategy. I'm amazed at how many people feel they must have the perfect name - and then a catchy tagline - to be successful. If General Mills were called "Ajax Products" would their Cheerios taste just as good? If Avis was called "Wheels-to-Go" would they not have any business? Do people use Northwestern Mutual because it's called the "Quiet Company"? In other words, which came first, the tagline or the reputation or value for the product or service? Short of a vulgar, profane, or otherwise offensive name - or one that clearly is too close to another well known name as to be confusing to the consumer - I don't think the name is that important. Oh, it matters some - just not that much. And the tagline -please. If people just did their personal marketing to get started, they would soon find that people began accepting them for certain qualities and that they were beginning to develop a name or following for themselves for certain traits - then a tagline can be determined. The tagline doesn't create the business. It may describe why someone would want to do business with that company or reinforce a USP, but in and of itself it hasn't much value. I could go on, but I'll stop.

Steve

Are planning and strategy critically important in development of a business? Of course. And can communicating a strong benefit-oriented positioning with a carefully considered brand name, and perhaps a memorable tagline, help too? Of course.

It's a mistake to minimize the importance of either -- just as it would be a mistake to minimize the importance of pricing strategy, packaging, promotion, advertising, or any other element of the marketing mix.

The problem is usually that novice marketers don't really understand what marketing is. They think it's sales, or catchy slogans that make them smile, or plastic geegaws or pens that they imprint with their company name and give away to customers, friends, neighbors, and anyone else nearby.

It doesn't pay to get angry with them. They're not doing it to hurt anyone. They just don't know any better, and it's our job to gently teach them.