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Hello, My Name Is Awesome: How to Create Brand Names That Stick
Too many new companies and products have names that look like the results of a drunken Scrabble(R) game (Xobni, Svbtle, Doostang). In this entertaining and engaging book, ace-naming consultant Alexandra Watkins explains how anyone--even noncreative types--can create memorable and effective brand names. No degree in linguistics required.
The heart of the book is Watkins's proven SMILE and SCRATCH Test. A great name makes you SMILE because it is Suggestive--evokes a positive brand experience; is Meaningful--your customers get it; uses Imagery--visually evocative to aid in memory; has Legs--lends itself to a theme for extended mileage; and is Emotional--moves people.
A bad name, on the other hand, makes you SCRATCH your head because it is Spelling challenged--looks like a typo; is a Copycat--similar to competitors' names; is Restrictive--limits future growth; is Annoying--frustrates customers; is Tame--flat, uninspired; suffers from the Curse of Knowledge--only insiders get it; and is Hard to pronounce.
Watkins also provides up-to-date advice, like making sure that Siri spells your name correctly. And you'll see dozens of examples--the good, the bad, and the "so bad she gave them an award." Alexandra Watkins is not afraid to name names.
The heart of the book is Watkins's proven SMILE and SCRATCH Test. A great name makes you SMILE because it is Suggestive--evokes a positive brand experience; is Meaningful--your customers get it; uses Imagery--visually evocative to aid in memory; has Legs--lends itself to a theme for extended mileage; and is Emotional--moves people.
A bad name, on the other hand, makes you SCRATCH your head because it is Spelling challenged--looks like a typo; is a Copycat--similar to competitors' names; is Restrictive--limits future growth; is Annoying--frustrates customers; is Tame--flat, uninspired; suffers from the Curse of Knowledge--only insiders get it; and is Hard to pronounce.
Watkins also provides up-to-date advice, like making sure that Siri spells your name correctly. And you'll see dozens of examples--the good, the bad, and the "so bad she gave them an award." Alexandra Watkins is not afraid to name names.
110 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
About the author
Alexandra Watkins
5 books17 followersFounder of naming firm Eat My Words, Alexandra Watkins is a recognized expert on brand names with buzz. She is frequently quoted in the press and been featured in leading business publications including The Wall Street Journal, Inc., and Entrepreneur. Alexandra is a popular speaker at MBA programs and has been a guest presenter multiple times at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, San Francisco State, USF School of Management and their alumni association. She has also entertained audiences at the Proctor & Gamble alumni association, Uncollege, In-House Agency Forum, SF City Club, and many co-working spaces.
Alexandra first got hooked on naming when Gap hired her to create cheeky names for their first line of body care products. Soon after, she broke into the business by talking her way into branding powerhouse Landor via a Match.com date. With her fresh, unconventional naming style, Alexandra soon became a go-to resource for countless branding and naming firms around the country. And Landor sent her enough business to open her own firm. Since then, she’s generated thousands of names for snacks, software, sunscreen, social networking sites, sportswear, shoes, sugar scrubs, serums, and seafood. (And that’s just the S’s!) She’s also named lots of things that make people fat and drunk including a nationally recognized bacon cheeseburger (which ironically, must remain nameless).
Prior to Eat My Words, Alexandra was an advertising copywriter, working at leading ad agencies up and down the West Coast, including five years at Ogilvy and Mather, where she helped launch Microsoft Windows and learned the language of Geek Speak. In the mid-nineties she jumped on the dot-com gravy train, and rode it until it crashed in her SOMA backyard. Alexandra took the money and ran, spending a year in Australia, New Zealand, Bali and Fiji. Upon her return, she discovered her passion for naming things and soon after started Eat My Words.
Alexandra first got hooked on naming when Gap hired her to create cheeky names for their first line of body care products. Soon after, she broke into the business by talking her way into branding powerhouse Landor via a Match.com date. With her fresh, unconventional naming style, Alexandra soon became a go-to resource for countless branding and naming firms around the country. And Landor sent her enough business to open her own firm. Since then, she’s generated thousands of names for snacks, software, sunscreen, social networking sites, sportswear, shoes, sugar scrubs, serums, and seafood. (And that’s just the S’s!) She’s also named lots of things that make people fat and drunk including a nationally recognized bacon cheeseburger (which ironically, must remain nameless).
Prior to Eat My Words, Alexandra was an advertising copywriter, working at leading ad agencies up and down the West Coast, including five years at Ogilvy and Mather, where she helped launch Microsoft Windows and learned the language of Geek Speak. In the mid-nineties she jumped on the dot-com gravy train, and rode it until it crashed in her SOMA backyard. Alexandra took the money and ran, spending a year in Australia, New Zealand, Bali and Fiji. Upon her return, she discovered her passion for naming things and soon after started Eat My Words.
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October 23, 2014
This book makes a lot of good points, and it's pretty clear to me that the overall process and exercises described are a much better approach to branding than pretty much anything I've ever seen or heard of before.
That said, I have to take some major points off because it also seems oddly opinionated in ways unsupported by data, and gets some things just plain wrong. For example, several of the listed "7 Deadly Sins" of naming have prominent counterexamples of brands that have done stunningly well while violating them, which rather implies that they're not quite so much deadly as not to the author's taste. And witness this gaffe:
"It's confusing and shortsighted to name your product and company the same thing. Although you may have only one product now, think about the future. What if Apple had named their first computer the Apple? What would they name the dozens of other products that have launched since then?" Apple's first product was the Apple Computer, followed by the Apple II, II Plus, and Apple III, before they introduced Lisa, Macintosh, etc. The whole iThing which the author admires so much didn't begin until Apple had been in business for over 20 years.
In the section "Punctuation is a crutch," I expected solid advice about, for example, the unnecessary exclamation mark in Yahoo! Instead, "if your name needs the visual crutch of punctuation (güd)...." Note to the author, copy editor Tanya Grove, and proofreader Nancy Evans: punctuation is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "The marks, such as period, comma, and parentheses, used in writing to separate sentences and their elements and to clarify meaning." The diaeresis in ü is a diacritical mark, not a punctuation mark. Also, domain names are not "also known as URLs." The domain name forms the (arguably) most essential part of a URL, but is not, in itself, a URL. One minute of fact checking on each of these would have made it look more like you actually know what you're talking about.
The one that really got me hot though was this: "As with book titles, song titles (as well as album titles and band names) can't be trademarked and are up for grabs when it comes to brand names." (my emphasis) No. Nonononononono. This person claims to be a branding professional? Has lawyers on staff? This is just. Plain. Wrong. I mean, aside from the bad will likely to be generated by stealing a band name for your own product line, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office makes it pretty clear and simple: "You can register a trademark for a band name." And there are lawsuits about just that all the time.
So yes, if you have a branding project, by all means, check out this book. Then, consult your lawyer (which admittedly the book repeatedly advises).
That said, I have to take some major points off because it also seems oddly opinionated in ways unsupported by data, and gets some things just plain wrong. For example, several of the listed "7 Deadly Sins" of naming have prominent counterexamples of brands that have done stunningly well while violating them, which rather implies that they're not quite so much deadly as not to the author's taste. And witness this gaffe:
"It's confusing and shortsighted to name your product and company the same thing. Although you may have only one product now, think about the future. What if Apple had named their first computer the Apple? What would they name the dozens of other products that have launched since then?" Apple's first product was the Apple Computer, followed by the Apple II, II Plus, and Apple III, before they introduced Lisa, Macintosh, etc. The whole iThing which the author admires so much didn't begin until Apple had been in business for over 20 years.
In the section "Punctuation is a crutch," I expected solid advice about, for example, the unnecessary exclamation mark in Yahoo! Instead, "if your name needs the visual crutch of punctuation (güd)...." Note to the author, copy editor Tanya Grove, and proofreader Nancy Evans: punctuation is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "The marks, such as period, comma, and parentheses, used in writing to separate sentences and their elements and to clarify meaning." The diaeresis in ü is a diacritical mark, not a punctuation mark. Also, domain names are not "also known as URLs." The domain name forms the (arguably) most essential part of a URL, but is not, in itself, a URL. One minute of fact checking on each of these would have made it look more like you actually know what you're talking about.
The one that really got me hot though was this: "As with book titles, song titles (as well as album titles and band names) can't be trademarked and are up for grabs when it comes to brand names." (my emphasis) No. Nonononononono. This person claims to be a branding professional? Has lawyers on staff? This is just. Plain. Wrong. I mean, aside from the bad will likely to be generated by stealing a band name for your own product line, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office makes it pretty clear and simple: "You can register a trademark for a band name." And there are lawsuits about just that all the time.
So yes, if you have a branding project, by all means, check out this book. Then, consult your lawyer (which admittedly the book repeatedly advises).
September 30, 2017
Good book that gives you some principles to think about when coming up with a brand name. The main philosophy in the book (shortened to SCRATCH) is to avoid:
1) Spelling Changes (using non-conventional spelling that makes it hard for people to find you)
2) Copycat: Using a similar style or naming convention of another brand
3) Restrictive: Naming something that could limit your future growth (focusing just on a certain niche)
4) Annoying: Nothing that is too annoying
5) Tame
6) Curse of Knowledge: Having a name that people have to be in the "know" or be insiders to get
7) Hard to Pronounce: Names that people have difficulty saying.
1) Spelling Changes (using non-conventional spelling that makes it hard for people to find you)
2) Copycat: Using a similar style or naming convention of another brand
3) Restrictive: Naming something that could limit your future growth (focusing just on a certain niche)
4) Annoying: Nothing that is too annoying
5) Tame
6) Curse of Knowledge: Having a name that people have to be in the "know" or be insiders to get
7) Hard to Pronounce: Names that people have difficulty saying.
August 17, 2020
Hello My Name is Awesome
Alexandra Watkins
2019
4.5 stars
How did you name your business?
After yourself? After your favourite food? Perhaps a pet, like a dog, cat or hamster?
How about if you went with AWESOME instead? This book explains the do’s and don’ts of naming your business.
The author presents some powerful ideas and shares experience and insight to get you to awesome. So remember: Anytime you have a provocative name, you must prepare to be persecuted ~ Alexandra Watkins
EN: Please note that page numbers refer to the PDF page and not the ‘book’ page – for better or for worse.
SMILE: The 5 Qualities of a Super-Sticky Name
Suggestive—evokes something about your brand
Memorable—makes an association with the familiar
Imagery—aids memory through evocative visuals
Legs—lends itself to a theme for extended mileage
Emotional—moves people
SCRATCH: The 7 Deal Breakers
Spelling challenged—looks like a typo
Copycat—resembles competitors’ names
Restrictive—limits future growth
Annoying—seems forced, frustrates customers
Tame—feels flat, descriptive, uninspired
Curse of knowledge—speaks only to insiders
Hard to pronounce—confuses and distances customers
For a name to be awesome, it must embody a tricky trifecta. It must
1. feel like a real word,
2. be intuitive to pronounce, and
3. be intuitive to spell.
28: Anytime you have a provocative name, you must prepare to be persecuted ~ Alexandra Watkins
37: Don’t confuse the image of your brand with the image your name alone projects.
A fun business name suggests “We love what we do, and you’re going to enjoy working with us!”
You think names don't matter? Use Emotion to Increase Sales!
A certain hotel got a 25% jump in wedding business when they changed the ho-hum names of their
wedding services to ones that were, pardon the pun, emotionally engaging:
• Before: Rehearsal Dinner
o After: Meet the Parents
• Before: Coed Bridal Shower
o After: Shower Together
• Post-Reception Bar Rental
o After: Last Call for Alcohol
• Post-Wedding Brunch
o After: Bloody Married
• Guest Rate
o After: Entourage Rate
Previously, a bride and groom planning a wedding may have skimmed Post Reception Bar Rental, but nothing says “party time” like Last Call for Alcohol!
Consider a consultancy for the biotech, pharma, and medical device companies named FreshBlood. You don’t have to be a vampire to love it.
“Once we became Bedrock, the confidence in our brand shot up. So did our revenues. We started landing more interesting work and clients that are a better fit for us. I’m certain that without a magnetic name, we wouldn’t have attracted as much business. People are delighted with our name because it isn’t trying to be self-important. It shows our brand is not about the firm’s partners; it’s about the client experience.” ~ Hello My Name is Awesome by Alexandra Watkins
58: For instance, the name A Cut Above suggests cutting the lawn, evokes superior service, and would work for any outdoor home service it offered.
61: Overused Suffixes to Avoid:
• ____-mania
• ____-osophy
• ____-ology
• ____-topia
• ____-vana
• ____-icious
• ____-zilla
• ____-ster
• ____-ly
•
63: According to Nir Eyal, author of the bestseller Indistractable, people check their phones an average of 150 times per day
65: The curse of knowledge has been described as “a cognitive bias in which better-informed people find it extremely difficult to think about problems from the perspective of lesser-informed people.”
68: But the legendary story you learned in business school about the Chevy Nova selling poorly in Spanish-speaking countries because its name translated as “doesn’t go”? Total bunk. The myth is clearly dispelled at Snopes.com.
79: 5 Domain Name Secrets After years of dreaming up domain names, I have some secrets worth sharing.
Secret #1: Not Owning the Exact Match Didn’t Stop Tesla
Secret #2: Google Eliminates the Guesswork
Secret #3: First Settle on Your Brand Name, Then Get a Domain Name
Secret #4: It Pays to Make an Offer
Secret #5: Short Isn’t Necessarily Better
93: The brief will help you define exactly what your brand is and what you want the name to convey, both in message and personality…. Think of the brief as the ingredients list of everything you need to cook up the perfect name: goal of the assignment, information on your target audience, consumer insights, desired brand positioning, competitors’ names, words to explore and avoid, and more.
I like this part! ~ LV
The Right Way to Brainstorm
• What is the ideal number of participants for brainstorming names?
o One. You.
• What is the optimal place?
o In front of your computer. The single most powerful brainstorming tool is the internet. Online you will find everything you need to come up with awesome name ideas.
o When you brainstorm online, you’ll find yourself clicking on unexpected links and going down all kinds of rabbit holes. You never know where your next idea will come from
• 1. Open Your Mind
• 2. Write Down Every Idea
• 3. Have Your Creative Brief Handy
• The Warm-Up—Choose 12 Starter Words
• Supercharge Your Imagination with Images
• Comb through Glossaries of Terms
• Dictionaries Have More Than Just Definitions
• … Google for brainstorming, or as I call it, “googlestorming.”
• Movie-Title Madness
• Book Titles
• Music
• Fun with Puns
• The Chosen Name
127: A paper published in the Academy of Management Journal shows self-reflective job titles can be important vehicles for identity expression and reducing emotional exhaustion among stressed-out employees
142: … I strongly discourage you from doing focus group testing. Polling strangers is asking for trouble. Without fail, a focus group will collectively water down name choices to the safest name instead of the strongest name.
143: Once you settle on your final name, make sure to protect it by registering the trademark. (You can educate yourself on trademarks at USPTO.gov.)
Hello My Name is Awesome ~ Alexandra Watkins
So are you ready to make your name and brand awesome? ~ Lino P Matteo
Alexandra Watkins
2019
4.5 stars
How did you name your business?
After yourself? After your favourite food? Perhaps a pet, like a dog, cat or hamster?
How about if you went with AWESOME instead? This book explains the do’s and don’ts of naming your business.
The author presents some powerful ideas and shares experience and insight to get you to awesome. So remember: Anytime you have a provocative name, you must prepare to be persecuted ~ Alexandra Watkins
EN: Please note that page numbers refer to the PDF page and not the ‘book’ page – for better or for worse.
SMILE: The 5 Qualities of a Super-Sticky Name
Suggestive—evokes something about your brand
Memorable—makes an association with the familiar
Imagery—aids memory through evocative visuals
Legs—lends itself to a theme for extended mileage
Emotional—moves people
SCRATCH: The 7 Deal Breakers
Spelling challenged—looks like a typo
Copycat—resembles competitors’ names
Restrictive—limits future growth
Annoying—seems forced, frustrates customers
Tame—feels flat, descriptive, uninspired
Curse of knowledge—speaks only to insiders
Hard to pronounce—confuses and distances customers
For a name to be awesome, it must embody a tricky trifecta. It must
1. feel like a real word,
2. be intuitive to pronounce, and
3. be intuitive to spell.
28: Anytime you have a provocative name, you must prepare to be persecuted ~ Alexandra Watkins
37: Don’t confuse the image of your brand with the image your name alone projects.
A fun business name suggests “We love what we do, and you’re going to enjoy working with us!”
You think names don't matter? Use Emotion to Increase Sales!
A certain hotel got a 25% jump in wedding business when they changed the ho-hum names of their
wedding services to ones that were, pardon the pun, emotionally engaging:
• Before: Rehearsal Dinner
o After: Meet the Parents
• Before: Coed Bridal Shower
o After: Shower Together
• Post-Reception Bar Rental
o After: Last Call for Alcohol
• Post-Wedding Brunch
o After: Bloody Married
• Guest Rate
o After: Entourage Rate
Previously, a bride and groom planning a wedding may have skimmed Post Reception Bar Rental, but nothing says “party time” like Last Call for Alcohol!
Consider a consultancy for the biotech, pharma, and medical device companies named FreshBlood. You don’t have to be a vampire to love it.
“Once we became Bedrock, the confidence in our brand shot up. So did our revenues. We started landing more interesting work and clients that are a better fit for us. I’m certain that without a magnetic name, we wouldn’t have attracted as much business. People are delighted with our name because it isn’t trying to be self-important. It shows our brand is not about the firm’s partners; it’s about the client experience.” ~ Hello My Name is Awesome by Alexandra Watkins
58: For instance, the name A Cut Above suggests cutting the lawn, evokes superior service, and would work for any outdoor home service it offered.
61: Overused Suffixes to Avoid:
• ____-mania
• ____-osophy
• ____-ology
• ____-topia
• ____-vana
• ____-icious
• ____-zilla
• ____-ster
• ____-ly
•
63: According to Nir Eyal, author of the bestseller Indistractable, people check their phones an average of 150 times per day
65: The curse of knowledge has been described as “a cognitive bias in which better-informed people find it extremely difficult to think about problems from the perspective of lesser-informed people.”
68: But the legendary story you learned in business school about the Chevy Nova selling poorly in Spanish-speaking countries because its name translated as “doesn’t go”? Total bunk. The myth is clearly dispelled at Snopes.com.
79: 5 Domain Name Secrets After years of dreaming up domain names, I have some secrets worth sharing.
Secret #1: Not Owning the Exact Match Didn’t Stop Tesla
Secret #2: Google Eliminates the Guesswork
Secret #3: First Settle on Your Brand Name, Then Get a Domain Name
Secret #4: It Pays to Make an Offer
Secret #5: Short Isn’t Necessarily Better
93: The brief will help you define exactly what your brand is and what you want the name to convey, both in message and personality…. Think of the brief as the ingredients list of everything you need to cook up the perfect name: goal of the assignment, information on your target audience, consumer insights, desired brand positioning, competitors’ names, words to explore and avoid, and more.
I like this part! ~ LV
The Right Way to Brainstorm
• What is the ideal number of participants for brainstorming names?
o One. You.
• What is the optimal place?
o In front of your computer. The single most powerful brainstorming tool is the internet. Online you will find everything you need to come up with awesome name ideas.
o When you brainstorm online, you’ll find yourself clicking on unexpected links and going down all kinds of rabbit holes. You never know where your next idea will come from
• 1. Open Your Mind
• 2. Write Down Every Idea
• 3. Have Your Creative Brief Handy
• The Warm-Up—Choose 12 Starter Words
• Supercharge Your Imagination with Images
• Comb through Glossaries of Terms
• Dictionaries Have More Than Just Definitions
• … Google for brainstorming, or as I call it, “googlestorming.”
• Movie-Title Madness
• Book Titles
• Music
• Fun with Puns
• The Chosen Name
127: A paper published in the Academy of Management Journal shows self-reflective job titles can be important vehicles for identity expression and reducing emotional exhaustion among stressed-out employees
142: … I strongly discourage you from doing focus group testing. Polling strangers is asking for trouble. Without fail, a focus group will collectively water down name choices to the safest name instead of the strongest name.
143: Once you settle on your final name, make sure to protect it by registering the trademark. (You can educate yourself on trademarks at USPTO.gov.)
Hello My Name is Awesome ~ Alexandra Watkins
So are you ready to make your name and brand awesome? ~ Lino P Matteo
November 4, 2018
This book is helpful in understanding how important a brand name is and how to identify good ones versus bad ones.
The best part is: it's super short. At only about 100 pages, I tore through it in less than 2 hours.
That being said, the book isn't as magical as the title implies. Sure I might be better equipped to come up with a good brand name after reading this book. But I still don't think I'll come up with a good one on my own, not any time soon.
If anything, this book has convinced me to hire an expert! But honestly, it did teach me a lot, and it is a fun read.
The best part is: it's super short. At only about 100 pages, I tore through it in less than 2 hours.
That being said, the book isn't as magical as the title implies. Sure I might be better equipped to come up with a good brand name after reading this book. But I still don't think I'll come up with a good one on my own, not any time soon.
If anything, this book has convinced me to hire an expert! But honestly, it did teach me a lot, and it is a fun read.
March 14, 2022
Cool book, easy and fun to read.
September 6, 2014
What’s in a name?
More than you might think!
This delightful, delectable, delicious book by former Ogilvy copywriter Alexandra Watkins is as fun as it is informative.
Written in an easygoing style, the tone is refreshingly conversational - not like a typical business book. And like she says, she is "not afraid to name names." She calls them as she sees them, and doesn't hold back giving examples of truly awful names like Xobni that fail her SMILE & SCRATCH test.
In the true spirit of wanting to help others, Alexandra shares her secrets for naming companies, products and services. She's come up with so many on her own -
Spoon Me frozen yogurt shop, Neato robotic vacuum, and Gringo Lingo language school were some of my favorites.
She also reveals a lot of brainstorming resources that you would never think of on your own (e.g. iTunes, Google images) and makes it look easy for anyone to come up with great names.
Alexandra Watkins has a gift for the fab, and her creative abilities will leave you awe-inspired….
because, in a word, she’s awesome!
More than you might think!
This delightful, delectable, delicious book by former Ogilvy copywriter Alexandra Watkins is as fun as it is informative.
Written in an easygoing style, the tone is refreshingly conversational - not like a typical business book. And like she says, she is "not afraid to name names." She calls them as she sees them, and doesn't hold back giving examples of truly awful names like Xobni that fail her SMILE & SCRATCH test.
In the true spirit of wanting to help others, Alexandra shares her secrets for naming companies, products and services. She's come up with so many on her own -
Spoon Me frozen yogurt shop, Neato robotic vacuum, and Gringo Lingo language school were some of my favorites.
She also reveals a lot of brainstorming resources that you would never think of on your own (e.g. iTunes, Google images) and makes it look easy for anyone to come up with great names.
Alexandra Watkins has a gift for the fab, and her creative abilities will leave you awe-inspired….
because, in a word, she’s awesome!
August 10, 2014
I received this copy as a Goodreads First Reads. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It is fast and furious. It has such simple concepts, that in the excitement of starting up a business, one is likely to forget. It helps bring the naming process back down to a long-term perspective, and to focus on the future of your company. There are numerous examples of good, as well as bad names and the author articulately explains the pros and cons of each.
I highly recommend this book to anyone thinking about branding a company and/or product.
I highly recommend this book to anyone thinking about branding a company and/or product.
September 2, 2014
One of the most enlightening and easy to read business books I've read in a long time. Not only did Alexandra offer a very valuable process for creating "brand names that stick", but she did it in a light-hearted, entertaining and precise style. Missing was only the hundred pages of fluff that so often accompany business books. This one got to the point, proved the point, and demonstrated how I can do it too. I only wish I had read it years ago when some important naming decisions were in play. Thank you Alexandra!
July 23, 2014
I had an advance copy of this book and devoured it on a flight back from the west coast. Then my daughter read it on the drive home from the airport.
This is a really fun and entertaining book. More than that, it has really smart insights and ideas about how to choose great names for your company, product, or service.
An absolute delight!
This is a really fun and entertaining book. More than that, it has really smart insights and ideas about how to choose great names for your company, product, or service.
An absolute delight!
September 17, 2014
The best investment you could make if you want to start a business, or launch a product, would be to invest $13 and an hour of your time in this smart, breezy, incredibly useful guide to naming. The book's is entertaining -- but more importantly, it is incredibly valuable in a world where your company or product's name will help you cut through the clutter of noise, and build a brand.
September 12, 2014
After reading this great book, I have a new appreciation for the process of creating a brand name! It's thought provoking and to the point! Great book!
May 19, 2016
Really helpful, with actionable tips and resources. Was exactly what I was expecting and would recommend.
October 18, 2014
“Awesome” is not a word to be used lightly, especially as part of a book title … Fortunately, in this case, it fits quite nicely, as does “Interesting”, “Honest”, “Focused” and “Helpful”.
INTERESTING: If you are a marketing wonk, you will love this book. If you are a branding “guru”, you may feel a little uncomfortable, because Alexandra pulls no punches as she skewers some very popular current naming practices. Even if you have absolutely no interest in any business applications, you will still find the information in this book interesting, because it speak to communication … and we all communicate every single day, even when we do not say a word.
HONEST: Early in the book, Alexandra warns us she is “not afraid to name names.” (p. 2) She goes on to prove this point time and again, by using numerous examples of current names for companies and products, fearlessly highlighting the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. I found myself tremendously entertained by her banter, except for the times she skewered some products I use. (i.e. Grammerly) Fortunately, she also lauds some companies I enjoy patronizing (i.e. Amazon)
FOCUSED: This book is about one thing: What we name our business. Alexandra has an immense amount of practical experience doing that for organizations and products and she obviously loves what she does. Focus always requires passion and such is well in evidence here.
HELPFUL: The Resources section at the end is a veritable bonanza of advice and websites connected to the topic. Like the content in each of the sections mentioned above, every page of this book seems to have some relevant, clear, and useful information.
This is not your everyday business marketing book... and I like it.
Alexandra Watkins is all about naming things, but “Hello, My Name is Awesome” is not a long or heavy book. It’s deceptively short, light, and about an airplane flight’s worth of reading … the first time. You might grab this book, thinking “Great … something quick and easy to kill some time” … but you would be so wrong.
We have become somewhat insulated as we are repeatedly confronted with names that are not helpful in understanding what a company or product is about, or even how to spell or pronounce the name. She is laying bare one of the larger mysteries of our current business environment: Why we put up with naming protocols that do not make sense.
The book itself has several well-organized main sections, each of which brings distinct value to our table. First, Alexandra lays out her “Do’s and Do Not’s” in three well-written and enjoyable sections, even as she hits uncomfortably close to home for many of us:
SMILE: Five qualities of a “Super-sticky” name
SCRATCH: Seven deadly sins of naming things.
DOMAINS: Should be required reading for anyone who has a business identity or may ever have one.
Watkins starts with full energy and candor and does not slow down. Her words are forceful, intentional, and loaded with practical wisdom about business today. She then proceeds to tell us exactly how to follow her system for creating memorable and useful names in three more well-crafted and engaging chapters:
CREATIVE BRIEF: The single most useful part of this very useful book. I like strategic thinking and you have to engage in that when you complete one of these very valuable forms. Designed to help you think it out before you act it out, this section is worth doing, even if you love your current company name and do not ever plan on changing it. Just stick it in your briefcase or keep it handy to remind you of what you want to be about.
The thinking and discernment that is required to complete the creative brief will force you to think more clearly and deeply about who you are, your customers, and what you are about. Alexandra calls this an “ingredients list” and if you follow the directions, you will be cooking up a real treat for yourself.
BRAINSTORMING: Again using the creative brief outline, Alexandra gives us some useful tools to spark our creativity in very original and engaging ways. She makes brainstorming sound like fun again.
NAME REVIEW: Twelve rules for tackling the real-world issues around getting everyone to agree on a name. Again, she is honest and pulls no punches. One quick example: “Do not use focus groups.” – naming your company or product is something you should own, because you know what you are trying to do better than your customers.
NAME CHANGES – PROS AND CONS: Finally, a candid discussion around some necessary considerations before we launch into creative renaming.
If you care about your business, your products and services, and want to thoughtfully and strategically plan into a better future, you will find much of value in this book. I am willing to bet you will refer to “Awesome” often, both for the business advice and because Alexandra is so darn entertaining as she teaches you how to think clearly and usefully about who your are and what words you use.
Loving this “Awesome” book and looking forward to a long shelf-life with it in the Heartland ….
John
DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book for review prior to publication. No apologies … one of the best gifts ever in terms of business usefulness and enjoyable writing.
INTERESTING: If you are a marketing wonk, you will love this book. If you are a branding “guru”, you may feel a little uncomfortable, because Alexandra pulls no punches as she skewers some very popular current naming practices. Even if you have absolutely no interest in any business applications, you will still find the information in this book interesting, because it speak to communication … and we all communicate every single day, even when we do not say a word.
HONEST: Early in the book, Alexandra warns us she is “not afraid to name names.” (p. 2) She goes on to prove this point time and again, by using numerous examples of current names for companies and products, fearlessly highlighting the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. I found myself tremendously entertained by her banter, except for the times she skewered some products I use. (i.e. Grammerly) Fortunately, she also lauds some companies I enjoy patronizing (i.e. Amazon)
FOCUSED: This book is about one thing: What we name our business. Alexandra has an immense amount of practical experience doing that for organizations and products and she obviously loves what she does. Focus always requires passion and such is well in evidence here.
HELPFUL: The Resources section at the end is a veritable bonanza of advice and websites connected to the topic. Like the content in each of the sections mentioned above, every page of this book seems to have some relevant, clear, and useful information.
This is not your everyday business marketing book... and I like it.
Alexandra Watkins is all about naming things, but “Hello, My Name is Awesome” is not a long or heavy book. It’s deceptively short, light, and about an airplane flight’s worth of reading … the first time. You might grab this book, thinking “Great … something quick and easy to kill some time” … but you would be so wrong.
We have become somewhat insulated as we are repeatedly confronted with names that are not helpful in understanding what a company or product is about, or even how to spell or pronounce the name. She is laying bare one of the larger mysteries of our current business environment: Why we put up with naming protocols that do not make sense.
The book itself has several well-organized main sections, each of which brings distinct value to our table. First, Alexandra lays out her “Do’s and Do Not’s” in three well-written and enjoyable sections, even as she hits uncomfortably close to home for many of us:
SMILE: Five qualities of a “Super-sticky” name
SCRATCH: Seven deadly sins of naming things.
DOMAINS: Should be required reading for anyone who has a business identity or may ever have one.
Watkins starts with full energy and candor and does not slow down. Her words are forceful, intentional, and loaded with practical wisdom about business today. She then proceeds to tell us exactly how to follow her system for creating memorable and useful names in three more well-crafted and engaging chapters:
CREATIVE BRIEF: The single most useful part of this very useful book. I like strategic thinking and you have to engage in that when you complete one of these very valuable forms. Designed to help you think it out before you act it out, this section is worth doing, even if you love your current company name and do not ever plan on changing it. Just stick it in your briefcase or keep it handy to remind you of what you want to be about.
The thinking and discernment that is required to complete the creative brief will force you to think more clearly and deeply about who you are, your customers, and what you are about. Alexandra calls this an “ingredients list” and if you follow the directions, you will be cooking up a real treat for yourself.
BRAINSTORMING: Again using the creative brief outline, Alexandra gives us some useful tools to spark our creativity in very original and engaging ways. She makes brainstorming sound like fun again.
NAME REVIEW: Twelve rules for tackling the real-world issues around getting everyone to agree on a name. Again, she is honest and pulls no punches. One quick example: “Do not use focus groups.” – naming your company or product is something you should own, because you know what you are trying to do better than your customers.
NAME CHANGES – PROS AND CONS: Finally, a candid discussion around some necessary considerations before we launch into creative renaming.
If you care about your business, your products and services, and want to thoughtfully and strategically plan into a better future, you will find much of value in this book. I am willing to bet you will refer to “Awesome” often, both for the business advice and because Alexandra is so darn entertaining as she teaches you how to think clearly and usefully about who your are and what words you use.
Loving this “Awesome” book and looking forward to a long shelf-life with it in the Heartland ….
John
DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book for review prior to publication. No apologies … one of the best gifts ever in terms of business usefulness and enjoyable writing.
May 22, 2018
Loved it! It's a quick read. It is only 2.5 hours on Audible so I finished it in an evening. I love the insight the author has to terrible names.
Here are my notes I took while reading:
SMILE (good names) and SCRATCH (bad names) test
SMILE
Suggestive- Evokes something about your brand
Meaningful- resonates with your customers
Imagery - visual component
Legs - lends to a theme
Emotional - moves people
SCRATCH
Spelling challenge
Copy Cat - looks like a competitor
Restrictive - limits growth
Annoying - forced
Tame - flat descriptive and uninspired
Cursive of knowledge - only makes sense to insiders
Hard to pronounce
Tips
Don't use trust or honest in the name
Don't name your business after yourself
Never start with X
Don't use creative spelling
never use e____
never use i____
No fruits
dont use "cloud"
no [color] + [noun]
Don't add vowels to the end of words
no grammatical issues
no initials
No acremyns
Don’t use something that has multiple pronunciations
Needs to be able to appear in black and white without cases
Add a verb to get s call to action
Go buy drink drive eat enjoy get go my the try shop we are your
App global group online store tech
Use a Creative phrase like enjoycoke.com or getMeToRehab.com
Don’t spell creatively!
Don’t use creative domain extensions
Don’t use .org if you’re a for profit
Domain doesn’t protect against trademark
Sluralism. Make sure it doesn’t spell something else weird.
Do a creative brief. Write down what you want to be.
Client Name:
Project:
Goal of assignment:
In a nutshell, sum up your company in 140 char:
Brand positioning (how do you want to be positioned?)
Consumer insights (behaviors):
Target audience:
Competition (avoid confusion):
Desired brand experience (emotion people feel when using):
Personality (5-12 adjectives that describe your brand, think of it as a person):
Words to explore:
Ideas/Words to avoids:
domain name modifiers:
5 likes and why:
5 dislikes and why:
Anything else to think about?
Best way to brainstorm: by yourself in front of a computer
Tips:
Open your mind,
Write it down: divide into three categories of good
Keep your brief handy
Do image search of the description words
Use cliche websites and keywords.
Review:
Add a sentence of description to each name for others
Put it in a sentence to see how it sounds
Have each person review independently (no yes man syndrome)
Don't ask "do I like it". Ask on does it work?
Don't be negative
Don't expect the name to say everything
print out the name on paper
Don't ask others with survey monkey
Trademark ia .com for trademark searches
Tersera for trademark screening
Here are my notes I took while reading:
SMILE (good names) and SCRATCH (bad names) test
SMILE
Suggestive- Evokes something about your brand
Meaningful- resonates with your customers
Imagery - visual component
Legs - lends to a theme
Emotional - moves people
SCRATCH
Spelling challenge
Copy Cat - looks like a competitor
Restrictive - limits growth
Annoying - forced
Tame - flat descriptive and uninspired
Cursive of knowledge - only makes sense to insiders
Hard to pronounce
Tips
Don't use trust or honest in the name
Don't name your business after yourself
Never start with X
Don't use creative spelling
never use e____
never use i____
No fruits
dont use "cloud"
no [color] + [noun]
Don't add vowels to the end of words
no grammatical issues
no initials
No acremyns
Don’t use something that has multiple pronunciations
Needs to be able to appear in black and white without cases
Add a verb to get s call to action
Go buy drink drive eat enjoy get go my the try shop we are your
App global group online store tech
Use a Creative phrase like enjoycoke.com or getMeToRehab.com
Don’t spell creatively!
Don’t use creative domain extensions
Don’t use .org if you’re a for profit
Domain doesn’t protect against trademark
Sluralism. Make sure it doesn’t spell something else weird.
Do a creative brief. Write down what you want to be.
Client Name:
Project:
Goal of assignment:
In a nutshell, sum up your company in 140 char:
Brand positioning (how do you want to be positioned?)
Consumer insights (behaviors):
Target audience:
Competition (avoid confusion):
Desired brand experience (emotion people feel when using):
Personality (5-12 adjectives that describe your brand, think of it as a person):
Words to explore:
Ideas/Words to avoids:
domain name modifiers:
5 likes and why:
5 dislikes and why:
Anything else to think about?
Best way to brainstorm: by yourself in front of a computer
Tips:
Open your mind,
Write it down: divide into three categories of good
Keep your brief handy
Do image search of the description words
Use cliche websites and keywords.
Review:
Add a sentence of description to each name for others
Put it in a sentence to see how it sounds
Have each person review independently (no yes man syndrome)
Don't ask "do I like it". Ask on does it work?
Don't be negative
Don't expect the name to say everything
print out the name on paper
Don't ask others with survey monkey
Trademark ia .com for trademark searches
Tersera for trademark screening
July 2, 2018
Step by step guide how to brainstorm, get new ideas, check their relevance and create a really good brand name. The book is very practical and full of good/bad examples.
February 5, 2017
Не знаєте як назвати пса, дитину, продукт, свою квартиру на swarm, компанію - відкривайте цю книжку і вперід. Прикольний гайд, який перетворює важкий процес вибору назви на цікакаве заняття. Тут є багато порад, посилання на цікаві ресурси і багато фану.
Тут навіть потролили Grammarly і компанію на яку я пропрацювала 2 роки (Retail Me Not) - це було боляче :(
З найцікавішого:
- The true test to see if a name is spelling challenged is to see and hear how voice recognition software spells it.
- penisland.com (PenIsland) - коли трішки провтикав з доменом :D
Тут навіть потролили Grammarly і компанію на яку я пропрацювала 2 роки (Retail Me Not) - це було боляче :(
З найцікавішого:
- The true test to see if a name is spelling challenged is to see and hear how voice recognition software spells it.
- penisland.com (PenIsland) - коли трішки провтикав з доменом :D
February 13, 2017
Required reading for marketers and branding professionals
Even if you've been in the industry a while (Me, 20+ years), you'll find Alexandra's advice and techniques to be useful. This book covers both the strategic and tactical sides of naming, including better idea generation methods than you're probably use now. Quick read, too. Her writing style is as clean and simple and her brand names are. Highly recommended.
Even if you've been in the industry a while (Me, 20+ years), you'll find Alexandra's advice and techniques to be useful. This book covers both the strategic and tactical sides of naming, including better idea generation methods than you're probably use now. Quick read, too. Her writing style is as clean and simple and her brand names are. Highly recommended.
August 4, 2017
Wow am I glad I read this book!
I'm in the beginning stages of starting my own business and have been struggling to come up with a unique name that defines the company I want to create. This book is full of valuable do's and don'ts. It also has some great templates and strategies for coming up with a name on your own. I highly recommend this book to anyone in the process of naming a business.
I'm in the beginning stages of starting my own business and have been struggling to come up with a unique name that defines the company I want to create. This book is full of valuable do's and don'ts. It also has some great templates and strategies for coming up with a name on your own. I highly recommend this book to anyone in the process of naming a business.
September 15, 2014
I wish this book had been written years ago when I was naming my startup. It's full of helpful pointers and pitfalls to avoid, such as spending a lot of money on a special URL.
"Hello, My Name Is Awesome" is a fun and fast read, full of laughs. I'm buying copies for all of the entrepreneurs that I know.
"Hello, My Name Is Awesome" is a fun and fast read, full of laughs. I'm buying copies for all of the entrepreneurs that I know.
March 29, 2018
Overall a very good short book on branding. There were a few issues mentioned in other reviews (trademarking band names). However, the detailed walk through of the process behind finding names was very helpful. Everything else can be summed up by the SMILE and SCRATCH acronyms.
May 15, 2018
Quick read but 100% useful. Have you ever thought about how many companies or products have terrible names? She leads you through what makes a good or bad name and how to brainstorm and select one, as well as how to avoid copyright infringements. Super useful.
August 6, 2017
Genuinely funny, insightful and full of practical methods of brainstorming brand names. Highly recommend it!
August 17, 2017
short and sharp. a lot of important points. good for a fast reading
May 9, 2018
Quick, to the point, and very useful.
June 30, 2023
This book reads like it was written by a mean porn star.
1.) There's this obsession with multi-word titles based on what should be tagline expressions or slogans: "Eat My Words" ... "Spoon Me" ... "Sit, Stay, Speak" ... "A Cut Above" ... she's obsessed with multiple words, often suggesting them in place of simpler brand names with fewer syllables.
2.) Too much sexual innuendo. When she isn't talking about Hand Job underwear or Magnum condoms, she uses metaphorical language like "idea orgy" for brainstorming, reading sex changes and masturbation into domain names, and talking about her dating experience. She tries too hard to inject personality into her prose. I don't mind casual language but readers can do without the erotic language.
3.) Too dismissive. Hindsight is 20/20, but she just disses every business whose names don't follow her pattern. She calls out TCBY yogurt, Instacart, DocuSign when they are perfectly fine for their businesses, and when names don't work, she just dances on their grave: "Plus, Speesees broke what I thought was an obvious rule of naming: your business name should not rhyme with feces, Speesees is now out of business. Gone baby, gone." Just totally dismissive of the work of founders and the reasons they might have gone out of business, as if their name just doomed them. No, businesses go under for other reasons, too. She makes it all about the name. Superficial, lazy, disrespectful, shamelessly irreverent.
4.) Repetitive. She uses the same examples multiple times, always with some added snark to rub in her points. She repeatedly dismisses names for requiring spelling out loud, and further rubs it in by spelling out the spelling in text. "double-you, double-you, double-you, double-you..." Okay, we get it. We're not idiots.
The book's saving grace is its in-depth case study of naming a yogurt store, walking us through the process she goes through with her clients... even though they end up with a horrible name in Spoon Me. She also lists online tools such as thesaurus sites, free dictionaries, trademark checkers, and ways to search. Her process is sound and applicable, even if the irreverence and sexual innuendo taint her text.
1.) There's this obsession with multi-word titles based on what should be tagline expressions or slogans: "Eat My Words" ... "Spoon Me" ... "Sit, Stay, Speak" ... "A Cut Above" ... she's obsessed with multiple words, often suggesting them in place of simpler brand names with fewer syllables.
2.) Too much sexual innuendo. When she isn't talking about Hand Job underwear or Magnum condoms, she uses metaphorical language like "idea orgy" for brainstorming, reading sex changes and masturbation into domain names, and talking about her dating experience. She tries too hard to inject personality into her prose. I don't mind casual language but readers can do without the erotic language.
3.) Too dismissive. Hindsight is 20/20, but she just disses every business whose names don't follow her pattern. She calls out TCBY yogurt, Instacart, DocuSign when they are perfectly fine for their businesses, and when names don't work, she just dances on their grave: "Plus, Speesees broke what I thought was an obvious rule of naming: your business name should not rhyme with feces, Speesees is now out of business. Gone baby, gone." Just totally dismissive of the work of founders and the reasons they might have gone out of business, as if their name just doomed them. No, businesses go under for other reasons, too. She makes it all about the name. Superficial, lazy, disrespectful, shamelessly irreverent.
4.) Repetitive. She uses the same examples multiple times, always with some added snark to rub in her points. She repeatedly dismisses names for requiring spelling out loud, and further rubs it in by spelling out the spelling in text. "double-you, double-you, double-you, double-you..." Okay, we get it. We're not idiots.
The book's saving grace is its in-depth case study of naming a yogurt store, walking us through the process she goes through with her clients... even though they end up with a horrible name in Spoon Me. She also lists online tools such as thesaurus sites, free dictionaries, trademark checkers, and ways to search. Her process is sound and applicable, even if the irreverence and sexual innuendo taint her text.
November 29, 2019
If you are even at the just "thinking about it stage" of branding and naming, this is a MUST read!
I wish I had. But I finished this book in about 1 day and immediately implemented tips.
I used techniques for grabbing some awesome related .com domains.
Reading this book you gain such clarity and with that confidence in your brand. If you think you know yourself and your brand, read this book and see if you get same answer. So much value, so many takeaways. I have an audio verison and the book.
Hello, My Name Is Awesome: How to Create Brand Names That Stick
Do not rush to buy that domain name yet, listen to this first.
Your brand is an investment, sometimes a major one. This a book that can truly help make the right move before setting to the starting line.
Not only have I made changes, but this book also inspired group names under my brand umbrella.
I will never look at brand names the same.
I feel pretty darn confident my brand names will have a complete impact and scalability for years.
I wish I had. But I finished this book in about 1 day and immediately implemented tips.
I used techniques for grabbing some awesome related .com domains.
Reading this book you gain such clarity and with that confidence in your brand. If you think you know yourself and your brand, read this book and see if you get same answer. So much value, so many takeaways. I have an audio verison and the book.
Hello, My Name Is Awesome: How to Create Brand Names That Stick
Do not rush to buy that domain name yet, listen to this first.
Your brand is an investment, sometimes a major one. This a book that can truly help make the right move before setting to the starting line.
Not only have I made changes, but this book also inspired group names under my brand umbrella.
I will never look at brand names the same.
I feel pretty darn confident my brand names will have a complete impact and scalability for years.
August 23, 2023
I picked up the first edition of this book back in 2014, and as useful as it was, this updated edition adds tremendous utility! I was so happy to get my own copy.
In a crowded marketplace, it's important to avoid the mistakes that can sink a brand or product, and to know how to stand out. I have used the principles and guidelines in this book to come up with the name of my business fable series, and recently used it to come up with a name for my publishing imprint. I used the principles you teach for coming up with effective names to name my publishing imprint. As an indie author, I want to maintain control over the publication of my books, and so I needed to come up with a name for the imprint for registration, and so that the publisher would show up on the title page of the book. It needed to be distinctive, i.e., one that wasn't already in use by other publishers, and the domain name needed to be available. I also wanted one that carried the flavor of the books I'm likely to write, even if I branch out into fiction. Plus, it needed to lend itself to a minimalist logo (my preference).
This book gave me the guidance I needed to quickly and efficiently find a name that fulfilled all those requirements. Excellent stuff!
In a crowded marketplace, it's important to avoid the mistakes that can sink a brand or product, and to know how to stand out. I have used the principles and guidelines in this book to come up with the name of my business fable series, and recently used it to come up with a name for my publishing imprint. I used the principles you teach for coming up with effective names to name my publishing imprint. As an indie author, I want to maintain control over the publication of my books, and so I needed to come up with a name for the imprint for registration, and so that the publisher would show up on the title page of the book. It needed to be distinctive, i.e., one that wasn't already in use by other publishers, and the domain name needed to be available. I also wanted one that carried the flavor of the books I'm likely to write, even if I branch out into fiction. Plus, it needed to lend itself to a minimalist logo (my preference).
This book gave me the guidance I needed to quickly and efficiently find a name that fulfilled all those requirements. Excellent stuff!
February 15, 2020
Hindsight is awesome, especially if you can put some clever acronyms around it.
Not all the examples highlighted in this book are convincing. In fact, some are quite opinionated (if not downright self-righteous) and contradictory.
An example cited by the author is the "clever" way Google named Android versions after sweet indulgences (Cupcakes, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean). The problem is that when you buy a new device, you may not be able to tell if it is running on the latest version of Android. (Yes, it's alphabetical, but you'll have to explain that logic to users.) This then falls into the curse of insider knowledge.
Furthermore, the author suggested circling back to "Banana Split, Butterscotch, Cherry Pie, Lemon Bar and Macaroon" for future versions, which would cause confusion for the alphabetical approach.
Good thing this is a short book that doesn't take long to read or I'll consider it a waste of time.
Not all the examples highlighted in this book are convincing. In fact, some are quite opinionated (if not downright self-righteous) and contradictory.
An example cited by the author is the "clever" way Google named Android versions after sweet indulgences (Cupcakes, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean). The problem is that when you buy a new device, you may not be able to tell if it is running on the latest version of Android. (Yes, it's alphabetical, but you'll have to explain that logic to users.) This then falls into the curse of insider knowledge.
Furthermore, the author suggested circling back to "Banana Split, Butterscotch, Cherry Pie, Lemon Bar and Macaroon" for future versions, which would cause confusion for the alphabetical approach.
Good thing this is a short book that doesn't take long to read or I'll consider it a waste of time.
April 16, 2019
A must-read book for anyone for whom it's important to choose a great name for a business. It's packed with useful information, tips and lots of examples.
Some of my favourite parts:
SMILE: The 5 Qualities of a Super-Sticky Name
* Suggestive —evokes something about your brand
* Meaningful —resonates with your audience
* Imagery —is visually evocative to aid in memory
* Legs —lends itself to a theme for extended mileage
* Emotional —moves people
SCRATCH: The 7 Deadly Sins of Bad Name
* Spelling challenged —looks like a typo
* Copycat —is similar to competitors’ names
* Restrictive —limits future growth
* Annoying —is forced or frustrates customers
* Tame —is flat, descriptive, uninspired
* Curse of Knowledge —makes sense only to insiders
* Hard to pronounce —is not obvious or is unapproachable
Some of my favourite parts:
SMILE: The 5 Qualities of a Super-Sticky Name
* Suggestive —evokes something about your brand
* Meaningful —resonates with your audience
* Imagery —is visually evocative to aid in memory
* Legs —lends itself to a theme for extended mileage
* Emotional —moves people
SCRATCH: The 7 Deadly Sins of Bad Name
* Spelling challenged —looks like a typo
* Copycat —is similar to competitors’ names
* Restrictive —limits future growth
* Annoying —is forced or frustrates customers
* Tame —is flat, descriptive, uninspired
* Curse of Knowledge —makes sense only to insiders
* Hard to pronounce —is not obvious or is unapproachable
January 22, 2021
In short, I think this book serves its purpose: How to name your brand.
The author enumerates the qualities of a good name plus the mistakes we should avoid. What I really enjoyed is her walkthrough naming a real brand: that was a true mind enlighting!!! I mean this is her day to day work.
Of course, my reason to pick this book is I wanted to open my small business, and believe me finding a name is a big challenge.
So I wanted to open a store for handmade. Almost everyone names their business with their proper names + ('handmade' or 'creation' or ...) and chances were my name was already taken.
The end of the story is I named my business Revive Store. I'm still not sure about it but I was in a hurry and I decided to stop overthinking about it.
You can check it here:
https://www.instagram.com/revive_stor...
The author enumerates the qualities of a good name plus the mistakes we should avoid. What I really enjoyed is her walkthrough naming a real brand: that was a true mind enlighting!!! I mean this is her day to day work.
Of course, my reason to pick this book is I wanted to open my small business, and believe me finding a name is a big challenge.
So I wanted to open a store for handmade. Almost everyone names their business with their proper names + ('handmade' or 'creation' or ...) and chances were my name was already taken.
The end of the story is I named my business Revive Store. I'm still not sure about it but I was in a hurry and I decided to stop overthinking about it.
You can check it here:
https://www.instagram.com/revive_stor...
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