What's in a Name?
- Monday, April 19, 2010
I went to this great restaurant recently to meet a potential client. The client had suggested a place with a clever name that had the word "diner" as part of its name. Having been to lots of diners in my life, I immediately thought of old-fashioned scrubbed formica counters and worn booths, maybe even a sassy gum-cracking waitress who would bring heaping plates of burgers and fries.
To my surprise, the place was very elegant, it had a chic kind of decor, and was not very diner-like. When the menu was presented, I saw that my diner was really an upscale bistro. I enjoyed the food and atmosphere very much, but felt sorry for the restaurant because many people will probably get the same images in their minds when they hear the word "diner".
A friend once told me she avoided an Asian restaurant because it was called "Phlem's". Phlem, you see, was the first name of the very nice man who owned the place. Coming from another country, Phlem had no knowledge that his name sounds like, well, phlegm. Upon hearing the name of the restaurant, potential diners immediately thought of the phlegm as they knew it, and got a negative association in their minds. The food was actually quite good, but the parking lot at Phlem's was usually empty.
Its important to choose the right name for your business. When you do, try to look beyond your own experience and consider what image your business name will conjure up in the minds of consumers. Large companies use focus groups to test product names, but small businesses can't afford to pay for services like that. You can always try using some good old-fashioned market research: find as many folks as you can who represent a diverse range of ages and cultures. Then, politely ask them for their opinion and see what kind of responses you get.Labels: market research, naming your business
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