The feeling of starting a company of your own is awesome. But starting and running a company is not so easy, especially for the first time entrepreneur. Right from choosing company name, logo and tagline to branding, marketing, shipping and payments, there are lots of issues you will be dealing with. If you are planning to start on your own and wondering about how to choose company name, logo, tagline for branding and marketing then this is the post worth reading.
We are working with several local businesses, moving service companies, interior designing agencies etc and we have a helped a few from the very beginning i.e. naming the company and initial branding. And if you are a little unsure about naming your company, choosing a logo or finding an appropriate tagline, then just read on.
Tips to choose company name, logo and tagline
The company name, tagline and logo are all connected to each other and they are all representative of your company in a great way that you can think of. The company name, logo and tagline are the face of the company. The company name, logo and the tagline can help you create the first impression when you present your card or send an email to a prospective client.
Company name and logo
You have decided a name of the company, now the company name may be big or small, but there must be a sign or symbol which will hint at your company. For example, you will understand the company which has manufactured the truck by seeing the logo, whether it is Tata, or Ashok Leyland or Mahindra.
All these companies have their own logo, by seeing which you can understand the name and also the identity of the company. So, the logo of your company will play the role of an identity card of your company.
What is a Tagline?
A tagline is the phrase made up of few words which will help you to understand the work of the company and the service it provides. For example, the tagline of the LIC is “zindagi ke sath bhi, zindagi ke baad bhi”, “during life and afterlife”(literal translation). By this tagline, you can understand the purpose of the company. So the tagline will denote at the work of the company and the logo will identify the company.
How to choose company name?
Choosing a company name and getting it right is seriously important. Your company name is going to be the first thing that a potential customer, investor or other stakeholder will see or read about. It has to be unique, easy to remember and may be relevant to the product or service you wish to offer.
We have seen many companies that have no relevance to the product or service like Google, Amazon, Nike, Adidas, but at the same time there are YouTube and MicroSoft.
Here’s what you should know when choosing a company name:
The company name should be short, simple and easy to remember and pronounce.
It has to be something, that even if you are dictating someone on phone, one can figure out what you are saying.
It may be a combination of two or three words, avoid more than that. Like ‘Bake and Grill’ or Sarah’ Kitchen or something like that. The name is simple, easy to recall and it reflects that we are talking of food
Make a list of at least 10-15 probable names you like
Discuss with your team and colleague and get a voting done
Get rid of a few of the names and keep sorting
Once you have less than five names available, start looking for the domain names.
It’s always better to find a .com domain extension.
For example if you want to name your business as bake and sprouts then you should look for the domain name too ‘bakeandsprouts.com’ if its available, you are good to go
How to choose logo?
The company logo has to have that recall factor. The idea of having a logo is ensure that people can recall the name of your company, just by looking at the logo. If you look at the logo of facebook, Twitter or the window logo of Microsoft, we easily recognize the company. That’s the objective of the logo. Here’s how you can choose a great logo for your company.
Simple: The logo must be simple, nothing grand or magnificence. A simple logo is preferable I think, because the main motive of the company is to provide service and thus succeed in business. If the logo is illegible, and cannot be comprehended easily, then lesser people will work hard to even decipher the company. The logo must be such that it must attract and appeal the customers, clients, audience, people in general. If the people cannot understand the logo, or the design of the logo, then I must say…there is bad news. A simple logo is the best, as there is beauty in simplicity. For example, see the logo of the companies that I have mentioned in the initial paragraphs.
At par with the name: The logo must be at par with the name of the company. The logo can have the initials of the name, or even the idea can be summed up in the logo. For example, consider the logo of LIC, you can understand well from the logo what kind of services the company provides. Similarly, the logo needs to capture the essence of the work of the company and also identify the company correctly.
Medium size: the size of the logo is another important factor, because it will attract the view o the audience. If the logo is too small, or microscopic, then the importance of logo is clearly nullified. If the logo is too complicated and grand, with lots of designs and fonts, then also it will be a distortion. Look at the logo of cars like Suzuki, Nissan, and Tata. Their logos match with the company so well, the logo of Suzuki is just one S. that is it. So the size matters.
Alphabets: In most cases, the logo is derived from the name of the company, the alphabets used in the name etc. This is a safe side, as the logo will then have clear connection to the name. For example Amazon.
Graphical: there is graphical logo as well. You can use custom made graphics, use relevant color and make a nice looking graphical logo like the logo of Microsoft, Nike, Adidas, LG
How to select a tagline?
While you are selecting tagline, there are some guidelines for you in the next couple of paragraphs.
Clarity and support: The tagline must be such that it adds clarity to the brand and also supports it. The tagline must refer to you company directly, and clearly. If you are having an interior designing company, then the tagline must be about décor, living, furnish or anything regarding the topic. You must not deviate from the topic, and come up with a completely alien tagline with whom there is no connection!
Hint at the purpose: What is the purpose of the tagline? Why do you need to include a tagline? The services that your company will provide are summed up in a phrase. It is like a short bio that you add in your networking sites and accounts. This phrase will give the audience an insight about your company. If the tagline is catchy, then the people will be interested to know more.
Strike the right chord: There can be two kinds of taglines, one too specific, and the other one is slightly more elusive. The taglines can talk of the specific services provided by your company, and also give an essence about it. You must strike the right chord so that it can appeal the audience and also inform the audience quickly about your company. The tagline must be short, not very long and precise. Do not use many conjunctions and multiple adjectives in the tagline!
Make the promises that you can keep: If you want to succeed in your business, then you must have dedication and also respect towards it. Do not write tagline just to attract the customers, rather make sure that you can deliver the promises that you make in the taglines. The taglines will sort if promote your company, but you have got to work hard so that your clients and customers are happy about your company. The tagline must justify your company in all respects.
Over to you
If you are starting a business, then you have to find a good, easy to remember business name. It is seriously important to name your company wisely and choose a good, easy to remember logo and a tagline that shows what your company does or the pain point it addresses. The company name, logo and tagline can be treated as the face of your company. And hence it is important to do lots of brainstorming in naming and choosing the right set of logo and tagline for appropriately branding your company/services.
Have you started a fresh new business? I would love to hear how and what one can do to choose a company name, logo and tagline for the business?
With that, it’s over to you now!
PS: Logo are for representation purpose only and copyright belongs to their respective owners
The feeling of starting a company of your own is awesome. But starting and running a company is not so easy, especially for the first time entrepreneur. Right from choosing company name, logo and tagline to branding, marketing, shipping and payments, there are lots of issues you will be dealing with. If you are planning to start on your own and wondering about how to choose company name, logo, tagline for branding and marketing then this is the post worth reading.
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