epaperchase founders blog

I am an infrequent contributor to Yahoo Answers.  If you are able to get past the teen posts, I think it can be an extremely valuable tool.  I think of it as free research - not only to check my sanity by answering questions but to get some feedback on various ideas.

Last week, someone asked for business name ideas.  They were starting up an appliance repair and wanted an answer in one day (what, only one day?).  It gave me a little start.  Can it be that simple?  Some of the most popular companies have names that don't make any sense and then others, well, they're dead on:  Digg, Yahoo, Oracle, Hubspot, etc.  What about Craigslist?  Maybe not but it is a list?  How about Dr. Pooh's Pet Center (near Atlanta)?  Do you need a web presence?  The exercise just got more complicated.

Here are some things you might consider - note - there are no rules, its your business - you should have fun!  It still will be up to you to do everything else no matter how good or bad your name sounds!

1.  The Yellow Pages Concept:  If you have a local business, name it so where it will appear first second or third in the yellow pages.  AAAAA++ Appliance Repair, etc.   Yes, yellow pages are still used.
2. Established Locale Name:  For example, New England Appliance Experts would root this business in an geography and perhaps potential customers a sense that the business has been around a long time.  This might give a sense of history to the customer.  Who was the most famous person in town?
3. Align To Target Customers:  Old Fogey repair might resonate with seniors, #3E might resonate with Stock Car fans, etc).
4. Dialing Names:  You might base it on how someone might remember you when they dial you up: 800-Dea-dfrig
5. Domain Naming:  Deadfrig.com, get it, its available right now!
6. Current Trend Names:  Obama's Appliance Service OPEC Repairs Sustainable Appliance Repair (Remember that Obama might not get elected though.  Also, what happens when the trend goes out of vogue and you're still around?)
7. Length:  11 letters or less. Strange but true. Preferably an odd number.  There are many opinions here but if you're doing a domain as well, keep it SHORT.
8. Techie naming: LR1 Appliance (tends to upset folks and kill a large part of your demographic)  Geek Squad makes sense though.
9. Fun Names: The Wives Always Call Us Guys.  'nuf said.
10. Value-based: TruSt Appliance Repair, Fast Solid Repairs, All Brands Repairs.

Other thoughts: 

• Can you do a play on words?  I think you can sometimes and other times, it doesn't work. A friend of mine named his business with a "new" word that rhymed with explosion.  It just didn't fly; however, some might overlook a name when they're looking for something specific.   I saw one blog that gave advice about naming called essortment.  Hmmm.  What were they thinking?  They suggested using latin roots to convey an idea.  Hmmm.
• You'll be making a significant investment in your name.  I probably wouldn't create it without getting opinions and without solid reasons why you've named it as such. 
• Its ok to have multiple meanings.  (see below.)

(Rong Hua is in Racine, Wisconsin.  I had a good laugh but was not motivated enough to find out what they were trying to convey.  Perhaps it was meant to be thought about after you get a block away?)

(What about epaperchase?  The movie epaperchase was about the tension a college student experienced when finding a new love on campus while still trying to get good grades.  I think business owners are torn between doing what they love and their books.  You might have to think about it but the name has double and triple meanings.)

Got any great names that stick?  Any other ideas that have worked for you?   How about two names?  One for the web and one for the street?  Would that work?