What are you going to name it?

When my wife and I had our second baby, like all expectant parents, we had to go through the often difficult process of picking a name. Choosing a name is one of the first big decisions you make for your child and it can have a large impact on their future. Anyone familiar with the 1980s movie The Sure Thing remembers the diatribe of John Cusack’s character in which he expresses his disgust for the name “Elliot” who will grow up to be “a fat kid with glasses who eats paste.” He then goes on to explain that “You gotta give him a real name. Give him a name! Like Nick….Nick’s a real name! Nick’s your buddy. Nick’s the kinda guy you can trust.”

Choosing a name for your company or product is as important as naming your child, so don’t take it lightly. First and foremost the name has to be unique. Growing up in classrooms filled with Davids, Johns and Jennifers, the one thing that set me apart was my last name. Speaking of my last name, that brings me to the next point. You have to be able to say it and spell it. I know first hand how having a name like Lubelczyk, which is both difficult to say and spell, can be a real pain. In this world of URLs, search engines, and online directories, being able to spell your company’s name is crucial unless you want to spend a lot of money registering all the misspellings of the name. Before you pick a name, make sure you can get the .COM because chances are if you can only register the .NET, the .BIZ or you have to put in a lot of dashes or an “e” in front of it, no one will ever find you...but they will find your competitor.

A name also has to fit the personality of the company now and the personality you want it to grow up to be. Unlike Little Rickey who can become Richard the CEO or Rick the Fireman, you are stuck with that name for a long time. So choose wisely. If you have to change it later, the costs both financially and in lost recognition will be massive. The longer you have a name, the harder it will be to change. Just ask KFC who has recently gone back to Kentucky Fried Chicken because despite massive amounts of advertising telling us that KFC was their name and it stood for “Kitchen Fresh Chicken”, no one really forgot that this company southern-fried their chicken.

Another thing to remember when picking a name is to avoid trendy names, names based on a fad, names that include current technology, or names that expire. Let’s face it, does anyone get the latest electronic equipment at the Hi-Fi Shack or Computers 2000? I don’t know many people who still want to go to the Cineplex, the Roller Disco, or the Bowladrome. These all may have been great names “in the day”, but now they seem dated and irrelevant. So unless your company offers a retro theme or wants to forever stay in a time warp, avoid these names at all cost.

A popular naming trend is the use of only initials. This comes from the success of companies like GE, IBM and AT&T. But unless you’re a “Blue Chip” company, this is probably not a good idea. Not many people want to buy from EDP NOW nor do they see ABC Office Supplies as unique. I can’t even guess what ADSP Inc. sells. Finally, AAA Computer Repair may get you the first listing in the phone book but does it really differentiate your service?

My entire family had very strong feelings about what the baby should be called and your company’s stakeholders do too, therefore you must choose wisely. Always remember to consider if the name is appropriate, will people be excited about it, does it sound good, will people relate the name with the products or services you offer, and is it the type of company name people want to associate with. If all else fails, ask for help. There many good companies who specialize in developing the perfect name for your business.

For anyone who is interested, the baby’s name is Nickolas and even though John Cusack had very little to do with the name, I hope my son grows up to be a buddy, the kind of guy you can trust, not someone who eats paste.

© 2005 IMAGE identity, LTD, All rights reserved.

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Do you come here often?

Developing a long-term customer relationship is very similar to dating. How you grab a prospect’s attention is critical. Advertising, direct mail, public relations, or a website may be the first step towards starting the relationship, but don’t let your marketing effort be another tacky pick-up line. What you say and how you say it will determine whether the prospect will be interested in starting a relationship or respectfully decline your offer to have a drink.

Getting the prospect to meet with you is only the first step in the relationship building process. Taking the relationship to the next level requires your marketing effort to make an impression that will create interest and have them call you the next day. However, it is not about tricking the prospect into being interested. Don’t make them think your first date will be a magical evening of dining aboard your private jet and dancing in Paris when you know you are only able to take them out for fast food. Make sure you are able to provide one hundred percent of what you claim and that they are expecting an experience you can provide. Otherwise, there will be no hope for a second date.

You may spend significant resources developing marketing materials to spark interest and get you that first date, but don’t forget that your prospects are also judging your company by everything you say and do. Once the prospect walks through your door, you must take great care to create an experience that resonates with the prospect and meets their expectations.

Instead of focusing on just marketing to develop the relationship, you must continually devote the resources necessary to examine all aspects of your business in order to determine what is adding to or subtracting from the experience needed to build a lasting relationship with a prospect. If you want this potential loyal patron to become more than a prospect, you need to do everything you can to ensure that they have an extraordinary experience each and every time they are with you.

If you develop a meaningful relationship based on trust while providing consistent experiences beyond expectations, your cash register will be ringing – just like church bells – to celebrate the relationship’s success.

© 2005 IMAGE identity, LTD, All rights reserved.

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Why did they boo Damon and not Pedro?

Both left Boston on bad terms, both left for “better contracts”, and both went to New York teams. So why upon their return, did Red Sox fans give Pedro Martinez a standing ovation and gave Johnny Damon a round of boos? I think Pedro summed it up best in his press conference, “Johnny put on the wrong uniform” and Red Sox Nation let him know it.

You will never find people more loyal, faithful, and passionate about a brand than Red Sox fans. Even though they were not winners for 86 years, fans stuck by this brand through all the high and the very low moments in this brand’s history.

So why don’t most brands induce this level of passion? Because most brands are not extraordinary. Unlike most brands, the Red Sox have always done things in an extraordinary way, whether it is a come from behind 2004 championship win or a heart wrenching 1986 World Series loss. Good or bad, this brand has always given fans something to be passionate about.

John Henry’s group may own the team, but “Red Sox Nation” owns the brand. Red Sox Nation don’t follow this team blindly; they have taken ownership of the brand and are committed to its success. Red Sox Nation are a group of brand advocates who cheer the victories, but also have no problem making it known when someone is not performing up to par. Based on fan reaction, Terry Francona said he thought his name was “You Suck” numerous times during his first season as manager.

A brand is more than just a logo or corporate identity. A brand is shaped by everything a company says and does, both inside and outside the organization. The strength of a brand is determined by the experiences surrounding the brand and how people feel when they interact with the organization. Therefore, companies must create extraordinary experiences and build brand cultures that inspire employees, customers and anyone who touches the company, to be passionate about the organization, take ownership of the brand and actively contribute to the brand’s success.

Don’t just settle for repeat customers, loyal patrons, or even plain old fans. Build extraordinary experiences and a brand culture surrounding your organization which inspires people to become advocates for your organization. Like the Red Sox, build
“{Your Company’s} Nation”.

© 2005 IMAGE identity, LTD, All rights reserved.

For reprint permission, please contact IMAGEidentity.