Are you getting stuck trying to think of an awesome name for product or service? Every year, 6 million companies and more than 100,000 products are launched. They all need an awesome name, but many (such as Xobni, Svbtle, and Doostang) look like the results of a drunken Scrabble game.
Ace naming consultant Alexandra Watkins author of the best seller Hello, My Name Is Awesome explains how anyone—even noncreative types—can create memorable and buzz-worthy brand names. No degree in linguistics required.
How To Create Great Name For Product
The heart of Watkins’s proven method is SMILE and SCRATCH Test—two acronyms for what makes or breaks a name. She also provides up-to-date advice, like how to make sure that Siri spells your name correctly and how to nab an available domain name. In her book, you’ll see dozens of examples—the good, the bad, and the “so bad she gave them an award.”
In the short interview below, Watkins go through her SMILE and SCRATCH tests.
What Is SMILE and SCRATCH?
This is the 12 points that Watkins identified which a memorable names must has.
SMILE refers to 5 qualities for Super-Sticky Name. It stands for:
Suggestive—evokes something about your brand
Memorable—makes a familiar association
Imagery—aids memory through evocative visuals
Legs—lends itself to a theme for extended mileage
Emotional—moves people
SCRATCH refers the 7 Deal Breakers that you should avoid. It stands for:
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 customers
Free Online Name Evaluation SMILE And SCRATCH Test
On her website, Watkins create a name evaluation tool to help in this check. You can access it here.
Just enter your product name for a fast and free way to find out if it’s awesome or if it kinda sucks.
This is featured in the Wall Street Journal and other leading publications, The Eat My Words SMILE & SCRATCH Test is based on Watkins’ philosophy that a name should make you smile, instead of scratch your head. Go ahead, give it a whirl.
Here’s A Shorter Video Recap Of How To Use SMILE And SCRATCH To Name Your Product
In the shorter video, Watkins summarize her 12 points. Do note that the video is of lower quality but the content is short and to the point.
To Your Success,
Keith Choy
Related Resources:
How To Name For Product, Service Or Brand For Success
How to create a Great Name your customer can’t forget
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