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[ANGEL EMAIL] My DIY Guide to a Perfect Brand Name
Hi Reader,
🌸 Pik here!
I realized we didn’t update our automation, so you missed out on last week's article about naming. My apologies! Here it is for you.
Hey Femtech founders!
If you haven’t heard yet, my client and colleague, Femovate, is offering a special opportunity.
They’re providing UX sponsorship to help femtech startups create their digital products.
The founder, Theresa, and her team have loads of experience working with big pharma companies.
Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity! The program is free, so apply NOW!​
Peace,
Pik
My DIY Guide to a Perfect Brand Name
[Read time: 3 mins]
You’ve got the vision, the passion, and the team. What’s left?
The name — a crucial cornerstone that can make or break your brand’s success.
Many have asked me how to come up with a brand name without breaking the bank by hiring an agency.
Today, I’m sharing a 60-minute DIY naming exercise.
Let’s get started!
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Why the name game matters
Consider your brand name as the first impression people have of your business.
It’s everywhere — from your website URL to your social media profiles.
More importantly, a name isn’t easily changeable, so it’s worth investing the time to get it right, right from the start.
And yes, you can DIY it without compromising on quality.
​
Get ready
- The Team: Assemble a small, diverse team of 3-8 people for a creative brainstorm.
- Essentials: Stock up on sticky notes, a whiteboard (or just a blank wall), dot stickers for voting, and plain paper. If you’re remote, tools like Miro will work wonders.
- Time: Set aside 60-90 minutes.
​
Step 1: The foundation (10 mins)
Kick things off with a focused brief. This can be prepared in advance and presented to the team at the beginning of the session.
The brief should outline:
- What you’re offering
- Your target audience
- Historical context or backstory
- Unique selling points or brand positioning
- Brand personality
Display these key points for everyone to see; they’re your North Star for this exercise.
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Step 2: Word association (10 mins)
Choose 3-5 topics from the brief. For example, if you’re creating a period tracking app, your topics might include:
- women’s health (offering)
- teenager (target audience)
- friendly (brand personality)
- doctor-recommended (unique selling points)
Write down words that come to mind for each topic. These words can be common or unconventional; the point is to generate a wide range.
For example, “women’s health” could be:
- strong
- healthy
- female
- wellness
- holistic
- empowerment
Place each word on sticky notes and post them on the wall.
​
Step 3: First drafts (10 mins)
Give everyone a piece of paper.
In just 10 minutes, jot down 10 names without overthinking it.
Don’t aim for perfection; this exercise is about quantity over quality.
🌼 PRO TIP: Know the naming styles
Here’s a guide to different types of names that will help guide your brainstorm:
- Descriptive: Names that tell you exactly what the brand does. e.g., HomeDepot, Toys”R”Us.
- Metaphor: Names that borrow from unrelated fields to imply characteristics. e.g., Nike (Goddess of Victory), Amazon (big and wide).
- Invented: Completely made-up, yet memorable names. e.g., Kodak, Xerox.
- Wordplay: Cleverly modified or combined words. e.g., Pinterest (pin + interest), Instagram (instant + telegram).
Step 4: Cross-pollinate ideas (10 mins)
Pass your list to the person on your left.
Add 5 more names in the next 7 minutes.
Use your teammate’s ideas as inspiration for more names.
​
Step 5: Finalize your list (10 mins)
Repeat Step 4.
Now, each list should contain 15 names.
Take a minute to circle or highlight your top 5.
Post all the ideas on the wall for everyone to see.
Hooray! You should have TONS of potential names by now.
​
Step 6: Voting (5 mins)
Start narrowing down the options.
Distribute 3 votes per person.
Within 3 minutes, let everyone cast their votes.
They can put all 3 votes on one name if they’re so fond of it.
Your goal is to narrow down to a hot list of 5 names.
​
Step 7: Pick the winner (5 mins)
This time, each person has only 1 vote to pick a winner.
And there you have it!
​
Naming your brand is a blend of art, science, and a bit of gut feeling.
But with this simple process, I hope you have fun and end up with a perfect brand name for your company.
🌸 See you next week!
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​ Peace, |
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____________________ Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:1. Want to learn more about branding? 2. Struggling with branding? Confused about where to start? 3. Need a new brand identity and launch your brand online?​ Know someone who need design or branding support? |
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