Words have meaning, and names have power.
Naming a new business might seem trivial, but it carries much weight. A powerful name is a big part of your business identity. It can also be beneficial in branding and marketing.
In contrast, a bad name will disconnect you from your customers and brand identity. Plus, it can be a source of crippling legal and logistical hurdles.
You want a catchy and memorable name that resonates with your customers. Also, a name that says what your business does—installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical systems. More importantly, you want a name that conveys some meaning or is part of your brand story.
Clearly, coming up with a name for an electrical company takes work. It’s no wonder many businesses wind up with relatively poor names. Even iconic brands like Google, Pepsi, and Netflix never got it right the first time.
But don’t let namestorming defeat you.
Read on and learn how to pick the right name for your electrical company. This article covers all the essential tips and considerations for brainstorming electrical company names.
Let’s put on a wordsmith’s hat and get to work.
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6 Tips to Kickstart Brainstorming Electrical Company Names
When naming your electrical company, you don’t just pick the first name that pops into your mind. There’s a process for naming businesses that involves careful considerations.
Here are six tips for brainstorming electrical company names to get your creative juices flowing:
Avoid Names That Are Hard to Spell or Pronounce
The first rule of thumb when naming a business is to keep it simple.
First of all, avoid names that are hard to spell. You don’t want your customers to constantly correct their spelling when typing or writing the name.
Even worse, a hard-to-spell name can make it hard for customers to find your business, especially when searching online. A typo can lead potential buyers to a competitor’s business or website.
Pick a name that also sounds good. Ensure it is sonically pleasing—easy and fun to say. Take the brand names “Yahoo,” “Google,” and “Sony”; notice how they effortlessly roll off the tongue. That’s what you want with your electrical company name.
Assess the Name’s Aesthetics
A name can sound good and still be ugly. A beautiful name looks good even when typed or written out.
As a business owner, you’ll mostly see your brand’s name in writing. So, pick a name you’ll be happy to see on billboards, pamphlets, and business documents daily.
On the same note, consider how the name will fit into the company’s logo. The name could even be the whole logo. For brands like Coca-Cola, Amazon, and Ford, the name is beautiful enough to double as the logo.
Pick a Name That Conveys Some Meaning
Select a name that says something about your electrical business. It could represent your brand’s history, work ethic, or unique selling points (USPs). And it doesn’t matter if the meaning is too obvious. In fact, make it as obvious as possible.
Take a page from Integrity Electric’s or FAST Electrical Contractors’ book. Their names say what they are all about.
Another great way to add meaning to your electrical company’s name is to use your own name. This works best for a family-owned or family-run business. It also makes sense for names deeply rooted in the local community or the electrical industry. If you want customers to associate your family, heritage, or you (personally) with the business, go for it.
Consider a Localized Business Name
A localized business name incorporates the name of a local street, neighborhood, town, city, or landmark. As an electrical contractor operating within a specific geographical area, it makes sense to localize your company name. Doing so helps associate your brand with the local target audience.
However, a localized name can become problematic when expanding to new markets. It can be challenging to convince audiences and online search engines that “Seattle Electricals,” for example, also serves Portland.
Name your electrical business with growth in mind. You don’t want to rebrand your company whenever it ventures into a new market or expands its services portfolio.
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Make Your Name Unique
Make sure your name doesn’t resemble the names of other electrical businesses in your area. Create a unique, distinctive name that sets you apart from competitors.
Besides, a common-sounding name might confuse customers, and your brand might come off as a copycat or rip-off of another electrical company. The other company can even sue you for infringing on its trademark rights.
Conduct a thorough search of electrical contractors in your state and across the country. Check if a business name is available with a quick lookup via:
- Trademark Search
- Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
- Office of the Secretary of State (in the state where the business operates)
Create a Catchy and Memorable Business Name
A catchy and memorable business name creates brand recognition and recall.
Creating a catchy, memorable brand name, however, requires high-level creativity. The name could be a fun play on words, a snappy and easy-to-say word/phrase, or a straight-to-the-point explanation of what the business does.
Legal Considerations for Electrical Company Names
The law weighs in heavily when choosing a business name. As you brainstorm names for your electrical company, check each name’s legal availability.
First, you want to ensure that no other business (electrical or otherwise) shares that name. Also, check that your name’s styling and overall branding are distinct and unrelated to any other company.
Let’s use the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) case as an example. Originally, WWE was known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). However, after a heated legal battle in 2002, it lost the right to use the initials “WWF” to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
The slightest oversight in brand naming can put your company in big trouble.
In addition to trademark infringement, check your state’s business naming guidelines and restrictions. Some of the general rules include:
- You cannot use a business entity identifier such as “corporation” or “LLC” if the business is not registered under that structure.
- The business name should not allude to anything illegal or unethical.
- The name should not imply that the business is a government agency.
- You cannot use certain words like “engineer” without the necessary certifications or licenses.
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Forming a Brand Identity
Brand identity is the outward expression of a brand. It’s how the outside world perceives your brand. Your brand identity is the culmination of how your brand appears, speaks, and appeals to people. This includes the logo, typology, colors, voice, and name.
However, brand identity is not just about looks. Your reputation and values as an electrical company form a big part of your brand identity.
A strong brand identity makes your electrical company unique, recognizable, relatable, and memorable. It also helps you connect with your target audience on a deeper level, cultivating trust and loyalty.
Brand identity doesn’t happen by chance. Cultivate a strong brand identity for your electrical company by following these eight steps:
- Identify and study your target audience. Learn about your potential customers to align your brand identity with their expectations.
- Research your competition. Understanding the competitive landscape gives you insights into how you can differentiate your brand.
- Define your business goals, purpose, and mission. Make these the targets for your branding efforts.
- Create a brand story. Develop a narrative around how the brand came to be and what it hopes to achieve.
- Pick a brand name. Your electrical company’s name is a big part of its identity, much like your name is part of who you are.
- Develop a brand personality. Show the human side of your electrical company through storytelling and a distinct voice.
- Create a unique look. Bring your logo, name, color palette, and imagery together to create a recognizable and memorable visual identity for your brand.
- Rebrand if (or when) necessary. While brand consistency is important, rebranding is sometimes the best thing you can do for your company.
Do Market Research to Help Pick a Business Name
It might not seem like it, but market research is essential when choosing a business name.
Market research is the process of learning about your potential customers. You gather and analyze data about your target audience to reveal the market’s dynamics, needs, and limitations. It also involves competitor analysis, which is when you size up the competition.
Findings from market research should help you design offerings relevant to your target audience and pick the right name for your electrical company.
Find a Name That Resonates With the Target Market
Market research reveals your target market’s preferences, needs, and pain points. With that knowledge, you can coin a name that resonates with your audience.
For instance, say one of the market’s pain points is poor-quality electrical services. You can brand and name your business as a high-quality electrical services provider.
Competitive Analysis Shows You How to Be Different
Compare the names of other electrical contractors to determine how to make yours unique. Find out what’s out there so you can differentiate your brand.
You’ll come across some clever names and others that are pretty dull. Take notes from both good and bad names.
Test Your Name’s Power With Brand Awareness Research
If you’ve already picked a name, find out what your target audience thinks about it through brand awareness research. Look for answers to these questions:
- Does my target audience know about my brand?
- Is my brand recognizable?
- What associations do people make when they hear about my brand?
Consider a Web-Friendly Name
About 94% of Americans have access to the internet. They use the internet for just about everything, from ordering food and shopping to looking up local businesses.
A well-designed website is your ticket to tapping into the vast online audience. But for it to work, it needs the correct name.
Consider a web-friendly name when branding your electrical company. Here are a few pointers to doing just that:
- Keep the name short and simple.
- Avoid using numbers, double letters, or special characters.
- Incorporate a keyword into the name.
- Avoid using homophones (words with similar pronunciations but different meanings or spellings).
- Choose a domain extension that also complements the name.
Check Domain Availability for Your Electrical Company Name
The internet has over 354 million registered domain names. Nearly every business-related word you can think of has a registered domain. For example, searching “electrical inc.” on Google yields millions of results.
That’s why checking domain availability is essential before naming a business. Ensure your domain name is unique to avoid confusing customers and legal complications.
You can check domain name availability on several websites, including:
First Steps to Naming Your Electrical Company
- Conduct thorough market research before brainstorming names for your electrical brand.
- Use name generator tools such as Shopify or Wix to kickstart namestorming.
- Understand your state’s business naming guidelines and restrictions.
- Check each name’s legal and domain availability.
- Workshop different names before settling on the one.
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