Overcome Weaknesses in Business Name

If you treasure alpine hiking, are you more likely to stay at the Grand Pines Lodge or at the Soft Soap Spa? Probably, you’d opt for the Grand Pines Lodge. It’s because a business is rated more highly when its name is descriptive of the characteristics sought by customers.
     That finding could be useful if you’re starting up your business or if you’re ready to go through a name change. But how do you overcome a weak association in a business name you want to keep? Here are some tactics based on what research finds to be helpful:

• Repeatedly advertise and publicize the characteristics you want people to associate with your operations.
• Point out the similarities of your business to a business that has the features shoppers are looking for.
• Use customer testimonials to document your benefits that match shopper preferences.

     If your business is a local institution, you might not realize there’s some misleading image being portrayed to out-of-towners. Here’s another hotel example: A number of years ago, I was invited to be a guest on Cleveland, Ohio’s WEWS, Channel 5. A producer there wanted me to talk about my work as a consulting psychologist. After I accepted the invitation, I was told reservations had been made for me to stay the night before at a hotel called Swingos. Having never heard of Swingos, my first reaction was negative. I wasn’t sure whether to pack the ear plugs so I’d get a good night’s sleep, practice my dance steps, or be sure to bring the wife along with me on the trip.
     As it turned out, there was no need for me to do any swinging at Swingos. I learned that Swingos Celebrity Inn was begun in the 1960s by Nick Swingos and his son Jim. After my stay, my mental associations with Swingos became positive ones.
     Actually, there was more about names during my visit: When I arrived at the studio the next day, the producer brought me to the set to meet my interviewers for the program segment. She introduced me to Fred Griffith. He introduced me to his co-host, Wilma Smith.
     “Fred and Wilma,” I rehearsed to myself. No negatives or weaknesses in those names. I’d always liked “The Flintstones.”

For your profitability: Sell Well: What Really Moves Your Shoppers

Click below for more:
Make Your Business Name Easy to Say
Project Your Brand Positively
Compare Unknown Brands to Best-Known Brands