Among the many steps involved in starting your own business, determining how to come up with a clothing brand name is a crucial one. Your business’s brand name exemplifies what you offer customers and can have a big impact on your success as a result.
Finding the best, most impactful brand name for a business is often challenging for new businesses. However, the time and effort are more than worth it to develop a name that captivates and attracts consumers.
Why Branding Is So Important to Your Business
You truly can’t overstate the importance of branding, as it allows your business to stand out from other clothing retailers. When you make an impact on consumers, they’re more likely to patronize your business in the future. Branding also showcases your business’s personality and identity quickly to new customers.
For example, selecting a brand name that accurately represents your business provides important information to consumers, information that can help them decide whether they want to make a purchase. That’s why you must carefully review clothing business names when launching your online brand.
Categories of Brand Name
Think about the biggest clothing retailers online. While the brand names of these businesses may vary greatly, they typically fall into one of the following categories:
- Abstract – Abstract business names don’t necessarily correlate with the products a business sells, but they can stick in customer minds. Apple is the most iconic example of an abstract brand name.
- Descriptive – Unlike abstract names, descriptive monikers tell consumers exactly what they’re getting in a business. For instance, Whole Foods lets shoppers know the chain offers wholesome grocery items.
- Associative – Associative brand names fall somewhere between abstract and descriptive. The name Netflix doesn’t immediately indicate a streaming service, but it does vaguely communicate what the service offers (i.e., flicks via the internet).
Choosing one of the above categories can be a good start for your branding process. Next, you can begin implementing a strategy for actually naming your clothing brand.
Important Steps to Take When Developing Brand Names
When it comes to how to name a clothing brand, there are certain key steps that can help you make the right decision. These include:
- Research Your Target Audience – Your target audience consists of consumers most likely to patronize your business. The best brand name will appeal to these individuals.
- Consider the Values of Your Business – Brand names can also communicate business values and priorities. If you’re not sure, brainstorm three to five business values to get started.
- Look Up Competitors – Avoid picking a name that’s similar to your competitors. Once you have a few ideas, perform a quick internet search to determine if other businesses are using similar brand names.
- Ask Others to Critique Your Brand Name Ideas – Have colleagues, co-workers, or even loved ones review your selections to see if you’re on the right track.
If you’re not fully satisfied with your initial selections, it’s OK to revisit these steps again. The goal is to find a name that best represents your business while simultaneously attracting consumers to your brand.
Practices to Avoid When Selecting a Brand Name
When developing clothing brand name ideas, there are a few potential missteps to consider. Legal issues can arise if you choose something that’s already protected by a copyright or trademark. In this case, you may be unable to use the name, and you may even face legal issues if you’ve moved forward with your branding.
It’s relatively easy to check if a brand name is legally protected. Visit the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office site and perform a search of the database. Along with possible legal snags, here are some other practices to avoid:
- Difficult Pronunciation – Consumers must be able to say your brand name easily. Names that are hard to pronounce are also hard to talk about, which can kill word of mouth marketing.
- Lengthy Brand Names – Long brand names can make creation of marketing materials a lot more challenging. In addition to problems with formatting, a long name can also increase marketing costs when having signage and posters created.
- Trendy Names – Branding your clothing business with a word that’s currently trendy can be beneficial in the present but consider the future. Trendy words and slang terms often fall out of favor, which can leave your brand looking dated. Focus on words and phrases with timeless appeal instead.
Your brand name must also accurately represent the “personality” of your business. Even a great name will be a poor fit if it’s diametrically opposed to your clothing brand.
What to Do Once You’ve Chosen a Brand Name
After plenty of work, research, and brainstorming, you’ll have hopefully arrived at a brand name that best represents your business. At this point, you’ll need to register the name to cover your legal bases. You may also want to trademark the name, which prevents other businesses from using it as their own.
Marketing is also important for new businesses. Along with your online storefront, consider setting up social media profiles for your business. Choose platforms that your target audience is most active on. Also, be sure to post updates regularly to keep followers interested in what you have to offer. Social media is great for sharing the following:
- Blog posts with styling tips and inspiration
- Images of new products
- Information on discounts and specials
- Videos showcasing your products
Finally, think about your online shop and how to best serve your customers. When it comes to branding, make sure the layout and design of your online business matches your brand. You’ll also want to make the shopping process as seamless as possible. In this case, installing helpful sizing tools ensures your customers are fully satisfied with their purchases.
Give Your Customers a Seamless Shopping Experience
Determining how to come up with a clothing brand name is a crucial aspect of launching a business, but it’s not the only aspect of success you need to consider. With Kiwi Sizing, you can assist shoppers in finding the perfect size for apparel and other items. Feel free to contact us for more information on what our online tools can do for your business.
