Fast Focus: Naming Strategy
What is it and do you need one?
The unity of a well-managed brand does not happen by accident and rarely organically. Anything that feels cohesive has been cohesively thought through – this is especially true of naming. And if your organization has a high proliferation of products, features, and initiatives, naming likely has a larger impact on your brand than you realize.
What is Naming Strategy?
Simply put, naming strategy is giving holistic thought to naming at your organization and putting it down on paper. A workable naming strategy needs three things:
A well-thought-out strategy
What gets a name, what doesn’t, clear definitions for each level of offering, and a naming approach for each.
A realistic and clear process
What is the approval process? Is it the same for every level of offering? What needs trademark screening? Who is responsible for tracking these names and shepherding the process?
Education on the process and the organizational diligence to follow it
People can’t follow a strategy and process they do not know exists. Leaders won’t stick to the process when there’s pushback unless they are fully bought into the reasons behind it (i.e. consistency, cohesion, a mature brand).
Most people only focus on the first part and, instead of translating to action and long-term operational value, their work gets stuck in PowerPoint purgatory.
Do I need one?
The first question is: are you trying to build a brand? This is a value-neutral question, not everyone is. And if building a cohesive impression and reputation over time is not the goal, then you may not need one.
But, if you’re reading this, you probably are building a brand — and should not miss the opportunity to have your names contribute to (and not detract from) it. Whether reinforcing your tone of voice or functionally highlighting capabilities, your names (both one at a time and as a whole) are a big part of how customers engage with your brand and likely deserve holistic consideration.
Most organizations think about investing in a naming strategy because of some kind of growth.
Growth in size: employees at small companies often have a strong sense of the brand within themselves. As more employees join, that internal sense needs to be codified and externalized to facilitate on-brand decisions and maintain a strong identity. Naming is a core part of that codification.
Growth in maturity: often rudimentary naming guidelines work for a while, but as your brand grows in maturity, standards for naming also rise. Suddenly, teams are onboard with investing in a truly thought-out approach to naming at the organization.
Evolution of identity: brands change over time. If there has been a brand refresh or deep evolution to the identity, a change in naming strategy may also be needed.
Or, because of how it feels to not have a naming strategy.
Have you ever:
Wondered why the names in your company feel wide ranging and disconnected?
Noticed that suddenly everything is getting named?
Noticed a subtle or not so subtle dragon or ninja theme to your new product releases?
Realized it’s two weeks before launch and you don’t have a name?
Had an engineer or product lead come to you with an off-brand name? Had that happen without enough time to create a new one?
Had someone in your organization look at you with confusion when you talk about the needed timeline and steps to create a name?
But really, do I need one?
Here’s a simple test. Take a look at all the names released by your organization in the last two years, from hero products to features. (First off, is that an easy thing to find?) Do these names feel like they came from the same place? Are you proud of them?
Whether you’re at a startup or a Fortune 50 company, naming strategy is core to building a strong brand over time. Names move around the world — on webpages, on products, in the mouths of your customers — as ambassadors for your brand. Make sure you’re thinking about them, not just one at a time, but as a whole.
For additional information on PS212’s approach to naming strategy please visit us here or reach out using the button below!