Testing Your Brand Name Against The Competition: The Ultimate Guide

Intro

A brand name is one of the most important marketing tools for any business, it’s how potential customers will remember and identify the organization. But how do you know if your brand name measures up to the competition and can differentiate your business?

The best way to choose a brand name that will stand out among the competition is to test it. By doing a simple head-to-head comparison against your competition, you will get deep insights into what works and what doesn’t.

This ultimate guide will show you everything you need to know about testing your brand name against the competition, so you can get the insights you need.

What is Brand Name Testing?

Brand name testing is a process where you present two or more brand names to an audience of your target users to gain feedback and insights on the name that fits the best with the business’s goals and values.

If you’re starting a new business, adding a new product or service, or rebranding, you need to create a brand name that is unique, memorable, and can differentiate your brand from the competition.

A brand name can have a big impact on the business, potential customers, and your marketing strategy. This means it’s important to choose a name that will connect with the target audience and fit the brand image.

This is where brand name testing comes into play. Introducing your target audience to a few brand name possibilities and comparing yours against competitors and asking for feedback is how testing is done. Using qualitative and quantitative data you can validate decisions when finding the brand name that will compete in your industry.

Why Test Your Brand Name?

Your brand name tells the story of your business, it represents what you do, what you stand for, and how you want customers to identify you. Some of the most successful brands have the most recognizable brand names like Apple, Coca-Cola, and Amazon.

When naming your brand is done correctly, whether for a business, product, service, or anything else, it creates a positive first impression, gaining user attention and interest. When it’s not done correctly, it can cause recognition issues, confusion, and lose the business valuable leads.

There are a number of reasons to test a brand name against your competition. First, it’s important to make sure that your brand name is not already being used by another company. If it is, that name is off the table and if you do end up using it you could be in legal trouble.

Second, you want to make sure that your brand name is not too similar to another company’s brand name. This issue could cause confusion and it might make it difficult to gain market share as your name will most likely be remembered as your competitor.

Third, you want to make sure that your brand name is easy to pronounce and remember. If it’s not, customers may have a hard time finding you and your products. Your brand name is what the rest of your marketing and branding strategies will be built on, you need it to be recognizable and searchable.

Finally, you want to make sure that your brand name conveys the right message about your company. A brand name needs to be a representation of your business and convey the message you want users to see. If it fails to do this you could run into issues where users don’t know what you stand for.

How To Test Your Brand Name

It’s important to make sure your brand name is the best it can be before you launch your product or service. You also need to make sure you can compete with other businesses in your industry. Here are some tips on how to choose your brand name and see if it’s up to snuff:

1. Use A Testing Tool

This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t take the easy way out. Using an online tool like Poll the People, you can easily conduct a head-to-head test of your brand name against your competition. This head-to-head shootout gives you valuable feedback from the panel of users. With quick results from a panel of users that are in your target audience you will fully understand how you compare to other players in the industry. The qualitative and quantitative feedback will give you the insights you need to optimize your brand name, all without blowing your marketing budget.

2. Do a Google search.

See what comes up when you Google your potential brand name. If there are already a lot of results for that term, it may be difficult to make your brand name stand out. On the other hand, if there are very few results, that could mean there’s an opportunity to make your brand name more visible.

3. Check the domain name.

If you’re planning to have a website for your brand, you’ll want to make sure the domain name is available. It’s also a good idea to check social media handles to see if they’re available.

4. Ask around.

Get some feedback from friends, family, and other people you trust. See what they think of your potential brand name. Do they think it’s catchy? Easy to remember? Something they would actually buy from?

5. Test it out.

Once you’ve settled on a name, try it out in a few different scenarios. Use it in marketing materials, on your website, and in social media. See how it looks and feels in different contexts. This will help you get a better sense of whether or not it’s the right name for your brand.

Who To Test Your Brand Name With

When you are testing your brand name, you want to make sure that you are testing it with the right people. You want to test it with people who are in your target market and who will be able to give you honest feedback. Just like with any other marketing campaign your brand name needs to focus on the users.

You also want to make sure that you are testing your brand name with people who are familiar with your industry. This way, they will be able to tell you if your brand name makes sense for your business and if it is something that they would remember.

Finally, you want to test your brand name with people who are not familiar with your business. This way, you can see if your brand name is easy to pronounce and if it is something that people will be able to remember.

Testing your brand name with the right people is essential to making sure that your brand name is effective and will help you to reach your target market.

What To Test Your Brand Name For

When you’re testing your brand name, you want to make sure it’s distinctive, memorable, and easy to pronounce. You also want to make sure it’s not too similar to other brands in your industry.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you test your brand name:

1. Distinctiveness.

Is your brand name unique? Does it stand out from the competition?

2. Memorability.

Will people remember your brand name when they see it?

3. Pronunciation

Is your brand name easy to pronounce?

4. Similarity.

Is your brand name too similar to other brands in your industry?

When To Test Your Brand Name

There are a few key times when you should test your brand name.

1. Before you launch your business: You want to make sure that your brand name is not already being used by another business in your industry. The last thing you want is to have to rebrand down the road because someone beat you to your name.

2. If you’re experiencing slow growth: If you feel like your business isn’t growing as quickly as it should be, it might be time to test out a new brand name. A fresh start could be just what you need to jump start your growth.

3. When you’re expanding into new markets: If you’re looking to expand your business into new markets, it’s important to test out your brand name to see how it will be received. Different markets can have different reactions to the same brand name, so it’s important to do your research before making the move.

4. If you’re experiencing negative associations with your current brand name: If your brand name has started to develop negative associations, it might be time for a change. A new brand name can help you start fresh and leave the negative associations in the past.

5. If you’re looking to rebrand: Sometimes businesses just need a fresh start. If you’re looking to rebrand your business, a new brand name can be a great way to signal to your customers that something has changed.

These are just a few of the times when you might want to consider testing out a new brand name. If you’re not sure if it’s the right time for you, reach out to a branding expert to get their opinion.

Conclusion

Testing your brand name is important because it can help you avoid legal and marketing problems down the road. By taking the time to do a little research, you can make sure that your brand name is unique, easy to remember, and conveys the right message about your business.