Re: Business Cards and domain names

From: Keith Pieper <discussions_at_keithpieper.com>
Date: Wed 02 Apr 2003 14:56:04 -0600

Marisa, Jim, Cliff -

1. Which domain to use when I introduce myself to groups?

--Something memorable and easily conveys your product and/or product
benefits at a glance.

2. To put on new business cards?

--See number one.

Put both on your business card. If I'm looking at it,
I can type the short one and if not, I can remember
the memorable one.

--Why confuse your potential customers. Consistency will be the key
here. Say weeks or months down the road and your business card is
missing.

But first (and I say this *knowing* that Rob Frankel's
branding radar will ping) decide who you are. Are you
"Deg.Com Communications" or "Effective Communication Skills"?
Your site seems to have a split personality.

--What is your business mission? Then what are the key customer
benefits? Your name could be the company, product description or
benefit related. Most people opt for the company name-domain
strategy, but don't overlook the "sales" and positioning power of a
domain names that either instantly conveys what you do (the typical
"generic" domain name that are often hard to come by) or what your
company/product can do for the customer!

1. Avoid naming a company after yourself.

--I completely agree with Cliff here. But would add that a name not
tied to your personal name portrays a professional and larger image
than yourself alone.

2. Avoid entirely descriptive names at all costs.
Businesses change over time, and descriptive names are
inherently limiting. International Business Machines
(now IBM), Electronic Data Systems (now EDS), and Minnesota
Mining & Manufacturing (now 3M) learned this lesson the
hard way.

--I disagree to an extent. These examples are company's that have
been around for generations. Everyone NOW knows what they do and
what they stand for. You're starting out...don't be afraid to use
your name as part of your positioning to convey who you are and what
you do.


Even more importantly, as you noted,
similar sounding unmemorable names are eternally
confusing.

--Buy all variations on the domain name you choose. Market and build
the brand of one. Redirect the other domain names to your site. That
way if someone makes a typo or guesses halfway right, you still have
them at your site and can reinforce the proper name.

3. The best and most easily protected names to brand with
tend to be unique creations, single word, 3 syllables or
less. Examples include Exxon, Lucent, Cingular, Verizon,
etc. These are all strong and memorable names that "mean
nothing in themselves." This is in fact a strength, rather
than a weakness... it allows these names to take on a
meaning that is entirely aligned with the brand.

--Branding campaigns and advertising over time have created what
they are today. Like Google and Yahoo, in and of themselves they
have a clear dictionary meaning. But it's through significant
investment and time that those companies have created a large
meaning and association. This is why "generic domains" are so
popular - they have instant associations to the owner without
additional brand-building investment.

4. There are quite a number of tests that we would run in
developing an identity for a client.

--Don't forget trademark searches. Whether you intend to compete
globally or locally, having a trademarkable name is of key value to
building your identity and protecting your investment.
http://www.mozzle.com/cgi-bin/a?a=217947 is a great tool for finding
a name and checking it's trademark availability. Keep in mind,
trademarking is a tricky game. There can be multiple trademarks for
the same name, as long as they are not perceived as competitive.

Keith Pieper I-Domain List Moderator
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Received on Wed Apr 02 2003 - 14:56:04 CST