Check out how to choose the right name for your project to maximize its potential of sounding success.
One of the challenges that many Kickstarter creators face is picking a name for their project. The name is not only the identity of your product, but also the first impression you make on potential backers. The name can influence how people find, remember, and talk about your project.
So how do you pick a good name for your project? The answer is not to pick it randomly or based on your personal preference. You need to consider several factors that can affect the success of your project. Here are some of them:
Is the name of your product already taken by another trademark? You don't need to register a trademark before launching on Kickstarter, but you do need to do a trademark search. A trademark search is a way to check if your name is already in use by another business or product in the same or related industry. If you use a name that is already trademarked, you may face legal issues or confusion with your backers. You can use online tools like Trademarkia or USPTO to conduct a trademark search for free. You should also check the availability of domain names and social media handles for your name, as they are important for your online presence and marketing.
The two main places people will search for your Kickstarter are Google and Kickstarter itself. So before you decide on a name, search it on both of those platforms and see what comes up. You might find projects that have the same name or projects that you don't want to be associated with. For example, if you're making a new type of headphones called SoundScape, you might discover that there is already a project with that name on Kickstarter, or that there is a company that sells landscaping services under that name on Google. You want to avoid confusion and competition, so you might want to change your name or add a subtitle.
To complement the searchability (or lack thereof) of the product name, add a subtitle that can help attract more people to your project. For example, if you're making a new type of headphones called SoundScape, you might add a subtitle that captures a wider audience than those who know your project (SoundScape: The Headphones That Let You Hear Your Surroundings). I've even seen some projects try (mostly unsuccessfully) to capitalize on the popularity of other projects, such as those that used "fidget spinner" in their project name this past year even if they had nothing to do with fidget spinners.
You know how to spell your project name because you came up with it and you see it every day. But everyone else has only seen or heard the name once or twice, and if your name is not easy to spell, they may never find your project. This will happen even if people have seen your name in print many times–think about all the people who spell your name wrong in emails even after you signed the previous email with your name! Make your name as easy to spell as possible, and when in doubt, include supporting words in the subtitle. For example, if you're making a new type of headphones called SoundScape, you might spell it as Sound-Scape or Sound Scape to make it clearer.
Most likely you have a company name (even if it's a sole proprietorship) and you're hoping that the product you launch on Kickstarter will be the first of many products your company offers. Ideally people will know your brand by the company name, not the name of the first product. However, if your first Kickstarter is really successful, people can't help but know you more by the name of the project than your company name. So please be aware of the impact that will have on your future branding. For example, if you're making a new type of headphones called SoundScape under your company name AudioVibe, you might want to make sure that your company name is visible and memorable on your project page and packaging, so that people will recognize it when you launch your next product.
Now you have it! These are the factors you should consider when picking a name for your project. Not so hard, right? The name is not only the identity of your product, but also the first impression you make on potential backers. It can influence how people find, remember, and talk about your project. So don’t forget to choose wisely and test it out before you launch.
