Bootstrap’s SCORE Method
Naming a business is a complex process. Researching, brainstorming and testing brand name ideas can feel like a never ending cycle. While complicated, your name can make or break your business. It’s the cornerstone of your brand, serving as customers’ first impression with your company and helping you to stand out amongst the crowd.
When we do come up with what we feel is a seemingly solid name idea, it’s hard to determine off the bat whether it’s worth pursuing further. Luckily, our team of brand naming experts put together a quick and easy rule of thumb to help us weed out bad ideas and lean into good ones.
At Bootstrap, we follow our very own SCORE method when vetting brand name ideas. This ensures we’re covering the most important elements for a quality brand name before pursuing the idea further. To summarize, the name should be scalable, catchy, original, relevant and evocative. Let’s take a closer look:
Scalable: This means the name will fit well even as the brand grows and evolves.
Catchy: A good brand name should stick in the minds of your audience. That means it’s easy to say, spell and type.
Original: A quality brand name concept will be distinct in your industry and largely unique when compared to other household brand names.
Relevant: This means the idea makes sense for what you’re offering and is relatable to your target audience.
Evocative: The last but not least element to consider is ensuring the brand name idea will move people emotionally. It should be visually evocative and inspiring.
If a brand name passes the SCORE method, your next step will be to look into availability. Is the domain available? Trademark? Social media handles? Fore more on next steps, check out our Comprehensive Guide To Naming Your Business.
