Comments on: The Name Killer: how the wrong name took down a $2-million business in 2-weeks http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/ Entrepreneurship, marketing, personal devlelopment Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:33:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Hillel http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-5144 Hillel Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:15:14 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-5144 I think that if the product and service are great - then people wont care about the name. I think that if the product and service are great – then people wont care about the name.

]]> By: Name Your Business For Effective Marketing | Yes to Me http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1593 Name Your Business For Effective Marketing | Yes to Me Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:12:05 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1593 [...] a lot for your business. Seth Godin has a blog post titled The new rules of naming (hat tip to Jonathan Fields). This article has some tips to improve Google search results by choosing the name well. He also [...] [...] a lot for your business. Seth Godin has a blog post titled The new rules of naming (hat tip to Jonathan Fields). This article has some tips to improve Google search results by choosing the name well. He also [...]

]]> By: Oysterman http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1590 Oysterman Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:13:33 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1590 Great Advice!!!!! http://www.oysterloversparadise.blogspot.com Great Advice!!!!!

http://www.oysterloversparadise.blogspot.com

]]> By: James Chartrand - Men with Pens http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1407 James Chartrand - Men with Pens Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:14:25 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1407 Hm, I can put our new name up now that the site launched. We're a pair of web content writers and the best name that we could think of that was easy to type, memorable, fast to say and just plain brands us damned well is... <a href="www.menwithpens.ca" rel="nofollow">Men with Pens</a> Always kind of reminds me of the Superheros of the writing world lol Hm, I can put our new name up now that the site launched.

We’re a pair of web content writers and the best name that we could think of that was easy to type, memorable, fast to say and just plain brands us damned well is…

Men with Pens

Always kind of reminds me of the Superheros of the writing world lol

]]> By: Maggie Chicoine http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1405 Maggie Chicoine Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:21:59 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1405 Hi, Fab stuff! I used my name for biz for 18 years, then switched to The Idea Sculptor for a very practical reason. Perhaps there would be more $ when I'm ready to retire and sell the company. My surprise has been the high receptivity to the new name... it creates a chuckle is uber memorable, plus it "fits" who I am and what I do: speaking and coaching people who are stuck, bogged or muddled. The name also inspired a whole new graphics work-up. What do you think? - Maggie Hi,
Fab stuff!
I used my name for biz for 18 years, then switched to The Idea Sculptor for a very practical reason. Perhaps there would be more $ when I’m ready to retire and sell the company.

My surprise has been the high receptivity to the new name… it creates a chuckle is uber memorable, plus it “fits” who I am and what I do: speaking and coaching people who are stuck, bogged or muddled.

The name also inspired a whole new graphics work-up.

What do you think?

- Maggie

]]> By: Image Marketing Consultants, LLC http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1241 Image Marketing Consultants, LLC Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:29:53 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1241 This article really hit the nail on the head. Entrepreneurs spend so much time and money making a business plan and implementing it that they some times overlook the "small" details, which in reality have the potential to be the most important details of all. This makes it important to have an outside agency to consult with, someone who has no vested interest in the venture, and can use their brain and experience to set things right. Flying by the seat of your pants and dealing solely on ego can and sometimes does leave you with an "expensive build-out" This article really hit the nail on the head. Entrepreneurs spend so much time and money making a business plan and implementing it that they some times overlook the “small” details, which in reality have the potential to be the most important details of all.

This makes it important to have an outside agency to consult with, someone who has no vested interest in the venture, and can use their brain and experience to set things right.

Flying by the seat of your pants and dealing solely on ego can and sometimes does leave you with an “expensive build-out”

]]> By: bob http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1206 bob Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:24:02 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1206 Great article.. I remember in 2000 trying to come up for a name and the months of thought it took to get it right. (I feel good with it, it fits my marketing and sales image etc) My downfall is naming our products and product lines...(and writing compelling effective copy) I have no skill with this and would love your input... I feel pretty confidant if we had great names to go along with our great products we would see a substantial increase in sales. as for the restaurant... how did you find the food and service? Great article..

I remember in 2000 trying to come up for a name and the months of thought it took to get it right. (I feel good with it, it fits my marketing and sales image etc)

My downfall is naming our products and product lines…(and writing compelling effective copy) I have no skill with this and would love your input… I feel pretty confidant if we had great names to go along with our great products we would see a substantial increase in sales.

as for the restaurant… how did you find the food and service?

]]> By: loveandsalt http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1195 loveandsalt Wed, 23 Jan 2008 20:07:54 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1195 I'm wondering how you like: The Artful Hedonist, a blog about the ecstasy of everyday life? I’m wondering how you like: The Artful Hedonist, a blog about the ecstasy of everyday life?

]]> By: Max Westhead http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1189 Max Westhead Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:50:10 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1189 Wow, I recently discovered your blog and love it! Thanks for sharing your experience and the effort. I'm a full time marine biologist with a passion for fitness, and I'm in the process of becoming certified as a Personal Trainer (Marine Biologist full time and an aerobics instructor/trainer part time). In order to start attracting clients I decided to get a personal website. My husband and I brainstormed now and then for a few days. Wrote down keywords and used various web tools to see what the popular searches were in the area of health and fitness. A very useful exercise! I narrowed it down to 2 names: fitgirlz.ca and strongbody.ca. I asked one of my aerobics classes of 35 potential clients to vote, and strongbody won unanimously! And that's how it came to be... Cheers, Max Wow, I recently discovered your blog and love it! Thanks for sharing your experience and the effort.

I’m a full time marine biologist with a passion for fitness, and I’m in the process of becoming certified as a Personal Trainer (Marine Biologist full time and an aerobics instructor/trainer part time). In order to start attracting clients I decided to get a personal website.

My husband and I brainstormed now and then for a few days. Wrote down keywords and used various web tools to see what the popular searches were in the area of health and fitness. A very useful exercise!

I narrowed it down to 2 names: fitgirlz.ca and strongbody.ca. I asked one of my aerobics classes of 35 potential clients to vote, and strongbody won unanimously! And that’s how it came to be…

Cheers,
Max

]]> By: Wyatt Song | Ueverse.com http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1188 Wyatt Song | Ueverse.com Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:13:48 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/the-name-killer-how-the-wrong-name-took-down-a-2-million-business-in-2-weeks/#comment-1188 Hi Jonathan, I like the thoughtfulness of this article. I do hold some other opinions in associating business success with business names. I think you've made a great point in one of the later paragraphs where you mentioned about delivering astonishing content/product/service to keep a business going and growing past the disconnect between business and its name. Looking at some simple examples of success business with rather 'un-intuitive' names I think naming is really a secondary element in the success of a business, often a myth. Alexa - try to associate this with a web traffic stats service, it doesn't help me to conjure up the sound, image, touch or feel about anything, it doesn't give me the meaning of stats, but it's great brand. Mozilla - ok maybe one could argue their product is FireFox, but as software developer perhaps a name like Mozilla-soft could lead to more understanding? Still they are a huge success. Google, Veoh, Xanga, imeem, wonkette, badongo... none of these highly successful business/brand have a name that meets half of the naming principles. Why am I looking at these counter examples, because i think a large portion of business success comes out of its content (product/service) delivery with a huge contributing factor from marketing. Like you have recognised in the article, if the product/service is stunning to the point it leaves a mind-blowing experience for its targeting market, I think people won't have much trouble finding their way to return for more. Marketing plays another huge role in the success of a business, reaching out to more audience, generating enough interest from the targeting market and imprinting names in consumer's memory is all part of branding. Whether the business name itself conveys that much information becomes less important if you have a good marketing strategy. It is rather easy for business owners to shift the blame onto a name when a business fails, rather than dissecting deeper to scrutinise what really went wrong. Without having the personal experience to dine at Xing, my guess is that the quality of their food was next to mediocre, perhaps their service wasn't up to scratch, pricing structure wasn't in their favor, their marketing strategy couldn't be good for them to fail so miserably, do they have enough cash flow to keep the business sustainable... I think having too much emphasis on a name can easily shift the focus to overlook critical factors determining the success of business operation. So if people ask what's in a name - I'd say, how long is a piece of string. Uou can say everything is in a name, or you can say not much! Cheers Wyatt Hi Jonathan, I like the thoughtfulness of this article. I do hold some other opinions in associating business success with business names.

I think you’ve made a great point in one of the later paragraphs where you mentioned about delivering astonishing content/product/service to keep a business going and growing past the disconnect between business and its name.

Looking at some simple examples of success business with rather ‘un-intuitive’ names I think naming is really a secondary element in the success of a business, often a myth.

Alexa – try to associate this with a web traffic stats service, it doesn’t help me to conjure up the sound, image, touch or feel about anything, it doesn’t give me the meaning of stats, but it’s great brand.

Mozilla – ok maybe one could argue their product is FireFox, but as software developer perhaps a name like Mozilla-soft could lead to more understanding? Still they are a huge success.

Google, Veoh, Xanga, imeem, wonkette, badongo… none of these highly successful business/brand have a name that meets half of the naming principles.

Why am I looking at these counter examples, because i think a large portion of business success comes out of its content (product/service) delivery with a huge contributing factor from marketing.

Like you have recognised in the article, if the product/service is stunning to the point it leaves a mind-blowing experience for its targeting market, I think people won’t have much trouble finding their way to return for more.

Marketing plays another huge role in the success of a business, reaching out to more audience, generating enough interest from the targeting market and imprinting names in consumer’s memory is all part of branding. Whether the business name itself conveys that much information becomes less important if you have a good marketing strategy.

It is rather easy for business owners to shift the blame onto a name when a business fails, rather than dissecting deeper to scrutinise what really went wrong.

Without having the personal experience to dine at Xing, my guess is that the quality of their food was next to mediocre, perhaps their service wasn’t up to scratch, pricing structure wasn’t in their favor, their marketing strategy couldn’t be good for them to fail so miserably, do they have enough cash flow to keep the business sustainable…

I think having too much emphasis on a name can easily shift the focus to overlook critical factors determining the success of business operation. So if people ask what’s in a name – I’d say, how long is a piece of string. Uou can say everything is in a name, or you can say not much!

Cheers
Wyatt

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