Go to: /articles/2009/06/16/ for other articles.

For Snazzier New Product Names, Use Creative Naming Prompts

Participants in my product development seminar recently asked me for a brainstorming session to help them come up with creative names for information product packages - multi-format products and services that might include a manual, CDs, coaching or consulting and other items.

Here are the questions I posed for this group, along with some examples illustrating product names developed from each idea.

1. What is the result your customers want?
* Lose Weight Before Bikini Season
* Finish Your First Marathon
* The Fame and Fortune Program
* Double Your Donor Base

2. Who are your customers?
* Fun Fundraising for Museums
* The Shy Person's Guide to Networking
* Wanna Change the World? Social Entrepreneurship 101

3. What is the problem you solve?
* Coach Kids' Soccer Even If You Never Played Yourself
* Kicking Procrastination Out of Your Life
* The "Home Depot's Coming to Town" Survival Guide for Hardware Stores
* Home Study Challenges Solved

4. What do happy customers say?
* "We Built a House Ourselves!" The 10-Month Action Plan
* The "I Used to Be Fat" Course
* The People-Recognize-Me-Everywhere Publicity Program

5. What does your product particularly have or not have?
* The Lose Weight Eating Chocolate Plan
* The Earth-Friendly Lawn Care Guide
* The No-Discipline Method of Kicking Procrastination
* No-Rules Parenting

6. What's the customer's fondest fantasy?
* Getting Through Your Teen's Years Still Sane
* The Tonight Show, Here You Come!
* Build a Four-Generation Family Business Dynasty
* Multi-millionaire by Your Tenth College Reunion

Whatever sort of product you are creating, these questions can help. Take a look at the words and ideas generated from each brainstorming prompt, then combine, recombine and tweak them further, looking for an appealing succession of words that clicks with you and has great potential to do so with customers as well.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Marcia Yudkin is Head Stork of Named At Last, a company that brainstorms creative business names, product names and tag lines for clients. For a systematic process of coming up with an appealing and effective name or tag line, download a free copy of "19 Steps to the Perfect Company Name, Product Name or Tag Line" at www.namedatlast.com/19steps.htm