Why Your Company Name Matters –The Right Name Accelerates Growth And Saves You Marketing Costs When Every Dollar Matters

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An abbreviated version of this article will appear in the American Bar Association’s Business Law Today, Fall 2017 Edition.

Is your startup brand so strong that consumers tattoo the logo on their arm? Or so hard to pronounce that investors, vendors and customers are disinclined to do business with you?

According to a study published in the peer-reviewed academic journal Venture Capital, your company name matters even more than you think.  The study, entitled The Effect of Company Name Fluency on Venture Investment Decisions and IPO Underpricing,” found that a startup’s name can seriously affect how a company is perceived by investors and customers alike.

Names that are easily pronounced, such as Uber and Lyft, are preferred by both early and late-stage investors. They tend to be offered more money, whether its through crowd funders, angel investors, VCs or IPO investors.  The study also found that “uniqueness” is virtue, but only with early-stage investors.  According to the study, since very little is known about a company in the early stages, unique names give the impression there is something special about the company.

On the other hand, difficult names “evoke cues of unfamiliarity and create a perception of high novelty, which is valued by these pre-venture stage investors,” according to the study. The study cautions, however, that novelty wears off by later stages, when unique names can make more risk-adverse investors feel uncomfortable.

This study adds to the list of impacts that name can have on a venture, including:

  • An easy to pronounce and remember company name could get you more funding and customers as you grow
  • Company names and logos which are “unique”, “unobvious” and/or “novel” when associated with your services get stronger trademark protections faster with the USPTO
  • Securing 360-branding including a web domain, Instagram and Twitter handle, and an issued trademark on the name and logo early in the process with the help of an IP attorney saves cost and time as you roll out your product

Often founders launch or pivot on a name only to realize the Instagram account or web domain is taken, causing confusion in the market and requiring expensive litigation or licensing deals to consolidate your brand.  A strategic approach to choosing your company name ensures a consistent and easy brand association across digital and print media as well as adding to your successes with investors and customers, saving you time and money as you go to market.

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DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.

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