When compared to such fun activities as purchasing insurance or paying for a PPL and PRS license, naming your business seems almost like a relaxing experience. After all, you are a creative person - what’s so difficult about coming up with a good name for a barber shop?
Well, naming a business is actually far more tricky than most people realize. There are a few common mistakes that can, in the best-case scenario, make it harder for you to get some visibility, and in the worst-case one - tank your business completely. Let’s take a look at the most common naming blunders and check the list of barber shop name ideas that ensure success!
Let’s start by determining what are the key characteristics of a money making barber shop name. Most importantly, it should be:
Now, let’s take a look at what happens when your business name does not fit the aforementioned criteria and how to avoid that ever happening to you!
What makes a business name unique? It’s not realistic to expect something that has never been invented before. With so many businesses around the world one can safely assume that there already exists a barber shop named exactly like yours. And that’s perfectly okay - as long as it’s not one street away from your location. Although it may sound strange, originality is relative - the same exact name can make an impact in a particular neighborhood, as it’s never been heard there before, while in another area it may be regarded as uninspired and boring.
It’s crucial to do research (more about that in a minute) and not be guided solely by your own beliefs. Remember that sharing a business name with another barber shop in your close proximity will confuse customers, and can lead to losing clients or even getting a bad reputation, if some negative treats of your competitor are attributed to you by mistake.
The name must be catchy enough for the potential client to recall after the initial contact (such as seeing the banner on the street, coming across your post on social media, etc) and original enough to not be confused with some other salon near you.
There are a few questions you have to ask yourself when coming up with a business name. As mentioned above, the first one should be:
Unfortunately, sometimes in the pursuit of the coolest sounding name, we ignore how it can be perceived by other people. For example, a name like “Gentlemen-only club” is all fun and dandy, but it may sound exclusive for your female or non-binary clients. Another case is using words that have their origins in cultures you are not a part of - making someone’s culture a marketing gimmick is not a good look. Finally, be careful when using slang words or puns with sexual innuendos - they easily can make your business seem immature and tacky at best, and offensive at worst.
Overall, the best way to ensure your name does not cause any of the aforementioned problems is to firstly, do some research online and secondly, ask other people for feedback. Make sure you are talking with people from different cultural backgrounds, different ages and genders, and pay special attention to the opinions of those who are your target audience. Ask specific questions (“Is this name easy to remember? Would this name make you willing to visit my barber shop? What associations does this name make for you? What quality of service would you expect from a business named like that?”) and be ready to face honest feedback.
Finally - the list you came here for!
Now that you are familiar with all the rules of naming a barber shop, all that is left to do is simply go for it! And once your brand is established, get familiar with the fanciest name in the world of barber shop software - Booksy. With numerous features that boost your visibility, get you more sales and make everyday operations much more effective, Booksy is so much more than just a booking system. Try it for free and judge for yourself!
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