Finding an appropriate name for your private label skincare brand can prove more stressful than it seems. It’s a small step in developing your business, but one that you simply can’t go without. Brand names play an important role in personifying your brand and giving your audience a reason to give you their attention.

A good name not only helps make your brand stand out, but can also position you as an industry leader, and jump-start the relationship between you and your potential customers. In this article, we’ll demystify the brand naming process, and help you come up with a strategy for choosing a name that fits your skincare business.

For starters, it’s important to establish what makes a good brand name. Brand names are more than what you call your business. If developed correctly, brand names have the power to evoke emotion, encourage interaction, and give customers a glimpse into what they should expect from your business. A good name conveys a clear message to your customers about what to expect from your skincare brand.

In order to develop a good name for your brand, you’ll need to engage in a rather organized brainstorm. Instead of trying to come up with a name out of thin air, its best to follow a strategy. When developing your brand name, consider these steps for easing the creative process. Our goal is to develop a brand appropriate name that effectively facilitates the relationship between you and your customers.

1. Establish your message

Decide what you want your brand name to say about your business, or better yet, decide what messages your potential customers are interested in receiving. Are your potential customers looking for a modern or conservative brand? Are they looking for luxury or minimalism? This is important for ensuring your name corresponds with your brand voice. Understanding your audience can help you better craft your message.

2. Consider your assets, build your list

Once you’ve established the message you wish to communicate, your pool of possibilities becomes a bit more manageable. For example, if you know your potential customers value luxury anti-aging products with conservative branding (think Estée Lauder), you can hone in on specific topics, words, and phrases that align with those values. When brainstorming your word bank of potential names, consider the assets you already have. In addition to your customer’s values, consider the history of your brand, ingredients, location, and anything else, big or small, that makes your business unique.

3. Play with language

Once you’ve compiled your list of possible words and phrases, it’s time to play around with different names. This is your opportunity to get creative, narrow things down, and test a few real possible names for your business. There are several methods of brand naming to consider. Successful brands draw inspiration from a number of sources, from the founders’ names (Estée Lauder) and made-up words (Google) to descriptive phrases (Shea Moisture). Play around with different methods and combinations and listen out for what works.

Things to avoid

Bad names are those that leave audiences wanting more, and not in a good way. Names that don’t seem to make a point or convey a message can leave audiences unsure or doubtful about your business. Avoid focusing on creating a name that sounds ‘buzz-worthy’ and more on creating something that aligns with what your audience might expect. Following the strategy, we went over is a great way to ensure your brand name is consistent with your overall business strategy.

You should also keep your marketing goals in mind. It isn’t wise to decide on a name that you won’t be able to trademark or develop a URL for. Names that are too generic or already in use will make it even harder to get your business in front of potential customers.

Make it original, but keep it simple

Naming your private label skincare brand doesn’t have to be difficult. A successful brand name doesn’t have to be the most creative or outrageous. It should instead connect to the core values of your potential customers. Once you’ve established what you want your brand’s name to communicate, all that’s left is to choose the best language for your audience. Don’t let the creative process stump you; make it original, but keep it simple.