Whether you’re working with residential, commercial, industrial, or investment properties, your real estate company needs a solid name to be successful. It must capture the attention of your target audience and break through the noise in an unpredictable and exciting industry.
It’s a lot to ask of a name, but NameStormers is accustomed to using creativity, diligence, and market know-how to get results that wow our clients — and we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeve to share with you.
Why Is the Right Name Important for a Real Estate Company?
The stakes for building a brand are high in any industry. Consumers are overwhelmed with endless options for every need in their life, from the coffee they drink in the morning to the mattress they sleep on at night. Every business must offer a clear reason to choose their product or service over the others. But unlike other goods and services, real estate involves more than a simple transaction or experience. People build their entire lives around buying and building houses and opening businesses. You are the one with the power to help make those dreams come true, so your name needs to project competence, reliability, and confidence.
This is especially important now that there are so many trendy apps popping up to disrupt the market. It is more difficult than ever for real estate customers to know whom to trust. Your name needs to indicate that they can trust you.
That’s not to say there can’t be any hint of playfulness or cheekiness in your real estate company name, but it should fall under the banner of competence. Most businesses in important industries (e.g., banking, healthcare, insurance, etc.) prioritize customer trust over playfulness.
What Are Common Mistakes When Choosing a Real Estate Company Name?
Naming a company is easy. Naming a company well is challenging. Most of the obvious options for company names have been trademarked, or at least have been used in commerce (this means there is a common law trademark on the name). You have to dig a little deeper to strike on a name that is relevant, catchy, and available. Here are the most naming common mistakes we see real estate companies make in the search for that magic name:
- Using a name generator
Name generators are easy, cheap (or free), and convenient. Some shortcuts aren’t worth taking, however, and the major downside of name generators is that they don’t absorb the qualities that make your company unique before popping out a list of names. That means the ones you receive aren’t tailored to your vision, so there are dozens to weed through to find the one or two that are halfway decent. Even the best of the bunch are unlikely to be the perfect fit for your company.
- Playing it too safe
Don’t get so caught up in projecting trustworthiness that it zaps any personality from your brand. Overly-literal names don’t evoke enough emotion to be memorable. Yes, Realtor.com and Apartments.com are successful companies, but they were quick enough to get first pick, and they’ve been in the business for decades.
- Picking something that’s not easy to remember
Many successful real estate companies use personal names, so if you’re attached to the idea of using yours, it may be something to consider. However, it’s important to keep in mind that personal names might be tougher to remember or leave less of an impression than an invented word or clever turn of phrase. Another key to memorability is to make sure the name is no no more than four syllables long.
- Not making sure it’s legally available
The federal trademark search database can be a helpful tool for determining whether a name is taken, but it’s really only the first step. It only shows exact matches, not similar spellings of a name. There could also be a business with the name that has failed to federally register. Depending on how and where that business is using it, they may have a claim to it even though they haven’t taken steps to legally protect it. Trademark law is complicated, so be sure to do your due diligence before you commit to a name.
- Not making sure there’s dotcom and social media availability
Legal availability isn’t the only thing that matters. In today’s marketplace, you need a name that corresponds to an available domain name and social media handles, or risk confusing your potential customers.
How Can NameStormers Help?
It takes more than creative ideas to name a real estate company, and we’ve got what it takes. Our unique seven-step process involves getting to know you, your company, and your goals for the name. Then, we brainstorm ideas and conduct preliminary screening to check for trademark and domain availability. We weed out the risky and unavailable names and bring the best viable options to you to get your input.
From there, we tweak until you’re happy, even coming up with a new list of names if nothing strikes your fancy. Once you’re ready to move forward with your favorites, we test them with your target, analyze the data, and help you prepare to launch the new name. We also offer additional services, such as linguistic screening and logo creation.
Ready to get started naming your real estate company? Contact us today!