“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”

These words from Shakespeare are memorable, and in many ways true.  And like all good lines, they are a metaphor for everything.  What’s in a name?  If my Business is called “Dave’s Fun Circus Playhouse,” won’t my web design and customer service be just as good?  If you’re website is not the name of your business – won’t it still offer the same information?  If this blog entry were named “If you don’t name things the way they should be named then your business won’t be as successful as if you named them properly, I think” – wouldn’t it be as insightful?

Yes – but no one would read it.

The same is true for everything in business: naming is important, whether it’s coming up with something as fundemantal as the name of your business, or coming up with an article title for ezine.  Clear wins over clever, and it certainly wins over generic.  In this day and age, especially online, you get a glance from a customer – that’s it.  Maybe they’ll glance at your listing in the search results, or an advertisement, or the title of an article you wrote.  If they can’t tell what it is you’re offering with a quick glance, then you’re offering nothing.

As you go through your day, think about the words you use in your business and marketing.  Think like a customer: how would you feel?  In word-choice, as in most everything, the customer perspective is a good place to start.