Grant Polachek is the head of branding for Squadhelp.com, 3X Inc 5000 startup and disruptive naming agency. Squadhelp has reviewed more than 1 million names and curated a collection of the best available names on the web today. They are also the world’s leading crowdsource naming platform, supporting clients from early-stage startups to Fortune 500 companies.

Consultants have always played an important role in the market as one-stop shops for top-level industry advice and proven strategies that can help any business navigate extremely difficult and challenging circumstances.

Although consultants understand the powerful effect of good branding, they often struggle to come up with brand name ideas that capture their skills and services. Today, we’ll be showing you how to find the best name that can help you establish a solid reputation for your consulting brand.

3 Steps to Creating the Best Consulting Business Name

1. Get clear on your brand identity

Flipping through dictionaries in search of a cool word isn’t necessarily the sure path to finding the perfect business name. The process starts with recognizing and defining the foundational elements of your company’s brand, then building a name from there.

Your brand name should ideally convey value and evoke a response from your core audience, helping them connect to your brand’s identity.  Deciding on the brand experience you want to create and intentionally working to build it is the first step to finding a name that lands.

Think of the most iconic consulting businesses like Accenture, Cognizant, Infosys, and McKinsey — these brands took the time to cultivate a vivid and distinct image, from their brand name to the way they communicate, the values they represent, their brand culture, and their unique approach to solving clients’ problems. Their uniqueness strengthens their brand identity, making them memorable and boosting their perceived value.

As a consultant, you can do the same, tapping into the core energy of your brand to come up with a powerful name that leaves a lasting impression.

2. Generate name ideas

After honing in on the fundamentals of your brand identity, you can start brainstorming name ideas. Remember: This isn’t a one-and-done process. It will take time, effort, and feedback from others to find the right fit.

The key goal of brainstorming is to make space for creativity rather than scrutinize every name you come up with. Ensure you write down every idea, even those you don’t particularly like. One of those could easily end up being the winner.

Use the following tools to make the process easier:

• Thesaurus: Look up unique synonyms for the words you’re playing with.
• Business name generators: Pick a starting point then let AI do the work for you.
• Industry terms: Incorporate keywords that will resonate with your audience.
• Rhymes: It never hurts to add a little flair.

Don’t be afraid to generate up to 200 names, then filter them based on your branding criteria, selecting at most ten words that resonate with your company’s identity. From there, you can whittle it down even further to come up with a truly unique name.

3. Evaluate your name choice

Once you’ve come up with some final contenders, you can filter and validate them. Pay attention key factors that might negatively impact the quality of your brand name, like trademarks, domain and social handle availability, and potential blunders like misspellings or dual meanings. Consider what’s working for similar folks in your industry or niche. Are there any similarities between the brand names that seem to perform well?

At this point, it would be smart to get feedback from others too. Don’t name your business without vetting it with real people. Reach out to a mix of clients and/or peers from demographics that represent your target audience. Ask them for their initial reaction to a few different names. Get their honest input on how they would perceive your business based on each brand name alone.

Keep Building Brand Credibility

Choosing a brand name isn’t the end of your brand-building process. Remember that a great name must be matched with great service to really have an impact. Your goal should be to stand out both in your branding and the quality of your offerings. Keep your business values top of mind as you set out to find new clients. What do you want to be known for? How can you achieve that? By consistently prioritizing your brand’s reputation, you’ll build credibility — and develop a brand name that can stand the test of time.