Seven questions to ask before you hire an agency
A short list of questions that show how an agency works, what it costs and whether it fits your team.
Read article: Seven questions to ask before you hire an agency
Founders often arrive with one name already chosen. They like it, their friends like it and it sounds right in their head. Then we check it, and about half of the time, it fails at least one test.
A name is not a decoration. It is the first thing a customer reads, hears and types into a search bar. It has to do a lot of work with very little space.
Step 1: say it out loud
We ask five people to say the name on a phone call. Then we ask them to spell it back. Names that are easy to spell and say are easier to remember. Names with unusual letter pairs, or with a silent letter, cause errors every time.
A simple test is to say the name to someone who has never heard it. Ask them what the company does. If they guess something close, the name is doing its job.
Step 2: check the domain and the handles
We look for the exact domain with a common ending. We check social handles on the main platforms, plus the business listing sites. A name without a clean domain will cost money later, and it will confuse customers who type the wrong address.
Be careful with names that are close to an existing brand. A small difference in spelling still creates confusion. If in doubt, ask a lawyer before you spend on design.
Step 3: test it in use
We place the name on a sample sign, a business card, an email signature and a phone screen. A name can look fine in a document and awkward on a shop front. We look at the size, the length and how the name breaks across two lines.
A name should look good at the smallest size it will ever appear.
Step 4: ask what it promises
Good names hint at something without saying too much. They can be plain or playful, but they should not make a promise the company cannot keep. A name that suggests speed should fit a company that is fast.
We write a one-line promise for each shortlisted name. If the promise does not match the business, we cut the name, even if it is the favorite.
What we hand over
The final list has three names, each with its checks and its risks. The founder chooses one. We then build the logo and color system around it. We never start design before the name is settled, because a change at that point costs far more than a change at the start.
