WHAT’S IN A NAME?
One of the most important elements in branding is your company’s name. However, most entrepreneurs do not realize how important this is when starting a business. Most companies are named after the person who founded them or a nearby geographical feature. Schwarzschild Jewelers was probably named after someone named Schwarzchild. James River Air Conditioning Co., James River Equipment, James River Insurance Company, and the thousand other companies called James River have one thing in common….take a guess.
Other company names are descriptive, and the name is synonymous with their product or service. Kentucky Fried Chicken basically says everything you need to know. International Business Machines was founded over 110 years ago. Most descriptive names are too long, so eventually, International Business Machines becomes IBM and Kentucky Fried Chicken is simply KFC. If you’re a new entity, it’s probably not a good idea to start off with an acronym. Mechanicsville Plumbing and Heating cannot simply call itself MPH. Arlington School Supply shouldn’t be an acronym for obvious reasons.
The best option for naming a new company is coming up with something clever and memorable. But if you can, keep it short and simple. Last fall, I looked through a directory of Volvo technicians to find a tune-up guy for my boat. After looking through 50 mechanics, I chose Oil In a Day’s Work. The owner, Aaron, was nice, professional, and courteous, so I hired him again on my trip back through Charleston this spring.
While in Nashville last weekend, I googled “Nashville Hot Chicken” and found a dozen spots in a three-mile radius. I chose a place called Party Fowl and I was delighted with the meal. Coming up with a clever or unique name for your business is a good start, but it doesn’t guarantee long-term success. You still have to deliver a good product at a good price with good service in order to earn a good reputation. However, a good brand name can give you a substantial edge over your competition. I would assume that Granddaddy’s Famous Hot Chicken also serves a perfectly fine spicy fried yardbird. After all, they’ve been in business for 25 years, but Party Fowl has quickly grown to five locations in five years and had a line out the door when we visited.
What’s in a name? A lot.
MONDAY:
DISCO FEVER
Monday kicked off our first week in May with an awesome start! The team met with Trash Fairies for a rundown of their Discovery Report, a detailed outline of our marketing recommendations for upcoming projects. It went incredibly well and we’re so excited to have these magical, doorstep-to-dumpster disposal pixies as clients. Thanks for meeting with us folks, we’ve got great things in the works.
TUESDAY:
IN A GALAXY, NOT SO FAR AWAY
Today is a special day for the fans of Star Wars and a reminder of the power of advertising. For starters, do yourself a favor and go to Google and type in “May the 4th” or #MayTheFourthBeWithYou. This pun comes from a famous line in the Star Wars franchise, “May the force be with you.” The first official application of the phrase dates back to 1979 when the U.K. Conservative Party paid for a newspaper advertisement saying, “May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations!” in celebration of the party’s election victory. Since then, Star Wars Day has become a meme-filled holiday that is celebrated all over social media and online. Here’s a throwback photo for when the Madison+Main-iacs dressed up and delivered our clients a Star Wars treat. Celebrate this every year, we must.
WEDNESDAY:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JENNA
Today, the Madison+Main-iacs celebrated our jolly, joyous, and jovial Jr. Graphic Designer, Jenne Farley, on her birthday! Jenna took a much-deserved day off to celebrate and spend some time with her family and friends — and hopefully eat some cake. In case she didn’t, I did. A whole cake. How could you do this to me, Jenna?
THURSDAY:
BOLD BRANDS WIN
Have you heard? Two of our clients were recognized by Virginia Living Magazine’s Best of 2021! Compass Entertainment Complex won Best Family Entertainment and Cedarfield, a community of Pinnacle Living, was recognized as one of the best retirement communities in Virginia! We always knew they were winners, but now everyone else does too!
Also big congrats to our client A. Smith Bowman Distillery on being named Small Business of the Year by the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Distillery was honored for its successes, entrepreneurial spirit, and community commitment last week. After shutting down to the public for months when COVID-19 hit, the business pivoted from one kind of distilled product to another, producing hand sanitizer and disinfectants, then donating it to front-line workers. Congratulations to the entire team at A. Smith Bowman Distillery. #Cheers
FRIDAY:
STAY INSIDE THE LINES AND SAVE ENERGY!
iPads may be all the rage today but putting pen to paper is still very important — especially for kids. That’s why we created an Activity Booklet for our clients at Virginia Energy Sense. The booklet of themed fun also teaches young children the importance of energy savings, so parents might appreciate that one. They’ll be handing them out from their booths at upcoming summer events so be sure to follow them on Facebook for updates.
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE EVENTS
#DoorwaysDay
Wednesday, May 12, 2021 | 24-Hour Online Event
The Doorways is committed to healing and hospitality. Every year, almost 10,000 guests stay with us so that they can access life-saving medical care in Richmond.
Throughout COVID-19, their doors have been open and our rooms have been filled. While we ask each guest to make a suggested donation, over half can’t afford it. They never turn away anyone because of their ability to pay. Your generosity will have an immediate impact on the patients, family members, and caregivers who stay there every day. Help them raise $24,000 in 24 hours. You are the key to #DoorwaysDay!
Hermitage Richmond’s Arts on the Lawn
Saturday, May 15, 2021 | 1600 Westwood Ave, Richmond, VA 23227
Join more than 50 local artists and makers who will be showcasing their work at on the lawn at Hermitage Richmond. Peruse local paintings, photography, pottery, fiber arts, handmade jewelry, woodworking, and more. Artists benefit from 100% of their sales and funds raised from the sale of vendor space will go towards Hermitage Richmond’s Opening Minds through Art (OMA) program, an evidence-based, intergenerational art-making program benefitting people with dementia. Rain date is Saturday, May 22.
“Words have meaning and names have power.” — Anonymous