NameStormers

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I one of the founders of a performance management software company. We make software that helps companies track and improve their performance.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NameStormers?

We were merging two products into a new product with new functionalities. Thus, we needed a new name to capture the new scope of the product, and we wanted to bring in some professionals.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a new name for the product. They’ve been doing this for a long time, so they have a well-defined process. Their team walked us through the process, starting with a series of interviews to determine what we were looking for. They asked us if we wanted it to be professional, lighthearted, or serious. They also interviewed people within the company to figure out marketing strategy, the target audience, and those types of things.

After that, there was a brainstorming session. They offered a series of names and we’d pick which names we liked and didn’t like. It was an iterative process; we went through three rounds and honed in on the names we liked. Finally, we checked with the legal team to find out which names were most likely to be trademarked. We checked with our intellectual property attorneys as well. After that, we registered and trademarked the name.

What is the team composition?

There were several folks involved in the naming process, but we were primarily in contact with two people.

How did you come to work with NameStormers?

I did some Internet research. From our side, I was the main person responsible for finding the company. We had an executive VP of sales on the calls as well. We looked for companies in our price range with decent reviews. I also looked at the scale of projects they did for previous customers to see if we were in the right range.

It was mostly finding companies' work that I liked. That was the primary concern. I found four or five companies whose work I liked. Then, I eliminated the ones that were too expensive. Some folks were going to come in at six figures, which is fine if you're like Microsoft, but not fine if you're my company because we have 45 employees. After that, we were left with a couple of organizations where I liked their work and they were the right price range. I picked the one whose work I liked the most.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $16,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in June 2019 and wrapped up in early October 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

People love the name. We haven’t released the project yet, but it’ll be great. It took several months to complete the process; they typically have a 4–6-week schedule. There were some delays on our side. We had to wait to get feedback from within our company or to schedule meetings. Our side dragged our feet a little bit. At no point were we waiting for NameStormers.

How did NameStormers perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication was done mostly via email. There was an initial kickoff phone call with both sides. Any name pitching occurred on conference calls. It was important to verbally communicate during the pitching process. They’d respond to emails on the same day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There wasn’t a lot of nickel and diming. We paid a flat fee and they did whatever it took to deliver a name. There wasn’t any extra upcharging; they were willing to go as far as we liked to create a name, no matter how many rounds it took.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not at all.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I think the best advice is to follow their process. They’ve been through this many times and understand what makes these naming projects successful or unsuccessful. A lot of this was trusting them and going through the process meticulously.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior account manager at Lighthouse Marketing, a small boutique marketing agency based outside of Atlanta.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NameStormers?

We reached out to NameStormers for one of our clients. We needed them to develop a new family name and then three additional unit names for a residential and commercial water filtration unit. Since it’s a freestanding filtration unit, users can simply attach their water lines to start the filtration process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Since the filtration company already had a name, we needed to figure out a name for the overall unit and then names for other units under that. Our team put together a brief for NameStormers that detailed the need, target audience, and objectives that our client was hoping to meet.

After that, we jumped on a call with NameStormers, where we reviewed all of the information to ensure we were on the same page. Their team then took that information and completed a first round of naming for the family name. They provided us a customer validation for the names and trademark screening guidance. We also went through the names our competition was using because we didn’t want to have a similar name.

The team at NameStormers presented the first round for the family name during a conference call with our team. We provided them feedback and made minor edits before they presented it to our client.

What is the team composition?

There were at least two people on their team. I noticed several members during email correspondence, and I’m sure there was a team involved in the screening of names. I had one central point of contact, though.

How did you come to work with NameStormers?

We used NameStormers a few years ago for a brand name. Coincidentally, it was for the same client but under a different business segment. Based on this experience, we knew their work was excellent. We appreciated their input and the timeliness of the deliverables, so we knew that we wanted to use them for this project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between $25,000–$28,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first touched base with NameStormers in February 2019. After a bit of back and forth on the estimate, we provided them with the brief. The project finished about two weeks ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The engagement only recently ended because of the client awaiting feedback from stakeholders during the second round of naming. Everything was a bit delayed, but NameStormers was prompt in delivering as promised. Since we’re still working on branding for the client, names haven’t been attached. It’s a new business, so we’re awaiting metrics.

We appreciated the smoothness that NameStormers provided. Their experienced team is skilled in the naming process. They were also cooperative when they had to repeat the same presentation to various stakeholders.

How did NameStormers perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management standpoint, they were excellent. As I mentioned, we had to wait for feedback from several people. Their team always kept in touch, following up through emails. They frequently asked if there was anything they could do from their end.

The team at NameStormers hit the mark. We were fortunate that we didn’t have to go through multiple rounds of naming. The naming process for the units took a second round, but that was done relatively quick.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I haven’t worked with similar companies, but NameStormers is very thorough. For example, when they provided some of the preliminary US federal and state trademark web screenings. That was helpful information for our client’s legal department. They didn’t give a name that we couldn’t proceed with. It felt like their team was thorough from beginning to end, making sure we were on the same page and had the same objectives. Everything that was delivered was on point.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything right now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide NameStormers as much information as possible in your brief. You’re going to be happy with the results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Director of Transformational Innovation for a manufacturer of electrical and electronic products for non-residential and residential construction, industrial and utility applications. The organization was founded in 1888 and currently the enterprise consists of over 90 business units under three primary platforms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire NameStormers?

Our current customer base is primarily commercial and industrial B2B. We just developed an innovative solution primarily for the consumer market. We needed help identifying a new brand that would appeal to consumers in various new vertical markets.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to come up with a new brand and image. This new brand would be used to develop a unique business unit that would introduce the organization to new vertical markets as well as new business models.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I discovered NameStormers when they reached out to me with an unsolicited marketing email. It was perfect timing, as we were struggling to come up with a new brand image and name. When I received the introductory e-mail, I reached out to NameStormers and was intrigued by the services they offered. I became very excited and I quickly introduced the firm to our organization.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process involved pre-screen all various brand names for domestic trademark issues, dot-com status and web hits. Screening our favorite names for other selected global trademark and web hits. Validation of the top names with targeted, high incidence U.S. consumers and deliver and presentation of two or three rounds of names for us to select from.

What was the team composition?

We put together a multidisciplinary team from our organization, including engineering, marketing, sales, and customer service. Our team worked directly with the team from NameStormers which included the CEO of the firm as well as several researchers from his team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We eventually came up with a unique brand that has received great reviews and acceptance from our customers. The name inspired us to develop unique logo and trademark.

Initially our thoughts were that the brand would just be used for the new product we were introducing. However, since then, we have decided to utilize the new brand as the name of our new business unit.

A new sales team was formed and the brand name will represent several new product lines that will be launched over the coming years.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The process was very effective and efficient. Once we accepted the proposal, we had a kickoff meeting between both organizational teams. We received weekly updates through emails and reports. When appropriate we would schedule WebEx meetings for the organizational teams to take deeper dives and address suggestions and questions.

Within a couple of rounds of meetings, it became clear that we had hit a home run. The project was completed within a remarkably quick pace.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most impressive thing about NameStormers was their complete understanding of what we wanted to accomplish and their ability to tailor their research around our specific need. They had a great deal of insights and intuitions that were absolutely foreign to our internal organizational team. We would never have achieved the successful results we got without the expertise of NameStormers.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I have no sugestions for how NameStormers can improve. The process was perfect just the way they suggested and performed it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Vice President of Marketing for a startup cloud SaaS company. Our focus is providing content management solutions for manufacturers of building products so they can better serve their commercial customers. I am responsible for product marketing, branding, sales enablement and demand generation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire NameStormers?

Our previous company name put us in a bucket with competitors that we didn't want to be in because it didn't accurately describe our product. That problem not only kept us from increasing our average deal size but it kept us from being able to open doors to new possibilities. Our company name had similarities with other companies in the industry and that needed to change. We spent 6 months trying to do this ourselves and I incorporated every crowdsourced and internal resource I could find. I was an agency sceptic until I had nowhere else to turn and realized that we were likely going to compromise which I didn't want to do. After all, we were talking about the future of our company.

What were your goals for this project?

To create a new company name that was available (.com), relevant to our target market, simple to say and spell but also clearly differentiated us from the current industry.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Because I was an agency sceptic but having little to no real success with my own methods, I decided to do some research. The agencies I uncovered ranged from very expensive with little to no guarantee on the outcome to inexpensive with little credibility. To spend a lot of money and not get a result was not something I was interested in. NameStormers not only had the credibility of working with some of the biggest tech companies with years of history but they also said that they would continue working until we had a solution. That meant a lot to me; mostly that they had the experience and confidence to find a new name.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Uncover a new name for our company.

What was the team composition?

There were 3 main players involved in the project who all had a lot of credibility based on their experience and knowledge of the process. But there was also a research team who handled all of the technical elements of the search including legal and linguistics reviews.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We hit our objective of getting a new name within two rounds/sessions and that is what counts. The name was also owned by NameStormers so it was transferred to us at no additional cost.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was extremely efficient and helpful. Each time they presented options for new names, they came with a ton of background research to help us make an informed decision.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Because of their experience and their proprietary methodologies, working with NameStormers was a little like working with a really experienced surgeon. The team worked with precision to deliver the result that we wanted. They are a well-oiled machine.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I really can't think of one. The entire process was structured and communicated well in advance and the only surprise was a positive one in terms of how thorough their work was.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the director of marketing at Huffy, a wheeled goods manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire NameStormers?

We partnered with NameStormers to name a series of new products.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to come up with names that would engage our customers while avoiding trademark issues.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We looked up previous reviews of their work and then decided to reach out. We chose NameStormers because their prices aligned with our budget.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

NameStormers began the project by conducting market research, which included gathering information from us and our competitors. They interviewed our team, visited competitor websites, and meet with other companies when appropriate. They summarized their findings in a briefing recap, which they used as a blueprint to guide their brainstorming.

After we approved their findings, they initiated the name development process. The team screened our best ideas for trademarks, web hits, and dot-com status. For those that passed, they did some wordsmithing to improve their chances of trademark registrability.

NameStormers provided a tagline and rationale for each name that made it through the legal screening. They pitched each name and collected feedback from our team, which they used to develop additional ideas. After narrowing down a list of names, the team presented their pitches to customers, typically 200–300 for each name, and asked them for their new name ideas. The final deliverable was an e-book that included all of their findings and a list of the top three names for each product.

What was the team composition?

We worked with two employees from NameStormer and had six people from our side.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We’re using one of their names for a product that we’re selling to a national mass retailer.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their efficiency and responsiveness exceeded our expectations.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were professional and timely with every deliverable. They were also committed to the success of the project. NameStormers developed as many names as needed, at no added charge, until we were satisfied.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I can identify.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the consumer insights manager for Talking Rain Beverage Co., a beverage manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NameStormers?

We engaged NameStormers to help us come up with some brand names for new product innovations. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Typically, we'd discuss some of the products we were developing with NameStormers over the phone, going over product positioning in the market, our initial thoughts, and our target audience. They'd then provide us with more than 20 names along with some initial research that included some risk evaluation and legal vetting. They'd present these options to our team, asking for feedback from each person in a meeting, starting with employees with less seniority to avoid opinion influencing from higher-ups. Based on our feedback, they'd provide more rounds of names along with detailed descriptions and background information for each option.

Each product would consist of two to three rounds, but they're available for as many iterations as needed. Once we have our list narrowed down to about 10 names, we begin consumer validation testing on our end. 

What is the team composition? 

We work with Mike (Managing Director, NameStormers) and Kate (Contract Consultant, NameStormers). 

How did you come to work with NameStormers?

We asked another trusted vendor of ours to take on the project, but they actually suggested we work with NameStormers since they're solely focused on naming and able to provide a lot of research more quickly.

How much have you invested with them?

Each project is $15,000, so we've spent a total of $45,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since September 2018 on various projects, and the relationship is ongoing. Thus far, we've completed three naming projects, but have more planned. Some of the lists of names have been stalled because we're waiting on feedback and approval from upper management. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

NameStormers has developed lists of names that are performing well in consumer validation thus far. Overall, we've enjoyed the process a lot and been thrilled with their results; their approach has been instrumental in our branding process. 

How did NameStormers perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very efficient when it comes to driving projects forward, which has taken a lot off my plate. Unlike other vendors, they've been great about taking the lead.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're exceptional listeners. They've taken the time to understand our needs and incorporate our feedback into each round of naming very well. I'm impressed at how easily they seem to grasp our vision. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything; they run a tight ship.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of member experience and engagement for an engineering nonprofit focused in the science field.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NameStormers?

We were rolling out a new product targeted toward a very specific audience. We hired NameStormers to identify a name for us to use.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We began the project by giving NameStormers basic information on our company and new product. This onboarding step was quick as their team was already educated on our organization. Then, they interviewed key people within our company and used that knowledge to create a basis for the project.

From there, they presented the first round of names to gather our insight. They incorporated our input with the second round of names they presented. My team refined the list to include the strongest options, and NameStormers handled various legal aspects to ensure the names were available throughout the process. Additionally, they gathered market feedback on the selections we chose and we used this information to make our final decision.

What is the team composition?

I predominantly worked with Mike (CEO, NameStormers).

How did you come to work with NameStormers?

A previous client of mine had worked with NameStormers, so I reached out to Mike directly.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $20,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

For this project, we worked together from December 2018–January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We haven’t launched the product yet, so we don’t have quantitative metrics. However, we’ve received very positive feedback from our executive leadership. Additionally, NameStormers' market research and audience testing showed promising responses to the name we chose.

How did NameStormers perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team excelled at managing the project. They had a solid model for tracking work and communication, so we were very pleased with them. We primarily spoke through email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They devoted time to understand our business and had a thorough, organized approach to the work. Their methodology showed they were knowledgeable about the processes. The work was all completed incredibly fast and with great detail.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m very satisfied with the work they did so there’s nothing I’d suggest they change.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the VP of marketing for Madecasse. Our company sells chocolate and vanilla that's from Madagascar.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NameStormers?

We needed a new name for our company. Our company's old brand name, Madecasse, has a rich history. Unfortunately, it was hard to pronounce which made it difficult for our customers to recommend us. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To start, NameStormers held a brainstorm session to set our goals with the new name. They interviewed both myself and the founder of the company. We looked at the product and analyzed the competition. They separated the name options into different styles and defined what we were looking for. 

We went through multiple rounds of naming, ideation, and review. As they assessed the level of associated risk, the removed the riskiest names in an internal knockout search. They referred us to their partners for trademarking, but we had our own resources for that.

What is the team composition? 

We worked mainly with Mike (CEO, NameStormers) and Kay (Research Director, NameStormers). They brought in some other teammates from their roster. 

How did you come to work with NameStormers?

I used Clutch to find a vendor and hired two agencies to help us. I looked at their ratings and the average price of their projects. Based on our budget, we could afford their services. We've already reviewed the other agency, so now I am leaving one for NameStormers. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $15,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November–December 2018. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Conjuring up multiple names was only a portion of NameStormers' value for us. A key element of their contribution was testing the names, which is their area of specialization. They have a background in that type of work. Even though we used a name the other agency came up with, NameStormers tested it for us in a truly unique way. They used a large panel of people to assess it, which vindicated the one we chose. 

How did NameStormers perform from a project management standpoint?

It was excellent. They have top-notch project management capabilities. We would mainly correspond with them via email. Since we both work in the same city, we only held a phone call or two. I usually visited their office instead, since it was only half a mile away. Being able to sit down in person for discussions was a huge benefit for me. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

NameStormers has many years of experience in this line of work. Their clients include high-profile companies in the retail and automotive space. I found both their experience and the success they've achieved impressive. Most other agencies have another vendor the run testing stage, but this one can handle it themselves. 

At a competitive price, NameStormers has the combination of creativity, experience, and naming and testing expertise to figure out which one their client’s consumers will like best. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think so. NameStormers was very timely in their responses. Anytime I emailed them, they responded right away. We never had to press them with follow up. They were ahead of the curve. The team was always very personable, and I enjoyed working together. I can't think of anything they could do better.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a market research contractor for a packaged goods company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NameStormers?

We wanted to reposition one of the product lines and needed to come up with some new names for it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we provided some background information to NameStormers, which they reviewed before doing two rounds of name brainstorming. The first round was based on the information we’d given them along with conversations they had with some of our key team members. We provided feedback on those names and gave them some draft concepts we’d distilled form our qualitative research. From there, they did their second round of names and provided more options for us to choose from. They also checked for trademark issues we’d have if we chose any of the names they came up with.

What is the team composition?

We had one main point of contact.

How did you come to work with NameStormers?

Someone we know had used them before and said their pricing was reasonable and they were able to work within our tight deadline, so we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from October–December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They brainstormed a number of names, but we haven't quantitatively tested them yet.

How did NameStormers perform from a project management standpoint?

They kept me informed and met deadlines. The team worked quickly and delivered what they said they would.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were fast and inexpensive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As part of their service, they should offer some kind of quantitative without an extra cost.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the innovation brand manager at a natural personal care company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NameStormers?

We were trying to come up with a name for our new cosmetic line. It had to capture the benefit of the product while conveying our identity as an all-natural personal care company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we contracted NameStormers to help brand three products. They also did preliminary trademark clearance for us.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the CEO of NameStormers.

How did you come to work with NameStormers?

Our colleagues had worked previously with NameStormers and recommended them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from October 2017–August 2018. They will work on another product line later this year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They’re extremely fast and creative.

How did NameStormers perform from a project management standpoint?

The team was highly organized and straightforward, with a clear set of questions to brief themselves. They’re quite particular about what they’re going to do and how they’re going to do it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were highly professional, detail-oriented, and thoughtful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve done everything we’ve asked.