What's in a name? Quite a bit...

You know that strange phenomenon... the closer you live to something, the less you actually see it? Guests come to visit. In one day, they ride a paddle boat down the Mississippi River, check out the newest exhibit at the Walker and grab lunch at that adorable Italian restaurant around the corner. You avoid eye contact, embarrassed to admit that you've never done any of those things.

The same thing happens in marketing. People forget that the most prominent aspect of their brand is the name of their company. Seeing it every day, they tune it out, ignore it, or even work against it. (I once worked with a client whose company had a particular word in its name... let's say it was "Easy_______, Inc." One time, they actually said, "We want to avoid using the word 'easy'; it doesn't really describe us.")

I often find myself helping people get back to basics. When we hit a stumbling block, it's fundamentals time: The name of your company is _________. You sell _________. The name of the product you're most known for is ____________. Embrace these things. I know you're really sick of the Pantone Red 486 that's in your logo, on the walls and on every chair in the company cafeteria... and it's tempting to do that new microsite in blue. But don't.

The minute you're tired of saying or seeing something is usually the point when the rest of the world is just beginning to notice it.

And that starts with your name.