Product Lines: What's in a name?

Starting a business takes a lot of planning.I have found that sometimes ideas are created out of  necessity and other times they happen in the midst of a conversation . One of my favorite parts of creating each product line is in the naming. When I was in the third grade I discovered Bonne Belle Lip Smackers; a popular, flavored lip gloss for girls girls. The colors, the flavors and the scents all packaged into one yummy product. I was determined to collect every one of them and dreamed of working for them as the person who names each flavor. Was there such a person.? If so, I though that perhaps I could be the person who named everything at Bonne Belle - lipstick, blush, nail polish, eyeliner. You get the idea. 

I couldn't believe my ears when as a teenager at my job in a carpet store, my boss asked me to rename all the carpet samples and type each name onto a labels so that the customers couldn't take the sample into another store for a quote. I was in heaven!

My first line of stationery is called "Stick Your Neck Out". The name is a call to action and descriptive of each girly, longed necked, decorative woman appearing on the stationery. Originally these women were not meant to be a line of stationery. They began as drawings in my sketchbook while I was in college that ended up asa series of woodcuts. I have been drawing in  pen and ink since I was twelve when my father, an engineer, gave me a technical pen for my birthday. Because of that pen, I developed my own style. These cards are representative of my drawing style. Below are the four designs in the "Stick Your Neck Out" line from my company, Jennifer! Designs, Ltd.

My second product line; a handmade greeting card line, is called "outta-my-mind". In 2005, I was hungry for a new art project, so to get inspired I visited my local art store. It occurred to me that I should focus on greeting cards since I only had four existing designs which doesn't constitute much of a greeting card company. I figured that by playing around with colored card stock that I might be able to create a few cards that would me prototyped for a printed line rather than just drawing. About two months later I found myself surrounded by over 1000 handmade cards. Granted, these cards were pretty organic and simple and nothing that I would sell but none the less something to build upon.

I showed the cards to a friend of mine and when he saw how many that I had made he gasped and said, "You are out of your mind!" which I replied, "Yes I am and I think you are on to something." That phrase immediately had me thinking that his phrase was a great name for a line of cards. The fact that I couldn't stop making them was clearly a sign that, yes I am out of my mind as well as the fact that these designs came from out of my mind.

The "outta-my-mind-line" line was screaming for improvement, so bought quality papers, stamps and ink, ribbon and embellishments. At one point I had produced 3,000 handmade cards which I sold at trade shows and craft shows along with my printed line. I even hosted  hosted card parties locally.

Today my cards are more sophisticated and better constructed. Papers and embellishments constantly change which enables me to keep the line fresh. The name "outta-my-mind" catches the potential buyer's eye and makes them giggle. My hope is that the name sticks in their minds and becomes part of the way buyers experience my product. Below are a few examples, all of which can be found at jenniferdesigns.bigcartel.com So what's in a name? A lot!

 

I don't know if that job at Bonne Belle exists but I do know that naming a company, product or color is just as important as the product itself.