Use Play on Words


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  Step 1:  Brainstorm

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Develop a list of major words related with the company. Perhaps you own a ceramics shop where customers make their own pottery or hire in-house designers to create pottery from specifications. An example list would of include clay, ceramics, pottery, kiln, glaze, stoneware, crocks, jugs, signs, delivery, personalized, lasts forever and memories. On a separate piece of paper write down each word, leaving room for future brainstorming.
  Step 2:  Examine Major Words

Do any rhyming words jump out at you? For example, clay rhymes with bay, day, hay, jay, lay, may… For each word listed to describe your company think of words that rhyme. List the words on your sheet of paper.
  Step 3:  Find a Cliché

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From looking at the new words do any common phrases come to mind? Looking at "day" may trigger the all too common cliche "make my day". Write down other cliches, song, book and movie titles that come to mind. For some help check out The Phrase Finder http://www.shu.ac.uk/web-admin/phrases/, or Tag Lines Galore http://www.mcs.brandonu.ca/%7Eennsnr/Tags/. Keep your eyes peeled for cliches with double meanings (resume) and words than can be spelled differently (hair, hare).
  Step 4:  Create a Name

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As the brain computes the beginning of a cliché the ego presumes to know the ending, but lets out a big DOH! at the end when fooled. Only the cleverest of people can fool the ego and for this you will place high atop the witty pedestal. So get to it! Examine the phrase "make my day". "Day" is listed as a rhyme under "clay". By replacing "clay" with "day" you come up with "make my clay". Some clever company names include Curl up and Dye (beauty shop) and Cirque de Cliché (cliché developers).