Citlali Chevaili, Founder & CEO of Seabenefit™, talks about the origin of the brand name, the trademark process, and the importance of knowing your audience.
What is the story behind Seabenefit™?
Seabenefit™ was created because of my passion for the sea and the well-being feeling you get while you’re near the Ocean, that incredible feeling once you’ve left ashore.
I’ve always been interested in skincare and beauty. The idea came from my quest to find the best ingredients and innovations in the skincare market and incorporating them with ancient beauty secrets.
Growing up, I spent much time with my maternal grandmother, who went to beauty school at the beginning of the last century and taught me many beauty remedies and secrets. I mix 21st-century innovations with ancient traditional secrets. That is how I created the Seabenefit Skin Care line.
When did you start thinking about your brand name, and how did you settle on Seabenefit™?
When I was thinking of the concept, I wanted a name that would refer to my niche market. In my case, the ocean, the sea, kelp, seaweed. I also wanted a unique name that would consist of only one word.
When I was thinking of the concept, I wanted a name that would refer to my niche market. In my case, the ocean, the sea, kelp, seaweed. I also wanted a unique name that would consist of only one word.
Citlali Chevaili, Founder & CEO of Seabenefit™
I would make up lists of names that I liked, and then I would research the database for copyrights. It is incredible to come up with what you think is a unique name that’s never been done before, only to find that someone else started using that same name, for example, for a Beach Club in the 40s. That name has been registered and used for a similar thing or something completely different but for a long time.
Being original is hard.
What was the reason for getting the domain name Seabenefit.com for your brand?
I wanted to own a unique brand name created by me along with the same domain in the “.com”.
I brainstormed for names until I came up with the Seabenefit™ name, and the domain Dot com was available.
I wanted to own a unique brand name created by me along with the same domain in the “.com”. I brainstormed for names until I came up with the Seabenefit™ name, and the domain Dot com was available.
Citlali Chevaili, Founder & CEO of Seabenefit™
How has owning Seabenefit.com affected your business? Do you own any other domain names?
I am glad to own my domain as well as a patent and Trademark. It was hard because while I was waiting for the patent procedure, a Chinese company was trying to steal it from me. I was able to get the name by a slight margin of time and because I had it for over two years and this company had just started recently using the same name.
The company trying to steal my brand started the process almost two years after using my brand, but I did not register it right away. In the end, it came down to the wire, but I could have lost my brand.
What would you do differently if you were entering your category market as a brand today?
I would have started the Patent & Trademark process at the same time as I was registering my domain and starting my brand. This process is expensive, so I waited until I had a little bit more money. In retrospect, I could have lost my brand and all my hard work. I would have had to start again from scratch.
Why should entrepreneurs value their brand?
Because it’s your creation, your baby, something unique. Once you have your project going, you need to think of your branding image, logo, website colors, and general look or perception.
I say don’t be afraid to be you. If everybody’s using a muted greyscale of colors for that type of business you are in, you’re a more colorful person, be who you are, and don’t fall for what everyone else is doing. Don’t repeat the grayscale of colors and the same type of logo everyone else is using because you’re only going to become another “Grey Company,” and you will not stand out; so instead, create a unique and personal view of the world that reflects who you are, what you stand for.
Has the pandemic affected your company in any way? What has changed since?
We have to be more careful handling the products. The working space has to be cleaned constantly so that every order is perfectly safe to ship to our customers. We follow and exceed the guidelines from the CDC.
In regards to our products and communication with our customers, when the pandemic started, we emphasized how our products and the soaps scrub, lift and disinfect the skin, therefore making it the perfect medium to clean your skin and get rid of any bacteria or viruses. We want to show our customers the added benefit that it gives them because we have to use extreme cleanliness to remain healthy.
What do you do to make sure your marketing is effective?
We like analytics, it’s nerdy, but it gives you so much more information about your user and who is actually buying your products, where they are located, and sometimes even more information, like where they’re located. This information can help you narrow down your advertising money and be more efficient since, as a small brand, you are competing against the Giants, and you don’t have the same budget as some of the other companies have. It is essential to know your audience to not spend or waste money on advertising.
What would your advice be to entrepreneurs who are just starting, in general, and when it comes to branding and naming?
Choose a name that it’s not already being used by someone else. If you create a business with a name that someone else is already using, you’re going to throw away all your work and bring yourself a possible lawsuit. Make sure you are unique, and no one else is using your name.
Where do you see your business in the future, and how does your brand name fit into that vision?
Growing and expanding is great, but you have to make sure that where you’re going matches the lifestyle you want for yourself.
I am pleased with where I am now, open for growth, but not if it takes away from a balanced life. Grow at a pace that matches yours.
We hope the above information will help you in making informed decisions about your brand. If you want to say hi or have any questions about naming, branding, and domain names get in touch, we’re always happy to hear from you.
Find out more about Seabenefit™
branding business domain name entrepreneurship naming trademark
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