If starting a business isn’t challenging enough—naming your business can prove to be even more difficult. The name will set the tone for the branding and identify of a business and will be used on everything (yes everything) during the life of your business—email addresses, letterhead, business cards, websites, social media and more. A name is one of the first impressions you give potential clients and customers—and you should be sure you’re making the right impression from the start!
So you’re ready to name your company? Below are a few do’s and don’t’s to start your process:
Do:
Your research.
Start with analyzing your business – what industry are you in? What are some of the names of your competitors? And most importantly, what does your business do and who is your target market? Come up with keywords that could potentially be used within the name of your business (even if you don’t use these, they will be helpful for SEO in the future!) If already you have some name ideas in mind, be sure to research to see if other businesses or products already have that name. Using a Trademark or simple search engine search can save you a lot of time and frustration if you think of a name that already belongs to someone else.
Get opinions.
It’s helpful to get feedback from outside sources about potential names for your business. Sometimes you can be too close to the business and an outside opinion can help jump start your search or solidify a name you already like. Seek some external help by creating a focus group using other people aside from your friends and family. This can be a valuable tool for gaining completely unbiased opinions. But like the saying goes – too many cooks in the kitchen… and ultimately, it’s your business, leave the final decision up to you.
Consider the future.
Do you plan to grow your business? Local business names often contain geographical title or the owner’s name – but what if the company expands? This could limit the reach and growth of the company. Always think big – by having a small name, could limit your company’s growth in the long run.
Don’t:
Get too creative.
A good business name is one that is easy to say and easy to remember. Getting too creative can pose a problem for both of these points. Let’s use the example of “The One-ders”, the fictional band from the movie “That Thing You Do.” Most people saw the name and pronounced it the O-N-Eaders when the name was simple – “The Wonders”. With such an abstract spelling, no one knew how to say it correctly and it essentially, it lost its purpose and value. Try to keep the name simple, use acronyms, and make it easy to pronounce – no one should be nervous to try and say your business name out loud!
If you’ve found a name you love, register your business name! The importance of this can’t be stressed enough. Get started now! To find out how to register your business name in your state you can go here.
