What’s In a Name? Naming your business
This is it! Your decision has been made, 2015 is the year when you make the dream a reality and start your business. Well, what in the world are you going to call it?
One of the most important items on your agenda when you start a business will be the name. While it may seem simple you should really give it some thought. This is especially true for small business success.
Naming your business is important because this is where your brand begins. It will ultimately set the foundation for your business. An entrepreneur.com article suggests that the name of a business should not necessarily describe what the business does but speaks to how the brand will behave and interact with customers. The example used is Puma because it symbolizes strength and speed and connects to its customers in that way.
So take a look at a few tips about naming your business:
- Start with the brand in mind – The name of your company should coincide with your brand promise. Before you name your venture spend some time and think about what you want your brand to represent.
- The words must be real – Whatever you do make sure that the words you choose to represent your business are real words. When potential customers are searching for your business you do not want to make it hard for them to pronounce, spell, or even find you.
- Test the name – Test the name with people you know. What are their first impressions? Were they confused or intrigued? Did they understand the meaning behind the name or the message that you are trying to convey?
- Rethink a creative name – The first choice for many entrepreneurs is to spell their business names creatively in their attempt to be trendy. Think about when it comes time to recite to a potential client the name of the business and when they are trying to remember the spelling. Also if your name is spelled in some kind of crazy way name recognition software such as Siri will not be able to locate it.
- Do not choose a niche name – Choosing a niche name is not planning for the long term. Along the way you may change your product offering or add different services while staying in the same industry. Take the example of Burlington Coat Factory. Originally they were a place where you could shop for coats but now they are so much more. So take that into consideration when going through the name process.
There a lot of strange, difficult to pronounce, and funny business names out there in the universe. For a good laugh, take a few names that made Biznamewiz.com’s list of Funny Business Names:
Juan in a Million
Curly Up & Dye
Indiana Bones
Fashion Do-Do
Amigone Funeral Home
Ditcher, Quick, & Hyde Divorce Attorneys
Protecting the name you choose
Take the time to strategically plan your brand which includes naming your business. It’s a process so come up with a few choices that make sense.
Part of the process of naming your business is understanding name protection. This means that once you choose a name you have to check to make sure the name that you have chosen is available.
When you formally incorporate your business or form an LLC the name must be available at the state level. For example, if you choose to form an LLC in Florida then you must check with the State of Florida to make sure that no other company is doing business as that business name.
Some business owners choose to protect their business name beyond what is required at the state level through filing a trademark. Filing a trademark starts with conducting a search of the federal register of trades and marks. A great place to start is with the United States Patent & Trademark Office. You may also choose to consult with an attorney who can assist you with this process.
Share with us @CBA_direct the business name you are pondering. We will check with the state to make sure it is available.
