Ask
500 people already in business how they decided upon
their
business name and you will get 500 different
answers.
Everyone has a story behind how they chose their
own
business name. Even if the business is named after
their
own birth name, there's a reason why this was done.
When
you open a business, in a sense, you are causing a
new
birth to begin. This new birth was
created from an
idea
alone by you or your associates. It will have its own
bank
account, it's own federal identification number,
it's
own credit accounts, it's own income and it's own
bills.
On paper, it is another individual! Just as if you
were
choosing a name for your own unborn child, you need
to
spend considerable time in deciding upon your business
name.
There
are several reasons why a good business name is
vitally
important to your business. The first obvious
reason
is because it is the initial identification to your
customers.
No one would want to do business with someone
if
they didn't have a company name yet. This makes you
look
like an amateur who is very unreliable. Even if you
call
your company "Kevin's Lawn Service," a company name
has
been established and you are indeed a company. People
will
therefore feel more comfortable dealing with you.
Secondly,
a business name normally is an indication as to
the
product or service you offer. "Mary's Typing Service,"
"Karate
Club for Men," "Jim-Dandy Jack-of-all-Trades,"
"Laurie
and Steve's Laundry," "Misty's Gift Boutique," and
"Star
1 Publishers" are all examples of simple business
names
that immediately tell the customer what product you
offer.
However,
most people will choose the simple approach when
naming
their business. They use their name, their spouse's
name,
their children's names or a combination of these
names
when naming a business. The national hamburger-
restaurant
chain "Wendy's" was named after the owner's
daughter.
However,
research has proven that these "cutesy" names are
not
the best names to use for a business. Many experts
claim
that it makes the business look too "mom-and-pop-
sie."
However, this depends on the business. If you
are
selling something that demands this mood or theme to
appeal
to your market, it's best to use this approach.
Personally,
I am inclined to name my businesses with
catchy
names that stick in people's heads after we have
initially
made contact. Names like, "Sensible Solutions,"
"Direct
Defenders," "Moonlighters Ink," "Printer's
Friend,"
"Strictly Class," "Collections and Treasures,"
and
"Starlight on Twilight" are all good examples of
catchy
names. These types of names relate to your product
or
service but serve as a type of slogan for your
business.
This is a big help when marketing.
A
friend I know owns a business called "Mint and Pepper."
He
grows and sells his own line of raw seasonings to
people
in the local area. At a get-together for small
businesses,
he passed out his business card. The
card
had a peppermint candy glued on the back and the
slogan
read: "Your business is worth a mint to us." This
marketing
concept not only got my friend noticed and
remembered,
but brought in several large orders for
the
business.
When
you name a child, you may not decide upon a definite
name
until after they are born. You do this because a name
is
sometimes associated with a type of personality. When
you
name a business you may need to wait until you have a
product
or service to sell and then decide upon a
business
name before going into the business itself
because
your business name should give some clue as to
what
product or service you are selling.
A
business named "Joe's Collections" normally wouldn't
sell
car parts and a business named "Charlie Horse" would
not
sell knitting supplies.
To
generate ideas - begin looking at business signs
everywhere
you go. Notice which ones catch your eye and
stick
in your mind. Try and figure out "why" they stuck in
your
mind. Naturally, the business "Dominos Pizza" sticks
in
your mind because it is nationally known. These don't
count!
Look
around and notice the smaller businesses. Take your
time.
Within a few days you should be able to come up with
a
few potential business names.
Then,
when you finally find a few names you really like -
try
reciting them to other people and get their opinion.
It
won't be long until your business will have the proper
name
that will carry it through it's life!
MAIL
ORDER HINT:
Try
to avoid very long names so they will fit into small
display
ads. Amalgamated International Enterprises can be
easily
presented as AIE - which is easier and shorter to
spell.
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