One of the most important decisions you’ll make early on in your business’ lifespan is choosing a name. In an article by Entrepreneur Magazine, the writers specifically note, “The right name can make your company the talk of the town. The wrong one can doom it to obscurity and failure.”
Now, that might sound pretty intense, but let’s really dive into the question, What’s In A Name?
It describes your business’ product or service.
The more your name describes your business’ product or service, the more self-explanatory it is. There’s no question what service is offered by Joe’s Pest Control. The right name allows you to quickly communicate and sell your business without having spoken to the potential customer service yet.
Keep it simple.
Business names that are complicated, difficult to spell or use “made up” words can present problems with customer recall. If your company is a cleaning service and your name is Kristy, Kristy’s Kleaning will most certainly result in some misspellings.
Think twice about geographic names.
Using a geographic tag such as your city or area can inadvertently pigeonhole your business as only operating in and around that general location. On the flip side, if your business only services a specific community or area, a geographic name might be the perfect option.
Professional naming services are available if you need help picking your business name. Friends and family will most likely be wiling to provide input as well. Once you decide on your business name, be sure to check in with the Small Business Administration for their tips on protecting your business name by registering it.