Business Name Ideas

How to name a business

Business name ideas for your small business. Choosing a business name takes some thought.

A good way to go about naming your business is to get your family and friends together around a table and have a brainstorming session. Write a list of all the possible choices.
When considering each business name work through these 10 essential tips for naming your small business,

Using your own name. If you operate your business under your own legal name with absolutely no additions you do not have to register your business name. The downside is that this sort of business name does not tell prospective customers what you do. Additionally many people's names are not catchy or easy to spell or remember. If you add something to your name to make it more effective such as John Smith's Plumbing Services you will have to register it. This is not too difficult - find out more at Register a New Business Name.
An effective business name tells who you are. Your identity should be reflected in your business name. Your business name is the image and perception that you provide to the public. This can be done by including your personal name into your business name or using a descriptive business name that clearly identifies you and your business such as "Susan the Sewing Lady" or "The Drain Expert"
It must tell people what you do. Your business name should describe what you do. The public should know straightaway from your business name the type of business service or product you are offering. This is where just using your legal name falls short."Mike's Lawn Service" is far more informative than "Mike Smith". Names like "Sensible Solutions" and "Helpful Services" although catchy do not tell the public what your business does. Include your service or product in your business name - "Sensible Shopping Solutions" and "Helpful Home Delivery Services" - to let everyone know what the purpose of your business is.
It tells people how you do it. Carefully choosing the adjectives and words you use in your business name can convey a strong message about how you conduct your business. For example "Speedy Secretarial Services" focuses on how quickly the work gets done while "Totally Accurate Typing" places the emphasis on the accuracy of the work done.
Keep it fairly short and catchy. When finding business name ideas a short simple name is much easier to remember than a long complex business name. It is also better for advertising and marketing purposes - a short business name fits well on a business card or flyer and looks good diplayed in an ad. Business names that use alliteration such as "The Beautiful Beads Company" or rhyming like "Pearls for Girls" are catchy business names and usually more memorable than a business name like "Alison Morgan Jewelry".
Make it easy to spell. Your potential customer needs to be able to find your business name easily if they are looking for it in a phone book or directory. Choose an easily identifiable and easy to spell name. Foreign names can be difficult to spell or remember so choosing business name ideas that are not in English should be considered carefully.
It must differentiate you from the competition. Your business name is a valuable opportunity to tell customers and clients why you are better than the competition. Emphasize what makes your different and what aspects of your product or service set you apart from the competition. For example "The Travelling Tutor" is an unique approach which focuses on the convenience of the tutor coming to wherever you live.
Gets the customer's attention and interest. Think about your target market - what are the most important selling points for them? What words will likely appeal to them? Emphasize these special qualities of your business when coming up with business name ideas. For example if your target market for your meal delivery business is young, busy professionals you could emphasize the health aspect of your meals with a name like "Fresh Earth Foods", but if your target market is retired people on limited incomes you can focus on the economical aspect of your business with a name like "Best Budget Meals".
A good business name should have a visual element. A mental picture should pop into the mind of the potential customer when hearing or reading your business name. This is again why a business name that is merely the business owner's legal name - Kay Bryant Inc. - is often not a winning business name idea. It has no visual element. People "see" images when they read or hear words they recognize so incorporating a visual element into the name of your business can be a powerful selling tool - Kay Bryant Professional Bookeeping Services has a definite visual element.
Choose words with positive connotations. Many words have neutral and negative emotional associations or connotations. These words should be avoided when selecting business name ideas. Using a word like "cheap" creates a negative perception as cheap is associated with poor quality etc. Rather use a word like "economical" or "budget". A word like "mother" has neutral connotations whereas "Mom" has warm positive connnotations. Consider the difference between the business names "Mother's Cooking" and "Mom's Cooking"!

When choosing business name ideas check them against these 10 tips and see how they measure up. You have to live with the business name you choose - make sure you are happy and comfortable with it. Does it reflect the image you want your business to have? Create at least two good business names as your next step is to register your business name and it may already be taken.

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