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by @weddingpr<\/a><\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n As a wedding PR consultant, I\u2019m often asked how to choose a business name when starting a business.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n For many business owners, coming up with a company name is actually the biggest obstacle they face when creating their dream business. It\u2019s surprisingly difficult to settle on the perfect name that accurately represents your business idea and stands out from competitors. For most business owners, this can take months\u2014even years!<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Your inner marketing genius may want to do something cutesy and creative, but that can also be confusing for potential customers. On the other hand, if you go too bland, you won\u2019t stand out.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n How can you choose a business name that explains what you do? And how can you differentiate yourself from competitors?<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n To help you learn how to choose a business name, here are 15 tips to consider when picking your company name.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n This may sound obvious, but I\u2019ve seen it done more times in the wedding industry than I can count.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n If your name is Lucy but you\u2019ve named your company Victoria Designs, people will assume your name is Victoria. I know you want to honor your grandma by using her name, but you\u2019ve just confused your potential clients and industry contacts.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n No matter how much time and money you spend on PR or advertising, people will always think you are someone else. So just don\u2019t do it.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Although you may think that you will be attached to your business forever, there may come a day when you want to sell it or pass it along to someone else.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n So you may want to avoid naming your business after yourself. Because how many companies do you know that have been sold to another person with the original name of the previous owner?<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n If you sell products, a company named after you can still work if you have a strong enough personal brand, but for service-based businesses, it really limits you on how to grow beyond the business being about you<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n In that case, ask yourself: is your company name easily transferable to another owner?<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n So even if you\u2019re just a team of one right now, I\u2019d strongly recommend creating a business name that\u2019s detachable from your personal identity. It will add more value to your company in the long term and make it easier to sell (or leave for greener pastures).<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n While many famous brands are ambiguous as to what they sell or what service they provide (Amazon, Ferrari, McDonald\u2019s, Google), you have to remember they\u2019re all backed by multi-million-dollar marketing budgets.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Although you may want to get really creative with your brand name, make sure you don\u2019t miss an opportunity to make it clear what your company does. You don\u2019t necessarily have to spell it out literally, but consumers will always be confused by vague or misleading names.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Netflix is an example of a descriptive company name. It\u2019s a unique, creative name, but it also makes it perfectly obvious what they do: provide movies over the internet. Instagram is a great example too. It\u2019s a portmanteau of \u201cinstant camera\u201d and \u201ctelegram\u201d, but it\u2019s still snappy and unique.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Use our free mission statement generator to combine your brand purpose and personality into a succint statement that give you more direction.<\/p>\r\nGenerate a Statement<\/a><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n On the other hand, don\u2019t choose a business name that\u2019s too <\/em>descriptive and ends up restricting the growth potential of your business.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n For example, if you name your business \u201cSuperior Closets,\u201d it\u2019s going to be a challenge to expand your business to anything beyond building closets. \u201cSuperior Homes,\u201d while not the most inspired name in the world, would make it easier to expand into other types of home renovations and furnishings.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n While you want to be specific and clear as to what you\u2019re selling, you also have to stand out from your competition. Your business name needs to be so good that people won\u2019t forget it.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n What is it about your company name and brand experience that will be unforgettable? How is that reflected in your company name? How does that make you different from your competitors?<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Take Zillow for example\u2014a real estate listings website that sells leads to real estate agents. Their name doesn\u2019t tell you much about what they do (they claim it means \u201czillions\u201d), but it\u2019s memorable enough that it sticks in your head and you remember them the next time you need to look up real estate listings.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n However, there is a fine line between being memorable and being so different it turns people off. Create a name that\u2019s easy to remember and that you want your brand embraced as!<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Can I easily remember your company name? Check!<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Once I remember it, is it easy enough to spell where I can Google it and find your website or social media?<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n When your creativity starts to flow, you may find different ways to spell your company name. For example, \u201cKreative Krafts.\u201d However, when people look you up, they\u2019ll spell your company in the way that makes the most sense to them, \u201cCreative Crafts\u201d, which won\u2019t turn up your business at all.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n That said, many company names have strange spellings (e.g. Tumblr). So if it\u2019s spelled strangely, make sure the spelling is memorable.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Choose a name that people can easily spell and save your colleagues, clients, and inquiries the frustration of bounce backs and lost emails.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Keep in mind that your company name will likely be used as your domain name, as your email address, in signage, and other physical or digital locations.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n You\u2019ll save yourself plenty of headaches down the road by keeping your business name short enough for any use case. This will make your life easier when you are filling out an online contract<\/a> or any other documents.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n If you absolutely have to use a long business name, make sure it can be simplified to an acronym or initialism (that isn\u2019t offensive).<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n On your quest to come up with a simple, memorable, easy-to-spell name, you may end up with a descriptive name like \u201cSan Francisco Kitchens.\u201d<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n The challenge with a name like that is you\u2019re going to compete with many other businesses for the keyword \u201cSan Francisco kitchens\u201d\u2014both in organic and paid search results.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n When I perform that search right now, competition includes Houzz, Yelp, and many local kitchen businesses in San Francisco. Funnily enough, there actually is<\/em> a company called San Francisco Kitchens, and their website doesn\u2019t even show up on the first page of search results.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Don\u2019t choose a generic keyword as a business name unless you\u2019re prepared to fight it out in the search results!<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n On that note, before settling on a name, search it on Google. What currently shows up for that search?<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Your business name should<\/em> be a free pass on Google\u2014one of the only searches you don\u2019t have tons of competition for.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n If it\u2019s businesses in a similar industry, even if it\u2019s in another location that you don\u2019t compete with, scrap it. You don\u2019t want to spend years clarifying that you\u2019re not that<\/em> company.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n If it\u2019s a business in another industry, consider how difficult it will be to compete with them in search results, whether it\u2019s locally or globally.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n You should also search your company name on a domain name provider like GoDaddy to make sure a relevant domain name is available.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n While there\u2019s technically nothing special about a .com domain\u2014there are hundreds of other top-level domains (TLDs) available, such as .net, .io, or .diamonds\u2014American customers are most familiar with .com.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n It\u2019s not a deal-breaker if your company\u2019s .com domain isn\u2019t available, but you should definitely take it into consideration.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n You don\u2019t want to end up with legal troubles because you didn\u2019t research your company name enough. Remember\u2014you want to grow! Even if you wouldn\u2019t be on a big company\u2019s radar today, you may be in the future.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Search USPTO.gov<\/a> (the US Patent and Trademark Office\u2019s database) to see if anyone has trademarked or service marked your business name.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n This will also help you when you are ready to register your business because you will know that your business name is in the clear. Although it is legal to operate as a sole proprietorship without registering, you can\u2019t use any business name until you have registered it as an officially recognized business entity. In order to be legally recognized and employ people, you need to register your business.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Even if you only plan on running a local business, you may still end up with second-language English speakers as customers.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Try to choose a name that\u2019s easy to pronounce for non-English speakers. \u201cTh\u201d, for example, is difficult for many second-language speakers.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n We all know the brands we thought were pronounced one way only to be blindsided by a completely different pronunciation. When you are considering how to choose your business name, making sure it\u2019s simple and easy to pronounce can save you many headaches down the road.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n I\u2019ve listed a ton of requirements here. If you\u2019re really stuck, try brainstorming using a business name generator like Namelix<\/a> or Business Name Generator<\/a>. These generators will give you a good starting off point, but it\u2019s best to further develop these ideas into the business name that best suits your purposes. Always keep in mind your target audience and make sure the name is easy to pronounce and easy to remember.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Feedback is your friend! Bounce your potential business names off your friends and family to see what they like. This is also a great way to test whether your business name is truly easy to pronounce, remember, and spell.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n But don\u2019t limit your survey to your inner circle. Try to get feedback from your target audience and customer demographic.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Ultimately, you have to love your business name. It will represent you for years to come. This name is not just for your target audience – it\u2019s also for you. If you\u2019re not happy with it, then it\u2019s not right.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Keep searching until you have a name that suits you to a T.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n It may seem like a lot of restrictions to take into account when you are considering how to choose your business name, but it\u2019s all in the greater effort to help your business reach as many people and gain as many clients as possible.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Be intentional with your company name. It will be how you are searched, referenced, and ultimately remembered. And if you\u2019re thinking now that your brand name may not fit one of these tips, don\u2019t worry! It\u2019s not too late to change and rebrand.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n The longer you go with a company name that isn\u2019t helping you, the more limited your options will be to maximize sales, grow your brand, or sell your business down the road.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Learn how to craft and reach the maximum potential for your business by using client management software for small businesses<\/a>. From simplifying your client communication<\/a> to tracking every aspect of your business, using the right platform will give you everything you need to get it done!<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sometimes the biggest obstacle after coming up with your dream business is the name. It\u2019s difficult to settle on the perfect name that will accurately and best represent your business. Your inner marketing genius may want to do something cutesy and creative, but that can also get confusing. Do the names you are considering explain what you do? How many company names are just like yours?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":4286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[53,61,154],"class_list":["post-4281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-best-practices","tag-business","tag-creative-entrepreneur","tag-how-to"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/2016-04-17_0001.jpg",1400,934,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/2016-04-17_0001-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/2016-04-17_0001-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/2016-04-17_0001-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/2016-04-17_0001-1024x683.jpg",1024,683,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/2016-04-17_0001.jpg",1400,934,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/2016-04-17_0001.jpg",1400,934,false]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"1. Don’t use another person’s name<\/h2>\r\n
2. Consider you may sell your business someday<\/h2>\r\n
3. Make it clear what you do<\/h2>\r\n
Translate What You Do Into a Mission Statement<\/h2>\r\n
4. Don’t restrict what you do<\/h2>\r\n
5. Pick a name that\u2019s easy to remember<\/h2>\r\n
6. Make it easy to spell<\/h2>\r\n
7. Keep it short<\/h2>\r\n
8. Avoid competitive search keywords<\/h2>\r\n
9. Search it on Google<\/h2>\r\n
10. Get a .com domain (if you can)<\/h2>\r\n
11. Do a trademark search<\/h2>\r\n
12. Make it international friendly and easy to pronounce<\/h2>\r\n
13. Get inspired by a company name generator<\/h2>\r\n
14. Test your name on other people<\/h2>\r\n
15. Choose a name you love<\/h2>\r\n
Get to business!<\/h2>\r\n