Congratulations! You’re on your way to launching your new business. But, maybe you’re struggling to name it. Should you name it after yourself? Use a pun? Try to tap into the zeitgeist and name it something that’s popular right now? What you decide to name your new venture can have an impact on your success. Steven Imke writing on the site business2community shares what you should consider when choosing your small business’s name. We’re sharing what we think are the top six tips.
- “The name of your business should be easy to pronounce and spell. This is especially true if you do business internationally. pronounce, let alone spell.” Sure, you may have heard of Daewoo or Maersk, and maybe you can pronounce them, but can the average person?
- The name should not be easily confused with names that already exist. For example, “You Fit” is a health club and so is “Fit U.”
- Using your own name for your business is a hedge against infringing on someone else’s name.
- Do not include a number in your name. The question in everyone’s mind is whether the number is a numeral or if it’s spelled out. Businesses with a number in their name, and subsequent URLs, all too often have to explain how their name is spelled when talking to new customers.
- Choose a name that starts with a capital letter. A capital letter in the middle of a sentence alerts the reader to the proper name. Having a name that does not start with a capital letter leaves the reader confused. Sure companies like “intel” and “xerox” have been re-branded to use all lower case letters, but the rule for the rest of us is to use an initial capital like Google or Coke to make them stand out in the middle of the text.
- Consider a name with all caps such as IKEA or BEST BUY to make sure your name stands out even more in the body text of your message.
It can be difficult to choose a business name. Google “bad company names” if you want to chuckle at names that businesses, big and small, have gone with. While we don’t normally name businesses, at VersaTel Solutions we do try to be versatile with the solutions we provide our clients. If you need bookkeeping, HR, or admin help, let us know. We want to help you grow your small business.