| You have finally decided to walk down the path of | | | | Eg. Joe Smith and Company. What does this |
| entrepreneurship. Besides other factors important for | | | | company do? If you are in the landscaping business, |
| your business success, one the most important | | | | Joe Smith landscaping would be a better name. Unless |
| pieces of the puzzle is deciding on the name of your | | | | you have a huge advertising budget to market your |
| business. Your name should convey the expertise, | | | | name, it becomes imperative to come up with a |
| value and uniqueness of your product/services | | | | name that tells an average consumer what product |
| offered. | | | | or service your business provides. |
| Where to get ideas for a name? | | | | Is it easy to say and spell? If it is not, you are |
| Observe business names you come across as you | | | | reducing your chances of getting referrals. |
| drive by, look in a phone book, watch television or | | | | Is it easy to reproduce on stationery, or other |
| listen to a radio. Take notes on what you like or | | | | marketing materials? Some business owners get |
| dislike about a particular name. Write down the | | | | carried away with the logo or name by adding |
| names you like. What makes a certain name stand | | | | multiple colors, color shades, fonts that are hard to |
| out? | | | | read. I have seen this mistake being made equally by |
| Ask your family members and friends to come up | | | | professional and amateurs designers. A logo/name |
| with few names. Keep compiling the list, no matter | | | | might be "cute", but you got to make sure it prints |
| how long it gets. | | | | well on marketing materials, signs, promotional |
| Should you hire a naming firm? | | | | materials, signs, etc. Besides cost factors, keep in |
| Upside is, one, like other experts in their respective | | | | mind your target market. Is your name easy to see, |
| fields, a naming firm would do extensive background | | | | read and understand by your potential clients? |
| check into your business and then come up with a | | | | Do you plan to expand your business to people of |
| name that is recognizable and represents your | | | | other ethnic groups, or internationally? If yes, make |
| business in the way you have desired and aspired. | | | | sure your company name does not have a negative |
| Two, they have the expertise to avoid any legal | | | | connotation in those languages, and cultures. |
| hassles with registration and trade marks. | | | | Is phone book or online yellow pages main source of |
| Downside is cost. They could charge anywhere from | | | | your new business? If yes, try to have the name |
| few hundred to few thousand dollars. | | | | closer to the beginning of the alphabet. |
| Do's and don'ts of naming your business | | | | Choose a name that represents you, your style of |
| Most of the small business owners take the route of | | | | conducting business, still keeping your target |
| naming their own business. Here are few points to | | | | market(s) in mind. Distinguish yourself and your |
| keep in mind. | | | | business from the competition. |
| Make sure the name you choose is not too narrowly | | | | Don't take the business naming process lightly. |
| defined. Eg. Cuyahoga Falls PCs'. What if you decide | | | | Professionals spend six weeks to few months |
| to sell cell phone plans, or Macintosh Computers? | | | | coming up with just the right name. You ought to |
| What meaning would your name have in other parts | | | | give it at least couple of weeks. Considerable thought |
| of the state or country, should you decide to | | | | and effort has to be put into naming your business |
| expand? | | | | because that's what you are going to be identified |
| Does the name give an idea of your product/service? | | | | with as long as you own that business. |