Your small business name is more than just words on the sign of your shop or office. It’s a reflection of your brand – the very first piece of information your customers will have about your small business. It will be on your business cards, letterhead, packaging and social media pages — so it’s one piece of marketing you definitely shouldn’t leave it to chance.
But how do you go about choosing your all-important moniker? It’s a bit of a process, but choosing your small business name isn’t as hard as you might think!
1. Weigh Your Options
Start the process by brainstorming – but don’t do it alone! Two heads (or 20) are usually better than one. Write a list of words and phrases that describe your small business on sticky notes or index cards, then spread them out. Try different combinations. Grab a thesaurus and find synonyms for the words you like or hate.
And above all – and we cannot stress this enough – say the words out loud! The perfect small business name should roll off the tip of your tongue, not tie it in knots. Don’t pin down your business under the weight of a long, overly complicated moniker.
2. Make It Clear
Dave’s Delicious Doughnuts sells doughnuts. It’s right there in the name. This name/adjective/product formula works well for a lot of small businesses. Although you’re not tied to it.
Alliterative wordplay and/or rhymes work wonders, as they makes your company’s name easier to remember. Be creative, or even a bit quirky, but make sure that your customers can find you and your product by virtue of your name alone.
3. Do Some Sleuthing
The perfect small business name isn’t perfect if it’s already taken. While it’s not absolutely necessary to trademark your small business name, it’s a wise idea. A simple search of USPTO.gov will let you know if your name is there for the taking, or whether you’ve got to go back to the drawing board.
You should also make sure the domain name (or some easily recognizable variation of it) is available. You don’t want to confuse potential patrons by having a web address that’s wildly different from your small business name.
Your small business is your baby – don’t just give it any old name. Put some real thought into it, visualize how it’ll work with your brand strategy and make sure it’s easy for people to remember.
And if you need a hand coming up with an innovative small business name or want to market your already christened company, Mischa is always here to help – just drop us a line!