Domain Name Information And Resources


Product Search


Ads By CbproAds



Whats In A Name: Selecting the Right Business Name


With all that's written about selecting a domain name, I thought I would address the ART of selecting a name for your business. It's by no means an easy task or one that should be taken lightly. So here we go.

Ask 500 people, already in business, how they decided upon their business name and you will get 500 different answers. Everyone has a story behind how they chose their business name. Even if the business is named after their own birth name, there's probably a reason why this was done.

When you open a business, in a sense, you are giving birth. This new birth was created from an idea by you or your associates. It will have its own bank account, it's own federal identification number, it's own credit accounts, it's own income and it's own bills. On paper, it is another individual! Just as if you were choosing a name for an unborn child, you need to spend considerable time in deciding upon your business name.

There are several reasons why a good business name is vitally important to your business. The first obvious reason is because it is the initial identification to your customers. No one would want to do business with someone if they didn't have a company name yet. This makes you look like an amateur who is very unreliable. Even if you call your company "Bill's Lawn Service", a company name has been established and you are indeed a company. People will therefore feel more comfortable dealing with you.

Secondly, a business name normally is an indication as to the product or service you offer. "Joan's Typing Service", "Karate Club for Men", "Jim-Dandy Jack-of-all-Trades", "Main Street Laundry", "Missy's Gift Boutique" and "Star Publishers" are all examples of simple business names that immediately tell the customer what product you offer.

However, most people will choose the simple approach when naming their business. They use their name, their spouse's name, their children's names or a combination of these names when naming a business. The national hamburger-restaurant chain "Wendy's" was named after, owner, Dave's daughter. Actually, research has proven that these "cutesy" names are not the best names to use for a business. Many experts claim that it makes the business look too "mom-and-pop-sie." But this depends on the business. If you are selling something that demands this mood or theme to appeal to your market, it's okay to use this approach.

Names like, "Sensible Solutions", "Direct Defenders", "Moonlighters Ink", "Printer's Friend", "Strictly Class", "Collections and Treasures", and "Starlight on Twilight" are all good examples of catchy names. These types of names relate to your product or service but serve as a type of slogan for your business. This is a big help when marketing.

When you name a child, you may not decide upon a definite name until after they are born. Hospital nurseries are loaded with "Boy" Smith and "Girl" Jones name tags. You do this because a name is sometimes associated with a type of personality. Somehow, I don't think Tarzan and Jane got the message, "Boy"? (dah!). When you name a business you may need to wait until you have a product or service to sell and then decide upon a business name before going into the business itself because your business name should give some clue as to what product or service you are selling. A business named "Joe's Collections" normally wouldn't sell car parts and a business named "Charlie Horse" would not sell knitting supplies.

To generate ideas - begin looking at business signs everywhere you go. Notice which ones catch your eye and stick in your mind. Try and figure out "why" they stuck in your mind. Naturally, the business "Dominos Pizza" sticks in your mind because it is nationally known. These don't count! Look around and notice the smaller businesses. Take your time. Within a few days you should be able to come up with a few potential business names.

Then, when you finally find a few names you really like - try reciting them to other people and get their opinion. It won't be long until your business will have the proper name that will carry it through it's life!

A final thought. Are they kidding? What your company does or long product description, domain names?

Try VeryLongBusinessNamesThatAreHardToRemember.com (and enter it without a typo)?

Well maybe it's just me; but what happened to KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)?

About the Author ---- Jim Capobianco, the author of "10 Steps to Your Own Home-Based Business", has been self-employed for over 25 years, both on and off line. At his web site, Cap-Tech.com and in his newsletter, The Cap-Tech Times, he shares his experience and expertise when it comes to owning your own business. Come pay a visit at: http://www.cap-tech.com


MORE RESOURCES:

IHG Fought to Control Domain Names But Parks Two of Their Own Generics
Elliot's Blog (blog)
A while back, I wrote about Intercontinental Hotel Group's massive UDRP filing for 1529 domain names that they believe infringed on some of their hotel ...

and more »


CBC.ca

Research In Motion Purchases BlackPad.com Domain Name
Erictric
You see, Waterloo, Ontario-based Research In Motion has purchased the BlackPad.com domain name for an unknown amount of money. This, of course, is leading ...
RIM acquires Internet domain name rights to Blackpad.comVancouver Sun
RIM's 'BlackPad.com' Signals Attack Of The 'Pads'InformationWeek

all 1,605 news articles »


TheHostingNews.com (press release)

.CO Domain Names Now Available
Mashable (blog)
Missed out on a great .com domain name? Well, maybe you can still get the .co variety. Registry operator of .co domains, .CO Internet SAS, today announced ...
.CO Top-Level Domain Names Officially Available TodayErictric
.CO Domain Names Now Available to the PublicPR Newswire (press release)
Overstock buys the O.co domain nameInternetRetailer.com
PR Web (press release) -Breaking Money News -Breaking News and Sport
all 111 news articles »


Domain game replayed
Washington Business Journal
“They didn't do their homework,” said William Schippert, a Michigan accountant who snatched up washingtonnationals.co and domain names for several other ...

and more »


Baidu Lawsuit Could Set Registrar Precedent
Internet Evolution
As the title of one industry newsletter blog puts it: “Companies Have a Fiduciary Responsibility to Lock down Domain Names.” The article suggests domain ...

and more »


Domain Name Web Hosting – What You Need To Know
Intac (blog)
When domain name web hosting is mentioned, a couple of things come to mind. First, a place to host your new site, and second, it can be a place to park your ...

and more »


Use of mark in domain name for car brokers held to be nominative fair use
World Trademark Review (subscription)
Rather, as with most trademark disputes, the question is whether the unauthorised use of the trademark in the domain name gives rise to a likelihood of ...




MarketWatch

Meg Whitman submits her resume to California voters
MarketWatch
In a lawsuit Whitman filed against the domain-name owner in late 2008, she sought to make clear: "Meg Whitman is an Internet pioneer and businessperson ...

and more »


Lead Generation Domain Names Lead Quality Prospects Right To Your Doorstep
AddPR.com (press release)
Use keyword rich domain names related to your business products or services to attract qualified prospects while you sleep. ...


Google News

Home Page | Site Map | Partners
© 2008 - 2010 CompTel Services, Inc., All Rights Reserved