Thursday, September 1, 2011

Naming a Business - Six Things to Consider Before You Commit Yourself

flexibility

to start a business now can not have a job later. My job, J. Hammock & Associates, began as a continuation of the writing and distribution services. That was long ago. (c. 1990), but my company name has not changed, and my e-mail address is not changed. There have been occasions where I needed to start a business by another name, and then I registered "assumed business name" which is kind of like an alias. For example, 35North and Nippon Firms are assumed business names of J. Hammock & Associates. (Now J. Hammock & Associates, LLC)

I recommend picking a company name can keep for the long haul. You can always register the assumed name of the company for future projects.

Picking a name that is flexible puts you in good company. Consider Xerox and Kodak. They do not identify their industry, unless they are household words. Consider 3M, makers of Scotch tape. 3M stands for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. They do not do a lot of mining these days, but his name still refers to their mining background.

Of course, if you're starting a business, such as a restaurant, you May not need this flexibility. You can start with a name that clearly and very specifically tells people what they sell.

Unique in the country

You'll have to search the state Secretary of State website to make sure that you are considering a name is already taken.

trademark

Be sure to ask the U.S. Patent web site to make sure that your business name is a registered trademark. I've known companies that were forced to change their name because they are unconsciously using the trademarked name.

Visit the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Web site.

then click on Search Marks> New User Form Search (Basic)> Enter a name in the "Search term:"> Click "Send request ."

If your name appears identical to the "live" or "Dead." If you live, consider a different name.

Domain Names

This is important! When you select a name, you must consider several other things. For example, there is a restaurant in Bingen, WA Gorge called barbecue. Once they started their business, they found that gorgegrill with.com and.net already taken. It's a good idea to look at the big picture before finalizing your name choice.

Social Networking

Be sure to check if someone uses your name in Facebook or Twitter. Try checking the name availability with all major social networking sites.

connotations

Do an informal survey and ask people what comes to mind when they hear your company name. Be sure not to ask leading questions. Better to ask: "What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the [company name]?" Instead of asking "Do you think that [company name] is a good name for a job?" You definitely need to test because the names. Testing is a good habit to be in. Put your business name listings, domain names, titles, ad copy, website copy to make sure that people understand what you want them. It does not matter that you say what you mean. It is important that people understand what you want them to understand. There is a huge difference.

sale

and select the name can sell for you. For example, if you go out to eat, and you know nothing more than names of two restaurants, which sounds more appealing, "Michaela Grill & Brewpub" or "Sophie"? One name clearly communicates what they nude.Drugo name leaves you clueless.

Here is your checklist:

    is the name of flexibility? (if applicable) name is available in accordance with your state secretary of state? is the name of protection? is the logical domain name taken? is the name taken from social networking sites? Does your name mean to others what you think it means? Are there any unintended connotations that could work against you? Does your behalf to sell your business?

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This article is an excerpt from the chapter in the online course:

Consultant Companies - Choosing the Best Name For Your Consulting Company

One of the things to consider when setting up a consulting company comes with a name that is powerful enough to leave a lasting imprint on the minds of your potential clients. You want something easy to remember, catchy, and very descriptive so that people who hear or see your company name will be easy to have an idea as to what you offer and what problems to solve.

Here's how to choose the best name for my consulting firm:

1 Research. First, you need to do your research online and offline arena. Visit the websites of your competitors and determine the strategy they used in creating your business name. List down your technique as you can safely use them in the future.

2 Keyword research. If you plan to go online, it is better to do keyword research. This is the process of identifying words or terms that are typically required for the on-line user when they are looking for specific online consulting tool, keyword suggestion. List down the top 10 most searched for keywords and matches them to mix until you get to a name that is keyword rich, benefit-driven, unique and appealing.

3 Ask for feedback. It is better if you can get to 3-5 for the names of his consulting firm. Then, ask the other experts, some from friends and family members to help you choose the best name you can use for your business. Go to most, and with his instincts.

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Domain Name for Your Company

- Consider adding another word or two. For example, if your company name "Acme" and you're in the business of selling used cars, you can choose to add some descriptive words of their name to make it unique. Examples might include acmecars.com or acmeusedcars.com. It also is not unheard of to include his name in the city with its domain, such as houstonacme.com or acmecarshouston.com.

- Consider adding another word or two. For example, if your company name "Acme" and you're in the business of selling used cars, you can choose to add some descriptive words of their name to make it unique. Examples might include acmecars.com or acmeusedcars.com. It also is not unheard of to include his name in the city with its domain, such as houstonacme.com or acmecarshouston.com.

...

- easy to remember and easy to spell is especially important. Your domain name should be easy to remember for your visitors. It should be relevant to your web content, creative, not too long, and easy to spell. If you are considering a name can be easily mistyped, please do not use it.

- Do not use punctuation. I can tell you from experience that I never remember website addresses that use of punctuation. It's just another thing for your visitors to remember and that will leave them wondering where exactly they are to enter the dashes.

- use an alternative domain name extensions as a last option. If you set up the one domain name, but someone already has, think about using or.biz like.net expansion. However, it should be your last resort. Web page addresses ending in.com are part of the oldest and most trusted domain extensions that are present from a web site went live on the worldwide web.