Your small business’s name is one of the most important parts of your business brand, as important as your logo and any other single aspect of your marketing. Here is a list of factors that make a business name a winner, as well as a list of things to avoid. Following these rules should get you on the right track.

Do:
Keep it simple. This will make your business name easier to remember and easier for customers to talk about. It will also eliminate countless hours of repeating and spelling your name. A short name fits better on all types of signage and allows more branding options.

Be original. Think about worldwide internet giant Google. Would they be as huge if they were named ‘Qwik-E-Search’? We’ll never know for sure, but the answer is ‘probably not’. Sometimes an original name is best because it is memorable and not associated with any other business.

Indicate your line of work or genre. It’s convenient for the customer if they can tell at the first contact exactly what your business does. Including this information in the name makes it easy. However, this pointer is not mandatory.

Stick with traditional or easy spellings and pronunciations. Again, you don’t want to have to spell your business name endlessly or, worse, have customers think that you are practically illiterate. Choose traditional spellings for a more professional feeling.

Don’t:

Use acronyms or abbreviations. These might make it easier to address labels, but it will keep customers from knowing what you really stand for. Also, it may create confusion if both your abbreviation and your full business name are both used.

Be socially unacceptable or offensive. These will only alienate members of the community as well as potential clientele. Depending on your area, an offensive business name might even be illegal. Always use the cleanest, most professional language.

Use your personal name as your business name. This is overdone, and it truly leaves no potential for growth. You can never take on a partner, sell your business, or move to a place in your life when you are not running the company 24/7. This is no solution, but rather a problem in itself.

There are a few do’s and don’ts that depend on your particular situation. For example, using a geographical name relevant to your location is appropriate only if you are planning on operating only in that region. If your business has potential to expand, a location name will only limit your growth to a finite location. Even if you plan to start with a small, local business, always leave room for growth.

As you can see, choosing a name is a delicate task that requires much more thought than it is commonly given. There are many factors to be considered as well as a long list of things to do and things not to do. If you have any questions about what kinds of names are right for your small business, ask a marketing consultant today.