Choosing a good business name is one of the most important things you will do in getting your business off to a good start.

First, you need to answer the following questions:

• 1. What is the average age of the customer you want to sell to?
• 2. What is the product you want to sell?
• 3. Will you want to sell other things in other categories later?
• 4. Are you selling locally, or are you selling nationally, or internationally?
• 5. What is your business style - creative, traditional, funky, personal, etc?
• 6. What is the most important thing you want to tell people about your business...how is it different than your competitors?

Take those answers and use them to figure out what words will best fit the way you want to do business. Figure out which aspects are most important.

For example, if you are marketing a product or service primarily to older people, you want a name that is more conservative. If you market to young people, a trendy name would be more effective, though it may be limited in long term usefulness.

Choose a name that at least hints at your product or service. If you plan to market a wide range of things, then you need to choose a name that reflects that. If you market only a single product, then the name can be more specific.

Here is our number one business name tip:

That sounds so simple, but it WORKS. Browse through the dictionary, and make a list of all the words you find that fit the business the way you want it to. Don't worry about making them go together, just pick words. Pay attention to the subtle differences in words.

Once you have your list, you may want to use a Thesaurus if you need a different word for one that almost, but not quite, works.

Once you have a collection of words, begin to make them into phrases, or two word combinations. The most effective business names are short - no more than three words - and very direct. You can go a little abstract for a dash of panache if you like, our business name does that, but keep it so that the name can easily be associated with the product in the mind of the customer.

Remember, your business name may be all the customer sees of your business in some instances, and is always the one thing that people need to remember if they are to be a repeat customer. If that is all they see or hear, what is the impression you want to leave?

Legal Issues

There are legal issues with a business name. You can go here to check to see if the business name you want is taken on a national level:

http://www.uspto.gov/

Go to your State website and look there for a registry of corporate names or trade names. Do a search for the name you want and see if it is taken.

Generally, common words can be used in different combinations, as long as the entire name is different enough to avoid confusion. Unique words, or single word names cannot be the same, or you may be sued for trade name infringement.

You may choose to register your name or not. If you operate a sole proprietorship, you may not be required to do so. If you register a corporation or a partnership,most states require that you also register your trade name. If you are not required to do so, and do not do so, you are taking the risk that someone else will register the name, and you will be forced to change your business name, or possibly defend the use of it in court.

Your business name is your introduction to your customers. Choosing one that gives a good first impression can go a long way in simplifying advertising in the long run.

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