1) The Business Name Is Not Memorable
2) The Business Name Is Taken
3) Target Audience Is Ignored
4) SEO Is Not Considered
5) Business Name Reflects You And Not Your Brand
6) Business Has A City or County Name
7) Don’t Get Feedback With Your Target Audience
Making your business name memorable can be a key factor in establishing brand recognition and building a successful business. You can consider adding puns or business names that sounds cool.
Puns and alliteration can make a name more memorable, as they stick in people’s minds. Here are some examples of business names that use puns:
• The Bake-A-Boo Bakery
• The Cheesy Grin Cheese Shop
• The Coffee Rave Café
• The Fruity Peek Fruit Shop
• The Hair Raiser Hair Salon
• The Nail Biter Nail Salon
• The Paint Tastic Painting Services
• The Pet’s Pajama Party Pet Store
• The Pizza My Heart Pizzeria
• The Scoop of the Crop Ice Cream Shop
Puns can be a fun and memorable way to name your business, but it’s important to make sure that the pun is not too cheesy or difficult to understand.
Consider the sound of the name: Names with rhythm and rhyme are often easier to remember. For instance, here are some examples of business names that rhyme:
• The Bloom Room Florist
• The Brush Rush Art Supply Store
• The Clean Scene Cleaning Services
• The Dream Team Ice Cream Shop
• The Flash Dash Photography Studio
• The Groom Room Pet Grooming
• The Homey Combo Home Decor Store
• The Joy Toy Toy Store
• The Nice Spice Spice Shop
• The Sweet Treat Bakery
You can go to https://www.rhymezone.com and enter your main keywords to find something that will rhyme with your business name.
Finally, remember to keep your business name “simple”. Avoid complex or overly long names that can be difficult for customers to recall or share with others. People can’t remember your business if the name is too difficult to pronounce or it’s a tongue twister.
This is perhaps one of the most important things when choosing a business name. Make sure the name you choose is available as a website domain name, and also check if the name is trademarked by another business. You can check the availability of a business name by following these steps:
1. Conduct a web search: Start by searching for the proposed name on the internet to see if there are any existing businesses or organizations using the same or a similar name.
2. Search for trademarked names: Check the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website to see if the name is already trademarked or if there are any similar trademarks.
3. Check with your state government: Most states have a database of registered business names, so you can check if your desired name is already in use in your state.
4. Check domain availability: Check if the desired name is available as a domain name by visiting websites such as GoDaddy.com or Namecheap.com.
5. Consult a business formation service: Some online legal services, such as LegalZoom, can check the availability of your desired business name and assist you in registering it.
6. Be unique and try to choose a name that sets you apart from the competition and is memorable to customers.
It’s important to thoroughly research the availability of a name before officially registering your business. This can help avoid potential legal issues in the future, and ensure that your business name is unique and can be used by your company. The last thing you want is to invest lots of time, energy, and money into your business to later find out that someone else has the same business name as you. We’ve seen situations where businesses have to start with a brand new business name, because of a dispute over an existing or very similar business name.
Choose a name that appeals to your target audience and resonates with them. Choosing a business name that targets your audience is an important step in building a successful brand. Here are some tips to help you choose a business name that resonates with your target audience:
1. Know your audience: Consider who your target customers are, what they value, and what type of image they associate with your industry.
2. Use keywords: Consider incorporating keywords related to your products or services into your business name, to make it easier for potential customers to find you when searching online.
3. Be descriptive: A descriptive name can give customers a better idea of what your business does and what it offers.
4. Consider cultural references: If your target audience has a particular cultural background or interests, consider using a reference that will resonate with them.
By considering these factors and testing different names, you can choose a business name that effectively targets your audience and helps you build a strong brand.
Consider SEO When Choosing A Business Name
If you plan to have your business online, consider choosing a name that can help improve your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important consideration when choosing a business name because it can have an impact on your online visibility and search engine rankings. Here’s why you should consider SEO when choosing a business name:
1. Keyword relevance: If you include keywords related to your products or services in your business name, it can help improve your search engine rankings for those terms, making it easier for potential customers to find you online.
2. Brand recognition: A business name that is memorable and easily recognizable can help improve brand recognition and make it easier for customers to find your website when searching for your business online.
3. Domain name availability: If you choose a business name that is similar to an existing website or domain name, it can create confusion for customers and harm your SEO efforts. By choosing a unique business name, you can ensure that you can secure a matching domain name and prevent any potential SEO issues.
4. Competitor differentiation: Choosing a business name that sets you apart from your competitors can help improve your SEO and make it easier for customers to find you online.
By considering SEO when choosing your business name, you can help ensure that your business is easily discoverable online and that your brand is memorable and recognizable to your target audience.
Consider your brand values. Your business name should reflect the values and mission of your brand. Think about what sets your brand apart from others and what makes it unique. Use descriptive language. A descriptive business name can give customers a clear idea of what your business does and what it offers. For example, I once met a business named “Enterprise Pro Team”. Can you guess what services they offered? Well it turns out they were in the moving business. The problem with this is that people don’t know what the business offers. Moreover, the search engines take into consideration the keywords within the business name when ranking businesses for local search. Also, avoid using industry jargon or terms that may not be familiar to your target audience. We also recommend you don’t use your last name in the business name. You want to make your business is about your brand and not you. Moreover, it can become more difficult to sell your business if your business has built a brand around you instead of your mission, vision, and core values of your company.
There are several reasons why you might not want to include a city name in your business name:
1. Limited geographic reach: Including a city name in your business name can limit your reach if you want to expand beyond that city or if you want to target customers in other locations. We’ve had this situation happen several times with our clients. They’ll grow their business and will want to expand their business to other nearby cities. However, the customers of nearby cities feel reluctant to work with businesses
2. Location-based biases: People may associate certain stereotypes or biases with a city, which can impact how they perceive your business.
3. Outdated information: If you move your business or expand to new locations, having a city name in your business name can make it difficult to update your branding and marketing materials.
4. Confusion with other businesses: If there are other businesses in the same city with similar names, it can cause confusion for customers and make it difficult for your business to stand out.
5. Potential for legal issues: If there is already a business in another city with the same or a similar name, you may face legal issues over the use of the name.
It’s important to consider these factors and weigh the potential benefits and drawbacks of including a city name in your business name before making a decision.
Once you’ve chosen a few potential names, test them with friends, family, and potential customers to -get feedback and see which ones resonate best. We’ve had several customers post their top five business names on social media groups. We had one client do this and he got over 150 comments. People love to put in their own two cents when it comes to these things. Moreover, it’s free advertising for your new business.
Now it’s your turn! When you are in the brainstorming process just write down anything that comes to mind no matter how dumb or silly it might seem at the moment. You can later use the checklist above and use the process of elimination. People often stare at a blank piece of paper for hours because they shut down any idea that comes to mind. You’ll want to make sure to just write even if it’s nonsense. Congratulations you now have a list of business names! Here are couple of questions you’ll want to ask yourself to help narrow it down.
1) Is it memorable?
2) Is it taken?
3) Will my target audience understand what I offer?
4) Does it include the main keyword of what I offer?
5) Does it reflect my brand or am I using my last name?
6) Does it have a city or county name?
7) Did I get feedback from my target audience?
If you need help with this process, then feel free to contact us at 559-553-5000. We have met with over 3000 business owners and are very familiar with the process to help you come up with a business name that works for you. Once you’ve chosen a business name, then give us a call so we can help you with your logo, website, and marketing. Here is another great article on how to take advantage of many free marketing tools online.
