It’s about what is appropriate for your business, not your personal preference.
Market Research
You may already have some idea of what you would like to name your business. At this stage, it’s best to write down your current ideas—and then set them aside and start from scratch. Begin by determining your target audience. Research and determine if your product or service geared towards a specific gender, income level, industry, or region. You may find that you yourself are not in your target audience. Your business name needs to be geared towards those you are trying to attract—and not necessarily what your favorite name is. Also take into account how professional or casual you want your business to be perceived. Do you want a friendly, approachable company or a respected, corporate feel? By determining your target audience, market, and look and feel first, you are choosing your name based on what is best for your company—and not what your personal preference is.
Brainstorm
Now that you have narrowed down your audience, research and list as many names as you can. There are several business-naming websites that are great resources, including Panabee and Namestation. At this point, just try to write as many names as you can. No idea is a bad idea in the brainstorming stage! Once you have a lengthy list, begin to narrow down names and ideas. Focus on 3-5 names to research further. A good name is one that is easy to spell, easy to remember, and tells something about your business. This article has some great tips on what not to do when naming your business.
Domains and Social Media
Using your 3-5 candidates for a name, begin researching their availability. Your website domain is the most important factor when choosing your final name. You want a domain that is easy to remember and that has a .com address. The best domains are ones that are the name of the company, so that customers can find it easily. If your dream business name’s domain is already taken, it may be time to move to your second or third choice. It is better to have a domain that matches your company’s name rather than one that has a great name but a confusing and disconnected domain.
Once you’ve researched your domain, make sure that social media platforms are also available. You can purchase most domains here.
Register
Congratulations! You have chosen a name for your business, purchased the correct domain, and signed up for social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at the least). Now it’s time to register your company with your state and the IRS. You can find more information on registering your business here.
President and founder of DVI, Aaron Boerger realized early in life that he had a unique combination of x-ray vision and business acumen for seeing the weaknesses that held businesses back – and the ability to define the right tools, technology and strategy to make them stronger.
From founding a successful technology support business in his early teens, to serving as Chief Operating Officer for several companies in the financial, technology and marketing industries, Aaron has developed a reputation for reinventing technology implementation tactics – and the willingness to tell people not what they want to hear, but what they need to hear, in order to achieve success without overwhelm.
Aaron will always go the extra mile to provide the accountability and support his clients need to achieve their goals, yet isn’t afraid to tell them when they are doing something wrong.