Small Business Blog

(c) 2009 Marcia Yudkin

“Your business name must be bold.” Look around the Internet,
and you’ll often find this advice. Your business name must grab
people’s attention. Sometimes this is a valid guideline,
especially if you are in the entertainment, gadget or fashion
industries. Too often, however, I see this rule lead business
owners to strain for an unusual name, just for the sake of
attention. And the very unusualness of the name then becomes a
serious liability.

More ordinary names can sometimes work out much better than
far-fetched ones. Here are two examples of this phenomenon.

When Susan Friedmann of Lake Placid, New York went out on her
own, she christened her new company Diadem Communications.
“Diadem means crown – a fitting name for what I felt was a
crowning achievement,” she recalls.

Unfortunately, however, the name meant nothing to potential
customers. Most were unfamiliar with the word diadem and did not
ask what it meant. Many didn’t know how to pronounce it. More
importantly, it did not clue them in on Susan’s specialty -
helping companies get results from exhibiting at trade shows.

“Going by name alone, no one would be able to determine the
least bit of information about me, my company or the services we
offer,” she says.

Susan’s new company name, The Trade Show Coach, communicates her
expertise instantly. “I knew I needed a name that said what I
did without people having to try and work it out.” No longer
does she need to explain her business focus after introducing
herself and her company.

Graphic designer/web designer Eileen Parzek also decided she had
made a mistake by getting too creative in her business name. For
years, she went by the company name SOHO It Goes. Her tag line:
Helping Small Businesses Make a Big Impression.

“Since I live in New York State, people assumed I meant Soho,
the neighborhood in New York City rather than Small Office/Home
Office,” she explains. “In addition, because I had to explain
the name to everyone I met, that was an extra hurdle to being
remembered.”

She now does business under the name Business Design Studio.
“Even though it’s boring, I’ve gotten really good feedback so
far on the new name. People understand it the first time they
hear or see it,” Eileen says. “And now when I leave a voice
mail message or introduce myself, people ‘get it.’ What a
joy!”

Before you reach deep for a highly original, offbeat name,
consider whether something more straightforward can better help
you reach your business goals. Sometimes, a name that is simple
and clear is best.

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Marcia Yudkin is Head Stork of Named At Last, a company that
brainstorms creative business names, product names and tag lines
for clients.  For a systematic process of coming up with an
appealing and effective name or tag line, download a free copy of
“19 Steps to the Perfect Company Name, Product Name or Tag Line”
at http://www.namedatlast.com/19steps.htm

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