Choosing a business name; tips and guidelines

Surprisingly, one thing that might drive you out of your mind as you plan out your fashion business is your business name. Choosing a business name is vital to the success of a business and can be quite stressful. Don’t try to be too clever or funny with your name; as much as a fashion business is a creative and fun endeavor, the name you choose should convey uniqueness, value and expertise. Some experts believe that the best names are abstract while others think that names should be informative and straightforward. There are others that believe that coined names (made up words) are more memorable. Your brand, primarily, will guide your choice in name and desired impact.

So, a lot of consideration is required when thinking about a name for both marketing and legal purposes. Ultimately, your name is a powerful branding tool and needs to reflect your business identity for the now and long-term.  Fortunately, fashion businesses may have a lot more creative leeway when it comes to business names although identity, longevity and branding remain key. Here are some tips in picking your business name.

A name that communicates your business

In naming your company, your first consideration should be what you want your name to communicate. A business name should not be overly complicated, hard to pronounce or spell. People prefer words they can relate to. However, in choosing your name, you have to figure out what makes your business unique, what you want your business to be known for and with that come up with a name that makes you stand out. Your name should describe the type of business you are. Most fashion designers tend to use their own name, which is perfectly acceptable, especially if you have a unique name. Still, there are many other fashion businesses that have names derived from what products they offer. That said, your business should make the business name and not the other way around.[bctt tweet=”Your business should make the business name and not the other way around. #BusinessTalk #TDSvoices”]

Avoid copying Competitor’s name

The importance of lengthy research before settling on a name is best expressed in this segment. Whatever your company name will eventually be, it has to be original. Your name can’t be similar to another company, especially an already popular company. Copying another name is also in bad taste and demonstrates lack of originality in the actual conceptualization of your brand and company. This will not only help you avoid trademark infringement or a lawsuit but also make sure your business isn’t confused with another. Thus, you can use the web to check if your business name is already taken and/or if in Kenya, submit names to be searched with the Company Registry in Sheria House or online with e-registry Business License portal hyperlink. You can look to your competitors to serve as inspiration as you try to come up with another name. When you have successfully chosen a name, you may choose to protect and trademark your own business name to avoid brand confusion and name theft (it’s a reality). Just note that trademarking your name does not protect your products unless you have trademarked each product.

Getting a domain name

In naming your business, one factor that can help you start striking out potential names is the domain name in terms of whether your name is web-ready or not. Most probably, you will want a website page for your business since the web is a great marketing tool. So, no matter how brilliant you think your name idea is, if you can’t make it work and memorable as a web address or URL, you are back to the start.

It is important that your domain name is reflective of your business name. As a result, you need to make sure that your business name is unique enough to be available. Moreover, the domain should rich in key words that illustrate what your business does. So if in doing your research, you find that you can’t get a domain name that matches you business name in any way, it’s probably time to get back to the drawing board.

Find out more on the link between your name and domain: “Is Your Business Name Friendly?”

[bctt tweet=”When it comes to business names, identity, longevity and branding remain key. #BusinesTalk #TDSvoices”]

Enlist help and advice

Coming up with a good business name is a pretty complex process but you can always seek help. Although, ultimately, the business name is up to you, there is no harm is asking for advice from friends or other entrepreneurs. There are also experts out there who can help you come up with a name that may influence the success of your business. These experts have elaborate systems to creating new names and can help you avoid trademark infringement. Still, they are quite expensive and they should be considered as a last resort, especially if you are a small business just starting out.

Register Your Business Name

Here is a checklist to look through before going to register your name.

• How will your name look on a logo, social media or poster?
• What does your name communicate?
• Is it unique?
• Is it simple to pronounce and to read?
• Is it web-ready?
• Is your name too obscure, gimmicky or misguiding?

Finally, after making sure that your business name is legally appropriate and suitable, you will need to register your business name. Registering your name in Kenya is not a very complex process with options to do it online or manually. If you prefer not do it online, the process involves writing a letter to the Company Registry to find out more on the process click here.

Don’t limit yourself

Finding a name for your business is a fun process more so since your business is fashion. So, don’t limit yourself, you are in a special position to be as creative as you wish staying true to your brand and identity. However, other companies or firms take anywhere from six weeks to six months trying to come up with a name, so there are plenty of things to consider. Your name is your brand and has the potential to become a household name someday.

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