Should You Use Your Name For Your Business?

Your business name is usually the first thing you think of when starting a business. It is also the first thing a customer sees or hears when they encounter your business, so it’s important to get it right. Some tend to use their own name, opting for a more personal touch and while this is definitely a great option (I should know), sometimes it’s just not meant to be. So how do you know if your name is suitable for your business?

1. Does your name suit the market?

The first and probably the most simple way to see if your name works is to look at your market. If your last name is Valentine for example and you want to open a hardware store, it’s probably not going to work. Not that Valentine is a bad last name but it just doesn’t suit the masculine hardware market. If you were opening a florist however, PERFECT! Look at how people perceive certain industries and see if your name aligns with that perception. You want to make a good first impression.

2. Is your name easy to spell and pronounce?

Now this is nothing against people with exotic last names but when you are trying to apply that on a business level, you need something that won’t get lost in translation. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful forms of marketing so don’t make it like Chinese whispers. It also helps when people are looking you up online. A hard to spell name can make it difficult to search your business accurately and could actually send your customers to someone else’s site. 

When using your own name, look past the sentimental value of it and look at it from a business perspective. You don’t want your name to be your business’s downfall.