How Do I Decide What to Name My Design Business?
The decision of what to name your design business is a major one. It is also not an easy thing to do, even for creative professionals. What follows is a guide to help designers decide on a name for their new business.
What Is Your Niche?
What you name your design business should reflect your niche and what services you offer. If it is difficult for customers to figure out what you do, you will likely not attract the business you want. Consider what your values are in opening this business and what you want to be known for. Consider what type of design work you are going to do, and for whom. For example, you may choose to go into designing book covers for independent authors working in a specific genre, such as science fiction. Your business name will represent you, so you want to ensure you make a clear, good first impression.
Is The Name Catchy and Easy To Remember?
You want any name you choose for your business to be easy to spell and remember, and preferably catchy as well. Remember to consider your target audience and use the words that will attract your ideal clients. Consider your competitors and see what they have chosen to name their businesses. This can give you a good idea of what kinds of business names are standard or trending in the design industry. Options include utilizing your name (or your name and your business partner’s name), compound/mash-up words, stylized verbs/nouns, and more.
Come Up With Many Options
Once you have a general idea of what your business is going to be (for example, a web design business catering to small tech startups), start generating ideas. You want to go for quantity rather than quality at the beginning. Different ideas will build on one another until you come up with the perfect option. You can use a thesaurus for synonyms and have brainstorming sessions with your business partners. If you are coming up with it yourself, ask your family, friends, and potential customers what they think of your top options. Choose your favorite, catchiest name from your ideas, and then continue with the process of setting up your business.
Is The Name Taken?
You should avoid naming your design business after any other business. This is especially important for trademark reasons. You cannot copyright a name, but you can register a trademark, which can include your stylized name as a logo. Choosing a unique name will allow you to legally trademark your business later, or initially, if that is the best decision. Avoiding taken names will prevent customer confusion and keep other companies from forcing you to stop using the name. You should also check to ensure you can get the website URL and customized e-mail addresses you want. Once you have decided on a name and determined it is not already taken, you can proceed to register your business officially. This is usually done at both the state and federal level. You can obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for official tax purposes. Ensure you possess all other required permits and licenses to do business.
By following these steps, you should have a less difficult time selecting a name and setting up your design business. Be sure to “future-proof” your name so it will not seem outdated in the future. When you decide what to name your design business, your business will be off to the right start.
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