A rose they say, by any other name would smell as sweet. But would you really want to give your true love a bright red phlegm? I know many of my students put a lot of thought into the name they want to run their business under, and I thought that this time of year, when so many are graduating, would be a good time to look at some tips to help you get just the right one. And it follows nicely from my article on branding (SEE IT HERE) last month.
Your own name or a trading name?
My therapy business is run under my own name, Debbie Waller
Hypnotherapy, and my training is under a trading name, Yorkshire Hypnotherapy
Training. You could choose to go either way but here are a few things to think
about first.
Advantages of working under your own name
- It establishes you as the face of the business, which can be
good for building rapport with clients.
- It’s easy for clients to remember when they make word-of-mouth referrals.
- It’s flexible if your business develops or goes in new
directions later.
- You could be easier to find online, especially if your name
is unusual.
- There isn’t an issue with copyright.
Advantages of working under a trading name
- It may feel more ‘professional’.
- It can be easier to find you online if there are a lot of
people who share your personal name, or if it is hard to spell.
- It doesn’t matter if you change your personal name for some reason (e.g., marriage or divorce).
- You can include an area (e.g. Mytown Hypnotherapy) which might help you perform better in local internet searches.
In the end, it comes down to personal choice and your
imagination. But remember that if you are a sole trader your business doesn't have a legal identity separate from yours. That means you must put your own name as well as your business name and contact details on official paperwork, for example, invoices and letters, so you can be identified for tax, insurance, and other similar purposes.
Restrictions on trading names
Be aware that if you do choose to work under a trading name,
there are some restrictions on the words you can use. These include those which are
the same or very close to someone else’s established trading name (e.g. a
corner shop named Singhsbury’s was forced by Sainsbury’s to change it), or
have legally defined uses (e.g. chemist, accredited, or limited).
The corner shop, by the way, was renamed Morrisinghs, apparently with the blessing of Morrisons. Perhaps they have more of a sense of humour, or maybe asking first is the way to go.
For more information on restricted words, or words that might need permission before use, see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/incorporation-and-names
My own best tips are to avoid:
- Joke or trendy names (which might offend or date). Frying Nemo might be good for a laugh for a fish and chip shop, but when you're dealing with mental health you need to show some sensitivity. Though problems can arise as times change – see THIS ARTICLE on the use of the name Isis which used to be very popular with beauty parlours!
- Words that are hard to spell or have several possible
spellings which might make you hard to find on Google searches.
- Going on from that, deliberate misspellings such as mynd instead of mind. Again, you will spend your life spelling them out to people, and may be hard to find on internet searches.
- Obscure references that are meaningful to you but have to be explained and spelled out to the majority of your clients. (My maiden name was like this and, believe me, it gets old very quickly.)
Choosing the perfect business name
Start by brainstorming three names you might like to trade
under, then:
- Google each of them and see if anyone else is using them. If
a sole trader at the other end of the country is using your preferred name,
it may not be a problem. After all, there's more than one hairdresser called 'A cut above'. However, if another local business or a national or
limited company is using it, it’s best to reject it to avoid being confused
with them.
- Search the UK Trademarks Register to check you’re not
infringing someone else’s intellectual property. https://www.gov.uk/search-for-trademark
- Search the Companies House website to ensure there is no
registered company with that name. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company-name-availability
- Check what domain names are available using your names; the
ideal domain is short, and easy to spell and give out over the phone. Domain names
which include .uk are thought to help Google place your site geographically. Most website hosting sites will help you check the variations that are available.
- Finally, take any names that have survived this process and
try them out on people you feel will fit your typical client profile to see
which they prefer.
You can always over-rule them if you have a strong preference but, as they are your prospective client base, it gives you some insight about what they like.
Please do post below and let me know your business name and
how you chose it.
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Author: Debbie Waller is an experienced hypnotherapist and hypnotherapy trainer. She is the author of The Hypnotherapist's Companion and Their Worlds, Your Words and a co-writer of the Hypnotherapy Handbook, all of which are available from Amazon.
Find out more about Debbie's services on
Yorkshire Hypnotherapy Training - multi accredited hypnotherapy practitioner training, taster days and foundation levels.
CPD Expert - accredited CPD and other therapy training (online and workshops options), expert and qualified hypnotherapy supervision
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