What's in a name?

[Onthebrightside]

Does it matter what you call you company? Clearly you don't want to call it 'Shit Bucket Consultants' (unless of course your flogging buckets of shit) but say you are Mr Smith and you want to start a planning company. In terms of development and online presence would you:

1. Go for something that leaves you able to expand to offer other services later, like: 'Smiths'
OR
2. Make sure you define what you do so it gets picked up by search engines, like: 'Smiths Planning Consultants'

What bearing does it have online for search engines, is it better or not better do you think for Mr. Smith to have 'Planning' in the website name? Does anyone know of any tests or search results that give any information on that?

Thank you for any help anyone can give.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Many years ago I was floating around the industry and was known in the local transport industry and other local businesses
When I set up I knew what to call it as local business already knew me

I the old days people would aim to call their company A to B or Aaab Consultants as it would always be at the top in the Yellow Pages

 

[fisicx]

Call the company anything you like. Keep it generic. Seems to work for Amazon.

 

[Mark T Jones]

As with all things marketing

Who are you aiming for?

What are you trying to convey?

How are you trying to reach them?

Simple search terms can be effective- possibly geographical more than names 'Surrey Planning'

On the other hand, if your businessis all about you and your skills, you should probably attach your name

Don't worry about missing out, worry about getting your target today - you can extend terms as you go along

 

[fisicx]

Simple search terms can be effective- possibly geographical more than names 'Surrey Planning'

This is great until the business wants to expand and do building surveys. A generic company name with a tagline or 'trading as' can work better. For example: 'on the bright side ltd' who has a website called 'surreyplanning.com'

 

[Onthebrightside]

Many years ago I was floating around the industry and was known in the local transport industry and other local businesses
When I set up I knew what to call it as local business already knew me

I the old days people would aim to call their company A to B or Aaab Consultants as it would always be at the top in the Yellow Pages

Agree with you. Apparently, 'Apple' previously the Apple Computer company: Steve jobs said in a 1980 presentation that they gave Apple the name partly because he liked apples, and “partially because Apple is ahead of Atari in the phone book” Atari was a competitor at the time. There is also some reference to bytes (i.e. bites of an apple) but I can see that confirmed anywhere.

 

[Onthebrightside]

As with all things marketing

Who are you aiming for?

What are you trying to convey?

How are you trying to reach them?

Simple search terms can be effective- possibly geographical more than names 'Surrey Planning'

On the other hand, if your businessis all about you and your skills, you should probably attach your name

Don't worry about missing out, worry about getting your target today - you can extend terms as you go along

These words are sage I feel, because you can always alter the name afterwards. Get you feet under you for what you specialise in and you can always branch out later.

 

[fisicx]

These words are sage I feel, because you can always alter the name afterwards. Get you feet under you for what you specialise in and you can always branch out later.

You can change a trading name but not the company name.

And changing the name later may affect all your marketing materials, website, SEO and how people remember you. Which is why something generic (or just your name) may be better in the long run.

 

[Onthebrightside]

This is great until the business wants to expand and do building surveys. A generic company name with a tagline or 'trading as' can work better. For example: 'on the bright side ltd' who has a website called 'surreyplanning.com'

Yeah, I get that. Good idea. So a generic name for companies house and then a website which is more targeted as @Mark T Jones suggests to start with, because once you've got you market and built up your name you can always 'rebrand' later.

 

[Ozzy]

I've got a slightly different angle, purhaps driving slightly by the last tread here I just contributed to about selling a business.

I'm not a fan of 'trading as' for Limited Companies starting out, it becomes that as you expand perhaps.
If you have an opportunity to choose a name that you can build as a brand, pretty much as @fisicx has said above, then do it and go for something that roles off the tongue and invest in brand building. Exactly as you mention with Apple.

 

[Mark T Jones]

This is great until the business wants to expand and do building surveys. A generic company name with a tagline or 'trading as' can work better. For example: 'on the bright side ltd' who has a website called 'surreyplanning.com'

TBH in my experience start ups tend to get bogged down worring what may happen in the future rather than cracking on with today.

On the other hand, as i said, it really does depend on the customer and the overall plan

 

[Mark T Jones]

I've got a slightly different angle, purhaps driving slightly by the last tread here I just contributed to about selling a business.

I'm not a fan of 'trading as' for Limited Companies starting out, it becomes that as you expand perhaps.
If you have an opportunity to choose a name that you can build as a brand, pretty much as @fisicx has said above, then do it and go for something that roles off the tongue and invest in brand building. Exactly as you mention with Apple.

The single best decision I ever made in business was moving away from my generic brand 'Business Funding Portal' and into the far more specific Fit Out Finance

Given the nature of finance, it wasn't just about getting business, but avoiding rubbish/desperate business

Without any online spend, the website generates more meaningful leads than any other broker i speak to.

Some say its limiting. Actually it's huge- I'll never even scrape the surface of the market.

Meanwhile, I still get approached for car finance and other things under that brand.

 

[Onthebrightside]

The single best decision I ever made in business was moving away from my generic brand 'Business Funding Portal' and into the far more specific Fit Out Finance

Given the nature of finance, it wasn't just about getting business, but avoiding rubbish/desperate business

Without any online spend, the website generates more meaningful leads than any other broker i speak to.

Some say its limiting. Actually it's huge- I'll never even scrape the surface of the market.

Meanwhile, I still get approached for car finance and other things under that brand.

So to clarify, you're saying that making sure your company name hooks the right client your fishing for is key?

 

[Mark T Jones]

So to clarify, you're saying that making sure your company name hooks the right client your fishing for is key?

In this case, yes.

 

[Gecko001]

If you are looking for clients to put trust in you, then put your own name in the title. "Fred Bloggs, Architectural and Planning Services" is a very common type of trading name. I would avoid "consultant" to me honest as it is too general and everybody seems to use it nowadays and as a result means nothing.

 

[fisicx]

The single best decision I ever made in business was moving away from my generic brand 'Business Funding Portal' and into the far more specific Fit Out Finance

Is that the name of the business/website or the company? Or both?

I have a company but all my websites are highly targeted with only a passing reference to the company name.