The Name Game (with apologies to Shirley Ellis)

 By I.J. Hudson

What’s in a name?  Not much, if you look at the names of businesses.

Sure, folks like Apple, Nike and others have worked hard.  But I'm talking about the people who are getting started and need every break they can get.  

If you’ve got an instantly recognizable name,  using it as the business name is just fine – if people like you and know what you do.

But if your name recognition doesn’t pin the needle, don’t call yourself the John Smith Group or John Smith & Associates.   People suspect your group is pretty small and that John Smith, the CEO, President, Founder, Chief Marketing Officer, and the guy who cleans the office (kitchen table) are one and the same person.

But the most important reason not to just use your name for the business is that it doesn’t say anything about what you do – what problems you solve – what magic you perform – what secret sauce you provide.

Full disclosure – my business (very much on the side because I have a fulltime job) is called I.J. Hudson, LLC.  In my defense, I was a television news reporter for 32 years and my name still carries a tiny bit lot of weight in certain (shrinking) circles. What do I do?  Occasional media training, messaging and what my wife tells me to do.

Think about your company name.  What does it say?  What am I going to remember when I look at your card?  Will it stand out or just fade into the background while another name grabs my attention?