What’s In A Name?
Coming up with business-names-ideas can really get frustrating. Gone are the days of just using your last name and attaching “Handyman Service” at the end of it. If you want to maximize your advertising dollar you’ve got to get online. When it comes to your business name…you’ve got a website to think about. You need to ask yourself a few questions. Is my URL going to be too long? Will I have any “keywords” in my name? How are people going to find me? That last one is the real question, isn’t it?
There are many things to consider before you Choose a business name. Business planning is the most important thing you can do so consider naming your business part of the planning process and not a starting point.
If you are using a fictitious business-name then you must also file a “DBA” with your state. Before deciding on a handyman business name ideas, you need to do some homework to make sure you aren’t using someone else’s registered or unregistered trademark name or something similar. DBA simply means “Doing Business As”. You can incorporate yourself…say you plan to expand into different areas…and name you company “Smith Enterprises LLC” DBA “Hanks Handyman Co. This way, instead of applying for a new business license for every business…all you have to do is file a DBA. Smith Enterprises LLC could also be selling widgets on the Internet DBA…wonderfulwidgets.com
When checking to see if your name is already being used, you can start with a search of your favorite Internet search engines such as Google or Yahoo. Some states may even have a Fictitious Name database so check with your county clerk’s office to see if your desired name is already taken. Another great free resource for finding unregistered trademarks is the Thomas Register Website at thomasnet.com
Don’t get wrapped around the axle here with business-names-ideas. If your name is Hank, you can call you company “Hank’s Handyman Service.” Keep in mind that it might make it harder to sell when you’re ready to retire, to anyone not named Hank. Using your name may give your company the appearance of a small local service which isn’t a bad thing. It doesn’t mean that you won’t look professional. If you have a reliable vehicle with a magnetic sign or a van with your logo painted on the side you can still be a professional.
If you’re goal is to grow your handyman business as large as possible then don’t compromise on your business-name-ideas. Here are some points to consider when choosing a name for a service company:
1.Use a first initial that’s early in the alphabet. Eventually your company’s name will appear in an alphabetical list. Better to come in at the top of this list than at the bottom. Imagine that you’ve decided to attend a local home trade show with 250 exhibitors. Do you want to be in the first 30 or the last 30 of that list?
2.Make sure you choose a name that has an Internet domain that is available. Even if you’re not ready to start a web page, you can reserve your domain name for about $10 a year. If you plan to have a web presence, consider doing what I’ve done with this web site. I decided to have my site Powered by Site Build It because of all the tools they have that help you pick a name that not only goes will with your company but has “keywords” that will help it grow on the Internet as well.
If you’re not there yet you can go to http://www.Godaddy.com or http://www.Register.com to reserve your domain name now. You can even register three or four names that will give you some flexibility when you’re ready to start your online presence.
3.Avoid the use of numbers. People won’t remember to use numerals (123) or to spell out the number (one, two, three).
4.Sound different but logical. This may sound next to impossible since the only way to get the point across about what you do is to use the word “Handyman” in your name. Get creative to set yourself apart from the other companies out there. If your dead set about not using Handyman in your name, think about what you do. Your company does home repair, home maintenance, and the honey-do-list, etc.