Help! I Don't Know What to Name My BusinessWritten by Debbie LaChusa
If you are just starting your business, or if you have just developed a new product or service for an existing business, one of first questions you need to answer is, "What should I name it?" And while you may feel pressure to make this decision quickly, I caution you to not make it lightly. What kind of things should you take into consideration when choosing a name?Don't Use Your Own Name Well, first of all, use a name other than your own name. I often see service business professionals opening up shop and simply using their name, and title of service they offer. For example: Joe Smith, Accountant. I made this mistake myself, early on in my business, operating as Debbie LaChusa, Marketing Consultant. Why don't I recommend this? Because your name means absolutely nothing to your prospects. Often you only have a split second to get a prospect's attention. Make most of that split second by having a name that communicates something of value about your business. Or a name that tells your prospects what your business is all about, or represents a benefit you offer, or how you deliver your service differently or better than your competitors. Create A Meaningful Name for Your Business When I was operating without a business name, I remember calling prospects and clients, and having receptionist ask, "Debbie with what company?" I realized relatively soon that if I wanted to be taken seriously, and I wanted to be quickly understood, I needed a company name. I was trying to build a business after all, and I wanted people to recognize who I was and what I offered. So I started using name, DLC Marketing and I incorporated to make it official. Now I at least had a real business name, and when I contacted prospects they took me seriously. It was amazing difference it made in number and caliber of clients I was able to land. All of a sudden, I was a company, not an individual. Mind you, nothing else had changed. My services were still same. I still worked out of my home. I still did not have a staff (although I had to hire partners to help out with all of work!). But suddenly I came across differently when calling on prospects.
| | How To Market Effectively Even If No One Understands What You DoWritten by Debbie LaChusa
So how do you effectively market your product or service when one knows anything about them because you're in a new and emerging industry? How can you expect to get customers if no one understands what it is that you do?If this is your situation then a big part of your marketing strategy will need to be educating consumers about what you do. If yours is a field that is relatively new, or perhaps misunderstood, adopting an education strategy can help consumers understand benefits you provide and feel more comfortable with idea of purchasing your products or services. Educational marketing is best done through vehicles where you have space or time to fully explain your product or service and benefits it provides. Or perhaps even to debunk some common misconceptions. Publishing a newsletter or Ezine, or writing a regular newspaper or magazine column are great ways to educate and generate positive awareness.
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