{  Consider This When Naming Your Business  }

GETTING A GOOD NAME
by Ann Jensen Warman

Antoine, Nord, Tina, Coca Cola, Nike, FedEx… What do these names convey? Identity, personality, uniqueness? In the best scenario, yes, we want all of that in a business name. But, consider this.

On the telephone, business greetings are often spoken quickly. Faster than lightening you may recite the company name, followed by your personal name. Does the rapid staccato of pronunciation lend confusion to your business identity?

For example:

You say "Abby Emm Computers" and they hear IBM Computers.

You say "visit our website at www.Grate-A-Pear.com," but it’s spelled "GreatAuPairs.com."

Someone says "our url is www.BlueMadisonLodge.com," but we hear BlueMedicineLogs.com.

If every time you say the url, you also have to spell it out and repeat it, sometimes twice, the name's uniqueness may wear off.

TYPE IT ALL -- OH, MY GOSH!
Let’s imagine your business name is McKindraly, Leftlerzmit, and Rubenmartonya Associates. When brandUNITY begins designing your firm's website, we find that the url www.McKLRA.com is taken. Try typing this out a hundred times:

rjw@McKindralyLeftlerzmitandRubenmartonyaAssociates

By function, domain names are pointers to websites on the internet; they are also identity elements for businesses, appearing on business cards, letterhead, print collateral, and in the email return field of every email you send.

The best domain names reinforce your business identity and are easily remembered and typed by your prospects. Think short.

YOU BUY THE NAME, YOU OWN IT, right?
Another thing to consider. Buying your domain name on the internet is an important step to launching your website. But, just because the name wasn't in use when you bought internet rights to it, doesn't guarantee that you have the legal trademark ownership of it.

If the domain name conflicts with a strong, pre-existing trademark owned by another company, it could cause legal problems if the already established trademark owner challenges your usage. Remember the situation of MikeRoeSoft.com versus Microsoft?

Brand is the most valuable asset that your business owns; select your marks wisely and protect them.