Business Name Help ...

[Gem89]

Hi,

Im new to the forum and am starting my own handmade jewellery business,
i know what products i want to market and i know my target audience etc - i know what i want the brand to look like in terms of packaging but i have no ideas on names ....

I am looking for a "brand name" so its not specifically aimed at jewellery so theres always room to expand if i feel the need to do so. Im not using just one material so its hard to base it on that.

I like the sound of Chlo-Bo which is what inspired me - and thats the type of name i would like to go for.

Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks
Gemma x

[Indizine]

If you're having a website, think of a name that is also easy to spell, and memorable and without a hyphen. Obviously whatever name you think of, check the availability of both the .co.uk and the .com

[wood1e]

Without knowing what you might intend to do in terms of product lines, it would be hard to come up with a good name for the company name/brand name for a shop!!

Although the company name could be simply Gemma's Stuff limited. replacing stuff for something more suitable.

As for a domain name for your website then I would go for something that is keyword strong. And just in case your brand goes global then buy and park the brand names domain name as well...for future use.

[accountantpete]

Hi Gem - re names you want to avoid a name which is the same or similar to an existing business name especially if they are in the same trade.Check out local yellow pages etc and then existing domain names.

Also check whether any ltd companies have that name at this link http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/77...essCompanyInfo

[WinningNames]

Your name needs to resonate with your target audience. You say you know who they are. Well, tell us and then our suggestions will be tailored to the right group.

To me, the sound of Chlo-Bo suggests youthfulness and hip-hop. However, it has several disadvantages. First, as Indizine said, a name needs to be easy to spell. Many people, if they just heard the 'word' Chlo-Bo, wouldn't know what to type as the URL - Clo, Beau, Bow etc. Chlo reminds me of bleach (chlorine, Chlorox etc). If your name's Chloe, then that's different, as people who know your name will associate Chlo with that.

If you're appealing to trendy young people then a name like Chlo-Bo ie a hyphenated abbreviation (sounds as if it's an abbreviation, anyway) is ideal. Current trends on the celebrity pages in the tabloids are towards shortening names (SuBo for Susan Boyle, J-Lo etc). However, if you make more expensive, classy stuff, then it's a different story.

I have lots of information and food for thought on business names on my site - winningnames

[bsfweb]

Gemma,

Choosing a url / domain name for your business website really ought to be CUSTOMER FOCUSED i.e. a very popular search term USED BY your target customer group (segment, in marketing terms).

How to find one?

Go to Google Keyword Tools.....http://www.google.com/sktool/

...register for an account if you don't (yet) have one, and search for....say....

Jewellery (allegedly searched for over 16m times in June 2009, but custom jewellery only 1,900 times)

..(untick synonymns)
- and see what results you get. Sort the data out to show the highest searched terms.

Try google help....here is a link

http://sites.google.com/?tab=m3

Hope this is useful.

[Kingdom_Mines]

Hi,

You can have a general name like chlo bo, and have different names for different jewellery lines, where chlo bo is name of the company.

BTW, i am also in the same business lin as you

Ricky

[restorian]

How about "GemmaGems Maybe thats too obvious

[Indizine]

GeminiJewels

[Aboabab]

Hi, wonderful that you are starting up. Good luck.
When starting a business, the simpler you keep things, the better. Unless you have a big marketing budget, you want the basics, like your name, to clearly tell any prospective customer exactly what it is that you do or sell. Make the name describe what they are buying. A brand name is not necessarily your business name, and if you were to do other things down the line, you could have multiple brand names. I'd recommend choosing a name that meets the following:
- describes what (handmade jewellery that is...semi precious stones, beads, glass precious minerals...designed by you...whatever makes you different)
- is easy to remember (and associate with what you do - jewellery)
- easy to spell
- different from the competition (unique to you)
- something that you can live with for the life of the business - you have to stick with it as all the hard work in building a name will be lost if you suddenly change it
- something adaptable - something that gives you the opportunity to make a good logo with, something that you will be proud to mention
- something that can't be mistaken for something you are not - Chlo-bo could be anything from a distasteful ad for you-know-what to glass manufacturing to someone's nickname.
- definitely pay mind to the previous advice you have had about web domains - having useful keywords in your company or brand name can save you a lot of effort when it comes to search engine optimization.
Do some research about companies that inspire you - look at what they do with their brand names. Virgin comes to mind as a exception to the rule - Branson made it into a well known brand, and then came all of the add ons - like Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Wine, Virgin Records etc...Virgin may be pretty meaningless as a name in the grand scheme of things, but the brand add ons clearly tell you what that part of the company does.
Enjoy!