hello, my name is
This column is sponsored by BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development.
Without a doubt, one of the most important parts of your business is your brand name. It’s how customers perceive your business. It is conveyed in a company’s marketing materials and is one of the ways a company can differentiate itself from its competitors.
This week in Small Business Focus, we discuss how businesses can protect their name and what to keep in mind when choosing a brand name for your startup.
When considering a brand name for your business, here are the elements that make a successful name for your business:
Be easy to pronounce Be easy to spell Be able to convey the content of your business to some extent
Once you’ve created a successful name by following these three rules, you need to make sure that creative minds don’t think the same way and that no other company is using your name.
First, you need to make sure that another company hasn’t already registered the name. In Virginia, you can use the Virginia SCC’s Name Check Availability to quickly find out whether a company name is available. Simply enter your name to register if available. Sounds easy enough, right? It’s a good start, but it’s not the end. We live in a tri-state area, so for startups we check records in Washington, D.C. and Maryland to see if their name is used across the river. It is also a good idea to check if there are any. Next, search for your name on the internet using Google and on social media sites like Instagram and Facebook. One, find out what your business name is associated with on the internet and see if anyone else is using that name or using a name similar to your business. It is to do. Some clients skip this step and find that a Google search for their business name brings up unpleasant images. Finally, check to see if another company has trademarked your business name. A trademark is an intellectual property that prevents other companies, domestic or foreign, from using your name. You can visit the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website and search for trademarks using the trademark search system.
Once you’ve done your due diligence and your name is available, it’s safe to use it for your business. However, if the name is already registered or similar to a trademarked brand, you may want to consider using a different name to avoid confusion with customers and potential litigation. Recommended.
There’s a lot to think about when starting a business, from deciding on the right name to complying with regulations to marketing and sales. BizLaunch is your one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about starting and running your small business. For more information, visit www.bizlaunch.org or schedule a one-on-one consultation today.
