Choosing a Name for Your Business

Naming your business requires some thought.  Many people give their activity a name before it really is a business, often while it is a hobby.  At the point of deciding on creating a business, is the time to fully consider the name. It is important to choose the right name for your business. It can create a good first impression for customers and provide a great foundation for building your brand.  You can be creative when choosing the name. However, it needs to be appropriate and work on all types of marketing material, from signage to stationery. There are structured ways of choosing a name.

Personal Name

Many creative sole traders use their own name as their business name. It is easy and often creates the personal connection sought for by buyers.  Using your own name gives your business a more arts oriented and personal touch. Sometimes people are already ‘known’ under their own name prior to beginning the formal business, e.g., Amanda J Simmons.
 

Initials

Some designers use their initials or attach their discipline to their name or initials to add some clarity to what they do, e.g., MJM Ceramics. Others prefer a business name, so that it is less personal and not based around one individual. This can appear as more professional and allows the business to grow beyond the individual.
 
Some people use both - their surname for artistic one-off work, and a business name or brand name if they want to have a more general approach for multiples. You can be self-employed (e.g., using your own name) and run a limited company (with a business name) at the same time.
 
Even though associating your name in these two ways are attractive, more consideration is needed to ensure you are really on the right track.  Naming your business, or even a new collection, can be difficult. There are some practical tips to help you on your way:

 

Reflect on your vision, values, and passions

You have already pulled out these things in looking at your life goals and vision. Now you need to apply them to a name search.  A method that may help is to write down ten important descriptive words about these values, passions, and your vision. This is a starting point for thinking about the best words for the business.  These words will probably not come immediately.  You might want to involve others in a kind of brainstorming to develop a group of key words.  You need to consider how this name will look in the future as your business develops.

 

cREDIT: BUSINESS NAMES

The name needs to reflect you and your market.

“A good business name reflects who you are and which ideal clients you want to attract.”  It is the introduction to the business. It is the first thing they see, even before you. So, what you do and who you do it for is important to selecting the name. The name creates an image in customers’ heads.  Do you want to be factual or do you want to create a bit of mystery?  To help with this selection you need to remember your niche market and what you do and for whom as defined earlier. Review the business specialism - what you want to be known for - and your ideal clients
 

Inspiration sources

You do not have to be factual in the name and you can get inspiration from a number of sources.  Favourite songs, places, people, films, etc., can all be sources.  Brainstorm with others for names around your values, vision, passions, your specialism, your ideal clients.  You can also get ideas from the business names your competitors or role models use.  You need to record these ideas. This can be written, but an image or sketch can be even more useful. A mood board or mind map can be helpful too. A logo idea often comes with considering a name.  You should strive to have about five good, creative names for your business to make a choice. Not all the names will be available.  There are also online business name generators that can help focus your ideas.

 

Credit: Fiverr

Check the potential names

You need to make sure of several things before you settle on the name.
 
Is the name easy to spell? 
This is important in online searches as they are the most commonly used method of finding businesses. You need to avoid quirky expressions, and names with common variations (e.g., is it Mc, Mac or M’)
 
Is it easy to say? 
Almost as important as spelling is being able to pronounce the name in different dialects or languages. This is a worthwhile consideration as exemplified in car model names.
 
Is the name easy to remember? 
This goes together with the verbalisation of the name.  If it is easy to say, it probably is easy to remember and so be searched for without difficulty. 
 
What is it in other languages?
Try to ensure your name does not mean something offensive in another language.  Even if you are not operating internationally (just now), your name will be visible throughout the world.
 
Future proof your name
This is harder than it sounds, but you want the business name to be acceptable in a generation’s time.  This means that you avoid names that are “now”.
 
Check your name for legality 
Companies House in the UK gives a list of sensitive and prohibited words on its website.  This is most useful even if you do not intend to register with them. It helps you avoid current and future difficulties in a business name. There are equivalents in other countries.  Is the name the same - or nearly so - as a registered trademark? There is more information about registered trademarks on the Intellectual Property Office website (a UK resource).
 
Check to see if the name is already in use
You can use google to check on the existence of the name as a business one.  The Companies House website also has a free facility to check on name conflicts of registered companies. Check to see if your proposed business name is available as a web address. Also check on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites.  It is best to have the same name and address across all the web and social media sites.
 

You may, of course, revert to some form of your name for the business name, but running through these considerations can make sure you have considered all the options for an appealing and flexible business name

Accuracy in Following the Cartoon

A question arose on Facebook that resolved itself around the need (or not) to accurately follow the cartoon. The question itself was whether a pictured piece should be re-cut. It was a relatively complicated piece, which in its current state left two significant gaps between the glass and the cartoon line.

The vast majority of responses, was along the lines of don’t worry, just adjust the neighbouring pieces to fill the gaps. (“enjoy yourself” was another theme).

To follow the majority view - make adjustments in other pieces to allow the problem piece to fit - encourages bodge. It does not encourage development in the skills of the craft. It does not encourage long term enjoyment. It pushes improvement well into the future.

The cartoon is the design in line form. Its purpose is to control the construction of the piece. It is important to follow the cartoon to express the design. This means striving to cut and fit the glass to the cartoon as accurately as possible. Line is important in stained glass, as everyone knows. If the glass is not fitted accurately, the lines will not flow according the cartoon and the design.

This is not to say the cartoon cannot be modified. It is important to look at the cartoon in detail once you have been attracted by a design. You need to look at each piece and determine its difficulty. Can I cut it? Is the design overly complicated? How might I modify the cartoon to make easier to cut pieces, and still maintain the overall design? Ensure the cartoon is drawn with accurately thin lines for the form of the craft – copper foil or leaded glass, and fused glass.  Revise your cartoon to respond to the answers to this review of it.

Whatever method you use to score and break your glass, fit the piece to the cartoon as accurately as possible to avoid excess work later. The grinder is there to make fine adjustments to the cut piece so it will fit the cartoon.  If the glass fits snugly within the cartoon lines, there should be little, or no, alteration required to the cartoon during the rest of the construction.

This is not about the methods you use during the construction of a piece.  That is open to many approaches to achieve the same end. It is about an approach to the craft.  In particular, it is about how the cartoon is used to guide the work.  If the detail of the cartoon is optional, the final result may vary from the original conception significantly.

Craft development is about striving to perform the actions as accurately as possible throughout the work. The increased skill level that this develops, provides long-term enjoyment.  And each completed piece will give a feeling of accomplishment.