What’s in a Name.com?
Remember the good old days when you could name your business just about anything and you never had to worry about SEO? Or worry that companies in other countries had that name? Yeah, that doesn’t happen anymore. Even if you do not have a web-based business, available domains have to be a consideration in your naming process.
Before you get your domain, you need a name. Naming your business can be one of the hardest things you will do. Here are a few tips to help you find a unique one that will make you proud.
1. Brainstorm, brainstorm, brainstorm. Then, get some feedback and brainstorm some more.
After completing your business plan, you probably have a pretty good sense of how you want to define your company. Use some of the key words from your mission statement to jumpstart your brainstorming. Start with one key word and give yourself five minutes to write down as many synonyms, phrases, or creative mashups as possible. This is a no-judgment phase, so even if you come up with Super Mama Cheese Mongers, keep it on the list. Do this individually or in a team. Brainstorm over and over again with other key words from your mission statement or new ones that come up.
2. Narrow it down
Once you feel like you have some interesting ideas, start focusing on 5-10 good options. Say the names out loud, write them over and over, and see if any are starting to feel right. Then narrow it down to 3-5. Start playing around with phrases, mash-ups, and how it would look with your business description. Family and trusted friends are also a good group to do an informal survey with of your top 3. We played with Odvant Design and Odvant Media before finally deciding on Odvant Creative. (We will go into more detail about how we came up with our name in another post.)
3. If you find it–Buy It
Now that you are playing around with 3-5 options, it’s time to start checking domain names. Name.com has an easy way to check for available domain names, as well as GoDaddy. You don’t have to use them to purchase your domain, however, if you find one that works for you, buy it as soon as possible. You should also buy other versions, for example, we have Odvant.com and also OdvantCreative.com.
4. SuperMamaCheeseMongers.com is taken?!
If you really love the name you picked but the exact domain name is not available, play around a little bit. Can you be BricklayersLLC.com, Brick_layers.com, or TheBestBricklayers.com? You can also try the numerous extensions (TLDs) available now. Maybe Bricklayer.rocks? (Get it?) Try to keep it short, especially if your website domain will be used as your email. If you expect to have a global presence, consider using a .co extension. Prepare yourself in case you just can’t get the right domain. You may need to use another option or start the process again.
5. It does not end with domains
You have your perfect name, you have your domain, and you’re starting to tell everyone. Great, BUT don’t forget to create those social media handles! Again, you may need to get creative to find the appropriate handle. If you’re really in a bind, try using a description of the business, such as @bestcupcakesever for a baker.
