| Coming up with the right name for your business | | | | 4. Brainstorm with yourself. Write down a bunch |
| is one of the most important parts of starting a | | | | of words that relate to your business (animal, |
| company. It's a good idea to spend some time on | | | | massage, pet, health, dog, etc.). Pick one word |
| finding a name that's unique, memorable and | | | | you know for sure that you want in your name, |
| reflective of what it is you have to offer your | | | | like "pet" for example. Then try on words around |
| clients. | | | | that, like Healthy Pet, Pet Comforts, Pet |
| When I tried to think of a name for my animal | | | | Pampering or Pampered Pet (I always like |
| massage business, I got a bunch of friends | | | | alliterations - the repetition of the first consonant |
| together at a bar and asked them to help me | | | | sound in a phrase). Just play around with it. |
| brainstorm. They came up with several ideas, one | | | | Sometimes you'll realize that you don't want "pet" |
| worse than the other, and I ended up going to | | | | in the name after all, and that's fine, it's part of |
| bed that night without a single good name to | | | | the process. |
| work with. And woke up the next morning with | | | | 5. Go on and look at all the business names listed |
| the perfect (in my opinion) name for my business | | | | there - something might trigger an idea. |
| (Nimble Limbs Animal Massage). Sometimes your | | | | 6. Try out different names on domain registration |
| brain does its best work when you just leave it | | | | sites (like GoDaddy or Domainsbot.com). Many will |
| alone. | | | | suggest other options to you, and since you'll |
| Here are a few other ways to come up with a | | | | probably want a website or blog anyway, it's a |
| great name: | | | | great way to combine your name search with a |
| 1. Pick up a dictionary and just leaf through it. Or | | | | domain name registration. |
| look at one online - the interactive is fun to use | | | | 7. If you're completely stuck and don't mind |
| and displays a "map" of related words for every | | | | spending $99, enlist the help of the online |
| word you type in. | | | | community at You just describe your business, |
| 2. Think of a tag line for your business (things like | | | | the members start brainstorming, and after 48 |
| "The Touch That Heals", or "Put The Spring Back | | | | hours, you'll be presented with several names. |
| In That Spaniel"). Sometimes it's easier to start | | | | I hope that at least one of the suggestions above |
| with that and come up with a name based on it. | | | | will help you find the ideal name for your business. |
| 3. Write a mission statement. You'll need one | | | | Don't worry if the process takes several months |
| anyway, and you might come up with the perfect | | | | - it's an important decision that shouldn't be |
| name while thinking about what your business is all | | | | rushed. |
| about and putting it on paper. | | | | |