Starting your own business can be an exciting new chapter in your life. Nothing is better than being your own boss. Many people, however, miss the target in one aspect: registering—and naming—their business.
Although it may be tedious, choosing and registering a name is one of the most crucial tasks for your business. It’s essential to have a name that not only works for you and your needs but also makes a positive, lasting impression on current and potential clients. Here are the steps you should take to effectively name and register your business.
The most memorable brand names stand out and are easy to remember. When you’re thinking about names for your business, lead with this idea in mind. What’s your personal brand? What type of travel are you specializing in? Will you be happy with the name you choose years from now? Ask yourself these questions, and adjust accordingly.
When you’re choosing a name for your business, the simpler the better. You want to make it easy for people to find you, and you want your name to convey the services you provide. Most of all: your name should resonate — it’s what your customers will know you by as long they seek your services.
When it comes to choosing your business name, asking for help can’t hurt. Once you have some names you like, solicit feedback among your networks. Constructive criticism is never a bad thing, and you might even discover ideas you hadn't considered. The more care you give toward choosing your name, the more you can ensure that you make the right choice—and, as a result, that this choice looks good on your business cards, websites, and email addresses.
You’ve brainstormed, narrowed down the options, and decided on a general idea of your business name; now, it’s time to search the internet for any variations of that name. Check popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Make sure you’re searching in a private window or incognito to get the best search results. Also, check GoDaddy.com to see if your domain is available.
Once you’re on GoDaddy.com, scroll and click “Domains.”
From there, you can start your domain name search.
In addition to checking for any clones of your chosen name, you need to make sure your officially registered business is its own unique entity. That means checking for copyrights and trademarks. To do that, visit the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s website and conduct a trademark search. Visit USPTO.gov and under trademarks, click "TESS."
From there, do a “Basic Word Mark Search.”
After you conduct your trademark search, visit your state’s Secretary of State website to make sure your chosen name isn’t similar to another registered company. From there, register your business name.
Once you’ve decided on the particulars of your business, it’s time for registration. Registering your business is the best way to ensure your finances are in order and that you have control over the way everything is structured.
There’s a few different ways you could go about forming your LLC, but by far the simplest and most efficient method is through Legal Zoom, a legal and technology services company that caters especially to small businesses. Legal Zoom has tiered plans that offer different services, including registering your business with the state you work in, organizing necessary paperwork, and providing step-by-step directions for what to do once you’re officially registered.
Legal Zoom can also assist with tax arrangements like securing an EIN business identification number, which you’ll need to set up any accounts, pay any employees, and file your business tax returns appropriately.