It doesn’t matter whether you have been in business for years or whether you are just beginning your life as a business owner, it might be a good idea to review the business name you’ve selected with the idea of using it as a marketing tool not just a name. Big businesses do this on a regular basis and you will often find new businesses names attached to new (and sometimes existing) products, but the underlying corporation is one that has been around forever. They are looking for a business name that appeals to new buyers.

I receive a lot of queries regarding business names, most of them missing the mark of excellence by a country mile. Some new business owners ask whether they should include their own name in their business while others have catchy names they dream up that sound good but don’t do a thing for making money. Let me illustrate with an experiment you can conduct tomorrow.

EXPERIMENT
The next time you drive down the street take a careful look at the business signs, store names, store-fronts, and appearance of every single store you see. Pretend you are new in town and see if you can guess what goes on inside based on what you see outside. You'll find some businesses you would never in a million years guess what products or services they provide! You can have the same fun with the business white pages of the telephone book. For example, what goes on at Jimmie's Enterprise, CGS Industries, or M & B's Outlet? Or what in the world does Charlie’s sell? Is it a bar, a restaurant, a shoe store or a wedding supply store?

THE FAMOUS
Oh yes, there have been a few businesses that have succeeded with the name of the owner as the name of the business, but you will note that most of these have been in business for many, many years, and for one reason or another a person’s name has been permanently attached to the business. Even McDonald’s has the definitive words “Family Restaurants” included after the famous name in their listing in my phone book. What are interesting are the twelve other firms that include the name McDonald’s in their business name, and I doubt if any of these twelve sells food!

THE REAL QUESTION
To be successful, a business name needs to create a distinctive, clear and consistent image in the mind of the customer. Chances are your personal name will not meet this need. Think this out from the customer's point of view. If Sam wants to have his auto upholstery redone in white leather is he going to look for Jim’s Auto Shop or Jim’s Auto Upholstery Shop? The real question is not, “What am I selling?” but, “What is my prospect/customer buying?” If your business name doesn’t call up images of “buy”, you are probably losing business to competitors.

A business image is created in the customer's mind in two ways: by what function you offer such as women's clothing, hardware, greeting cards, business gift shop, paint store, supermarket and other descriptive qualities, and by what psychological attributes your name suggests such as, quality, low-cost, complete, modern, and other "feelings" attachments. This is why you see such names as, MARY'S FINE FASHIONS, or JACK'S COMPLETE HOME HARDWARE STORE, or BILLY'S SPEEDY PLUMBING SERVICE. All of these names convey images of function and feeling along with the name of the owner.

TRANSFERRING IMAGES
After you decide the image you wish to create in your customer's mind, ask yourself, "How can I transfer this image to my customer?" Choosing a name is one part of this transfer. By using the five senses of sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste, you can structure the other physical structures of your business to transfer this image into profit for you. One thing that stands-out in a customer’s perception of your business is the cleanliness and cheerfulness of your store, your delivery truck, your employees, and everything that is visible to prospective customers. For example, that dead plant in the window detracts as much as a gum-chewing clerk talking on the phone. Clean-up your act and your business name will profit!

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Paul Tulenko is a Small Business Success Consultant based in New Mexico. Additional tips and suggestions are available at www.tulenko.com or call (toll-free) 1-866-TULENKO.