The Number One Mistake I See New Business Owners Make

BrandingBusiness

May 17

5/17/23
Business
the number one mistake I see new business owners make
*PLUS — how to avoid it for your business.*

Alright, first the nitty gritty. What’s THE number one mistake I see new business owners making!? Not getting their brand name legally protected!

Before you invest thousands of dollars into branding, you want to make sure you have a name SECURED. You want to make sure you’ll be able to easily have a space in your marketplace that isn’t confused with anyone else. Now, I’m not a lawyer by anyyyyy means, but I’ve seen this happen far too many times.

SO let’s talk about how you can AVOID this issue. Before you settle on a name, you’ll want to do these four things:

1 | Research, research, and more research
Are there any other brands out there with a similar name in a similar industry? Do a trademark search! Google search that puppy — what kind of competition are you going to have as far as website domains go? Research on social media. The more research you put behind the name of your business the better off you’re going to be.
2 | All about that seo
It’s 2023, if you don’t know it by now, here’s a little 411 (do people still say that!? either way) — SEO is hugely important. Think about how searchable the business name you like is. Is it a common phrase that won’t pop up at the top of a Google search? Are there several other businesses that are popping up at the top of search results? Is it going to be hard to rank for this name? Is it something people will remember? How about the spelling or length of the name? Is it a super long name that's difficult to remember? The hard part about SEO is you’re going to want a name that people will remember and is easily searchable but also unique so that you stand out from the sea of competitors.
This is also a great time to think through domain names which all goes back to research my friend!

3 | Trademark that ish!
This might seem like such a no brainier but I promise it isn’t always! The one ONLY way to truly protect yourself is by getting that little ™ next to your name. This makes sure your brand name is completely secure and owned by you so you’ll never be faced with the awkward situation of having to completely rebrand your business just because of a naming issue. Having my own brand trademarked has offered me SUCH peace of mind — and that’s truly priceless.
4 | Snag those handles
I might sound like a broken record here but truly taking the time to RESEARCH the name you’re contemplating is so key here. Search the business name on social media and on a domain site and then if you love the name SNAG THOSE HANDLES. Don’t wait to grab a handle or domain if you’re able to get one that is perfect for your business name. Nabbing these early on helps avoid any audience confusion and ensures you get the pick of the best. For example, I have brightenmade as my insta handle — had I not grabbed that I could be stuck with a brighten-made or brightenmade_ which, let’s be honest, nothing beats a single-word, no-extra-characters kind of handle.

Bonus | Brand Naming

Struggling to come up with a brand name or made the #1 mistake and didn’t snag your original name? As part of our branding process, we also offer brand naming because we know how important the name can be to the design of your logo! There are certain character things and name lengths that come more naturally to a designer’s eye and we’d love to help you brainstorm. PLUS! The name plays a huge role in your brand as a whole and goes beyond just the logotype. Think about illustration, pattern, and the whole essence we could create together with a super cool name that represents you!