naming a business

[ldenne]

so here is my question my name is pretty common - not that i knew that till I googled Lauren Elizabeth photography = basically its out there - i thought of doing my first and last name but my last name is kinda hard to spell. So should I stick with my first and middle - it rolls off better - our try to come up with somthing new.. I was going to go with a nick name i had as a kid but Belle's Photography is out there too. So i am up for suggestions thx

[Xposurepro]

When you say "the name is already out there" do you mean .. it's taken .. or .. it's taken by one of your direct competitors? That makes a huge difference. When it comes to todays online consumer .. the exact spelling of the business as the domain is not as important as it once was. Your main concern is .. what sounds good and is easy to remember, reflects your business, conveys the perception you want in your targeted consumer, stands out from your competitors, etc ... think about your DIRECT potential clients not the online world in general.
Just from the 2 names you threw out .. Lauren Elizabeth Photography & Belle's Photography .. I would go for Belle's. My reasoning is for one people tend to automatically associate beauty with Belle .. you want people to think beautiful when they think of you. The other reason is that every photographer and there's brothers dog uses their own name as their business name. The percentage that actually use a fictional name is extremely low in comparison. Potential clients also tend to search for photographers using the closest metro area as a keyword. That brings up a buttload of photographers .. a fictional name will stick out in their heads more than one of the common names they read out of the 100, 200 or 1,000 photographer names google threw at them. Same goes for word of mouth marketing .. people will be more apt to remember a fictional name correctly and pronounce it correctly every time.

[ChrisAdval]

Originally Posted by ldenne

so here is my question my name is pretty common - not that i knew that till I googled Lauren Elizabeth photography = basically its out there - i thought of doing my first and last name but my last name is kinda hard to spell. So should I stick with my first and middle - it rolls off better - our try to come up with somthing new.. I was going to go with a nick name i had as a kid but Belle's Photography is out there too. So i am up for suggestions thx

I actually wrote an article about this issue on using stage names and aliases on marketing and branding - "Models and Photographers Tips: Stage Names/Aliases- Marketing and Branding"

But in short use an alias when making your own photography company name even if the name sounds "real" like mine is "Chris Adval." Also make sure its of course not used under any way, anywhere for commercial purposes.

[mokka]

Well I certainly think it matters if someone has the same business name as you, even if they are on the other side of the world... because there's more risk of them registering the domain name you wanted, because they might (well actually if they've been going longer than you they will) outrank you for Google searches for your own name, and because it's harder to stand out and for people to find you if there's another. So Lauren Elizabeth Photography and Belle Photography are both out.

You could use a stage name, but I think this may make things difficult for you as you then have to remember to use that name everywhere that you might get business... and if you're a portrait or wedding photographer than that's pretty much everywhere, Although Chris makes a good point on his blog that if you are taking photographs such as nude or political portraits that other potential customers may find objectionable, you may not want to use your real name.

I think you're on the right track in making the business name personal to you, people say that's too mainstream but there's a reason why it's popular, if you're a sole trader then people want the personal touch, they want to feel like they are hiring you, if you go with an impersonal name like 'Snappy Photography' then it just sounds like they're getting an employee.

A good starting point is find a good domain name which is available, something that's short and easy to remember.

You could try various tricks and the like with your name and initials to create something unique yet personal. For example replacing the initial 'L' with 'Elle'. I was gonna suggest 'Elle's Belles' but maybe that sounds too much like Hells Bells lol. But you get the idea.

Also, remember your trading name (that your customers see) doesn't have to be the same as your business name (that the tax-man sees). If you're going with a more original trading name then it is best to still use something simple e.g. 'Lauren Elizabeth Surname Photography' as your business name, as after a few months you may decide to change your trading name and you don't want your business name to suddenly have no relation to your business at all. It creates confusion when you ask your customers to make cheques payable to you.

[ldenne]

Thanks for the info and blog link. When i say its out there - I mean that there is more then one place using the name or that the Domain name is taken. I have thought about using Ellie's Photography - domain is open, there is a business with the name though not near me. I have though of putting together my daughters names to come up with a name ex.. Phoebe Belles Photography ( or photos) not sure.

[candleman]

This thread reminds me of a recent Simpsons episode with a business called "Shot in the Face Productions "

[Biomech]

The other thing of course, is that it's your name associated with whatever reputation you end up with. And if it's bad - that might not be a good thing :P

[ldenne]

Originally Posted by Biomech

The other thing of course, is that it's your name associated with whatever reputation you end up with. And if it's bad - that might not be a good thing :P

Thats is the main reason I am not using my last name - my dh's brother did not help the status of it with mostly from being involved with drugs and such
I could use my maiden name - there isn't anyone in the photography business using it though not sure how my dh would feel about it

[ChrisAdval]

Originally Posted by ldenne

Thats is the main reason I am not using my last name - my dh's brother did not help the status of it with mostly from being involved with drugs and such
I could use my maiden name - there isn't anyone in the photography business using it though not sure how my dh would feel about it

I wouldn't recommend any legal names if you want to separate your private life from your professional life which you will be required to market and advertise like hell. And putting your legal name out there for the public to see and associate it with your company is a huge mistake because anyone (especially the media) can find "dirt" on you to bring down the value of the company and especially if you make someone with power angry (competition).

Also if you're doing any nude photography you wouldn't want to associate that with your legal name because employers will google you and find that.