Starting an Online Business

Whether your business is a sole proprietorship or a mega-corporation, it
will all begin with a name and a concept. So what’s in a name?

The answer is - everything! The name you choose for your company will
assist you in building a brand and image in the marketplace. Therefore it should
be memorable, relevant and simple for your potential clients to remember.

Let’s look at the Google for example. At 1st glance, this is a
nonsensical name, but when you look a little deeper - it all makes
good sense. Google (actually googolplex) does have a meaning - it means numbers without end
and impossible to count.

It’s an ideal name for a search engine – an infinite number of searchers
using their engine. So the name fits the business, making it relevant.
It’s memorable, because everyone remembers a funny sounding name like
that, even if most of us may not know exactly what it means. It’s straight forward
and easy to spell. This has helped enable Google to quickly make the
name well known and profitable.

As you can see from this example, your name is pretty important and you
should take time to pick the right name for your business. It
should be one that you can easily brand.

Registering your name is not always done online, since businesses come
and go - but you will be registering your domain name. It’s best to
secure your name with a DBA (Doing Business As license).

Here’s how to do it:

1. Brainstorm names that are appropriate for
your business. Make at least ten and then prioritize them.
These names should reflect your USP (Unique Selling Proposition).

2. Go to www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm - the US Patent
and Trademark Office. You can also do this in your own country
if you don’t reside in the US. Run a search to check that the name isn’t taken, and if it is, cross it off and move on to the next name on the list.

3. Do the search again on the website of your state’s or province’s
authority for establishing corporations (usually the Secretary
of State). You can locate this in Google. Be sure to do a special one for Nevada, if you are setting up a corporation or LLC there.

Check both the LLC and corporation databases. Never have a
same name to any other business. You can seriously harm
your credibility and you may be forced to stop using the
name if the other company can prove you are infringing on its
trademark.

4. Do a search on your local DBA listings (fictitious
names). You would use a DBA if you want your business to be
known as something other than its legal name. As an example, the
legal name associated with Empowerism is Life, Education And
Prosperity, Inc. The DBA is Empowerism.  You will register at
your city hall. This costs a little bit but it’s worth it,
as it conveys exclusive rights to your business name.

5. Now move on to your domain name. My preference is to include my main keywords in the domain name URL. This helps in achieving a higher search engine ranking for those keywords and you can still use your business name on the page for branding.

6 Now choose a good logo and slogan to match your
name. This helps you brand your business.

All that being said, the most important thing is to focus on finding your first customer to make your first sale. Don’t get hung up in finding the perfect name, even if you find it, it won’t make any sales for you!

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