Business Names & Expansion

[CHEESE2009]

Having my first coffee of the day, so I feel great. Too bad it's a day full of rain.

Anyway!

Most of us all have our business names already, but throughout the course of running your business, have you ever wanted to change it's name?

What factors does one consider, when choosing the right business name?

A list of offered services? I would say no, if the business has plans to expand.

So let's say your company name is "Pineapple's"

Pinapple's focuses on lawn maintenance. One would say,
- Pineapple's Lawn Maintenance
or even,
- Pinapple's Lawn Care, though care is unofficially known to involve lawn treatments.

Pineapple's has plans to offer more services in the future, so would it be wise to title the business,

- Pineapple's Lawn Service

If Pineapple's only focuses on the lawn? For sure.

Though that is a very limiting name, but catchy & a great length of words are used.

If Pineapple's offers fence installation, pool maintenance, excavation work, etc.

Pineapple's name is not recognized to do these services.

What name can be given to fully grasp the services offered by this company?

- Pineapple's Household Services

Does that sound right? Because now "household" is unofficially known to revolve around interior work, is it not?

Would it be wise for Pineapple's to keep it's business name;
- Pineapple's

I think not, as the name alone does not help the situation when trying to market it's services.

For example, "Bob's Pizza" what if Bob's Pizza offers amazing sub sandwiches, though no one would know this except the pizza consumers who eat at this restaurant.

Should it be, "Bob's Pizza & Subs"? I believe to an extent that it would work. The problem I see, is that the name is still quite limiting & not suitable for expanding the business.

Bob's Pizza & Subs may offer delicious ribs & ice cream one day. Now what?

When you drive by Bob's Pizza & Subs with an appetite for ribs & ice cream, you wont even be thinking about Bob's Pizza & Subs. The same thing goes for Pineapple's.

What do you think forum?

What are some business names you have thought up of, & considered using?



[2006] Breeze was originally supposed to deal with fall cleanups alone. It was supposed to be highly competitive, & the #1 company to call for leaf removal.

Now Breeze is something else, & we don't charge our full season lawn maintenance customers for leaf removal. Funny.

That's another story on it's own.

I believe in 2011, I will provide spraying, & minor lawn renovations.

As for laying down sod, I refer these jobs to an ally. They have the time to spare, where as I'm not interested just yet. I have had several problems with sod, considering everywhere I purchase a load, most of it is spoiled.

I hope to hire people with skills in certain services, so I'm not stuck doing everything. I wish I could clone myself.

If my brother can get his crap together with his mechanics knowledge, he could drive a tractor during the wintertime. I'm still trying to fit him & his woman into the company, but there just isn't enough work for more than 3 people right now.

So for sure I will be offering spraying in 2011, & whatever else I can bite off.

I might get into pressure washing, though I have no idea if it's worth anything unless I try, I have the equipment but I'll still be the one stuck doing these jobs.

I need an apprentice or something. Though then comes the "will not compete" issues, & I hate forms & contracts. I could consider subbing, but that's equally as bad depending on the way you look at it.

Anyway, I will be working on a cloning machine. See ya!

[justin_time]

Having my first coffee of the day, so I feel great. Too bad it's a day full of rain.

Anyway!

Most of us all have our business names already, but throughout the course of running your business, have you ever wanted to change it's name?

What factors does one consider, when choosing the right business name?

A list of offered services? I would say no, if the business has plans to expand.

So let's say your company name is "Pineapple's"

Pinapple's focuses on lawn maintenance. One would say,
- Pineapple's Lawn Maintenance
or even,
- Pinapple's Lawn Care, though care is unofficially known to involve lawn treatments.

Pineapple's has plans to offer more services in the future, so would it be wise to title the business,

- Pineapple's Lawn Service

If Pineapple's only focuses on the lawn? For sure.

Though that is a very limiting name, but catchy & a great length of words are used.

If Pineapple's offers fence installation, pool maintenance, excavation work, etc.

Pineapple's name is not recognized to do these services.

What name can be given to fully grasp the services offered by this company?

- Pineapple's Household Services

Does that sound right? Because now "household" is unofficially known to revolve around interior work, is it not?

Would it be wise for Pineapple's to keep it's business name;
- Pineapple's

I think not, as the name alone does not help the situation when trying to market it's services.

For example, "Bob's Pizza" what if Bob's Pizza offers amazing sub sandwiches, though no one would know this except the pizza consumers who eat at this restaurant.

Should it be, "Bob's Pizza & Subs"? I believe to an extent that it would work. The problem I see, is that the name is still quite limiting & not suitable for expanding the business.

Bob's Pizza & Subs may offer delicious ribs & ice cream one day. Now what?

When you drive by Bob's Pizza & Subs with an appetite for ribs & ice cream, you wont even be thinking about Bob's Pizza & Subs. The same thing goes for Pineapple's.

What do you think forum?

What are some business names you have thought up of, & considered using?

That's why my business name is Just in Time Yard Services and not Just in Time Lawn Services like it was suppose to be.

I figured if i was going to do snow removal, it wasn't going to look good.

[CHEESE2009]

That's why my business name is Just in Time Yard Services and not Just in Time Lawn Services like it was suppose to be.

I figured if i was going to do snow removal, it wasn't going to look good.

Just In Time, in a Breeze - yard services. LMAO

Just In Time Yard Services is very catchy!


Yard: the enclosed land around a house or other building

Yard: a tract of land enclosed for particular activities (sometimes paved and usually associated with buildings)

It's perfect.


Breeze: a slight wind (usually refreshing)

Breeze: any undertaking that is easy to do

Breeze: to proceed quickly and easily

I suppose we had the same idea of efficiency with our names? LOL.

Here is my description,

Breeze: Silent, but deadly.

[justin_time]

Just In Time, in a Breeze - yard services. LMAO

Just In Time Yard Services is very catchy!


Yard: the enclosed land around a house or other building

Yard: a tract of land enclosed for particular activities (sometimes paved and usually associated with buildings)

It's perfect.

All my customers think it's a clever name..

I like it too

[Steve]

Well ultimately, is it just better to get anything started because who really knows where one's business will be a year after getting started.

You may think that when you get started you will be focused on lawn care but because of chance and circumstance, you may find yourself focusing on tree care or excavation work or something you might not even considered early on.

Can't you always update your business name as you go? Or even simplify the name as you go?

Or what's your view on that?

[CHEESE2009]

Well ultimately, is it just better to get anything started because who really knows where one's business will be a year after getting started.

For sure! I remember when I just started out, I used the name,
"Deneigement Scott" a.k.a "Snow Removal Scott" , it was easy to make the transition into "Breeze Lawn Service".. In my area, I can actually consider myself lucky.

As a lawn service, we are all expected to offer just about every service, hahaha!

You may think that when you get started you will be focused on lawn care but because of chance and circumstance, you may find yourself focusing on tree care or excavation work or something you might not even considered early on.

It's fascinating! Breeze Leaf Removal, Deneigement Scott, to Breeze Lawn Service. Maybe one day it'll be,
"Breeze's Exotic Fish, small ponds & other crap"

Can't you always update your business name as you go? Or even simplify the name as you go?

For sure, though I always fear that changing a name too much may cause one to lose customers. You can't switch from Breeze to Turfs Up without scaring a few customers away.

"Why'd he change the name? Is this a scam? Maybe he had a bad reputation & now he's hiding it behind this new mask? Was he bought out? etc...

I suppose the only thing I should change in my name (if I wanted to) is EVERYTHING but "BREEZE".

I have seen so many people log onto the forum these past few days & coming up with their business names & some are still trying to figure them out. That is why I decided to write this crazy stuff, lol!

The name isn't all that important "give or take", though it can be the key into gaining a new client at times. Just like people are judged by their names, a company can be judged too.

Your company name is the first thing most people see before your finished work, is your company name likable? Etc.

[Rexdale Grass]

So you had rain today too. I like this hole look at what we call ourselves. I just made the move to call myself something, seeing my name on here is Rexdale Grass I went in the same direction of Rexdale Lawn Care. Spent the past couple days working with my dad on the flyers, envelopes, new buisness cards and some other stuff. Today I got them out and already got 4 calls back for spring clean ups. Most people in Toronto don't seem to want to do any thing untill the grass is growing like a weed then I only have time to cut it so things are looking good for this year.

[Steve]

If you brand YOU, you can change your business name a lot easier because people will say oh that's Scott's new business.

As far as logos transform over time, as they do, hear is a great graphical example.

[CHEESE2009]

I love how logos change over time, it's so neat!

Mine went from "BREEZE" to (B) ....

I wonder what I'll think of next.

[Steve]

Next you will need a symbol that represents Breeze, B, and everything you stand for.

Something easily recognizable and something that represents quality.

How about something like this?




Now anyone looking at that would say, that stands for a job well done