What’s the most difficult part about setting up a new events organisation? Getting the word out about your services? Hiring staff? Securing your first paying customer? These are certainly all very difficult, but choosing a name that stands out, that tells others what your business stands for, is for many the most daunting part of starting a new company.
There are so many aspects to consider when naming your event business. Of course, these days a business name is more than a word or phrase you tell customers or the words on a shop front – it also has to work as a memorable domain name online.
In this post, we’re going to share the questions we asked ourselves when we were coming up with Get Invited as our chosen business name.
Do you want to stand out or fit in?
Choosing a bland name has the advantage of not offending anyone. Consider some of the largest corporations and you’ll see that a lot of them opted for this approach. Business services organisation PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), Publix Super Markets and distributors US Foods have opted for ‘safe’ names; this approach certainly hasn’t had a detrimental effect on these mega successful businesses!
Where can I get inspiration?
Literature and music are great places to turn for ideas. Did you know that Starbucks is named after a minor character in Moby Dick? If you’re more into numbers, Google is actually a play on words of “googol”, which is the number one followed by 100 zeros. Also consider your surroundings – Adobe was named after the creek that ran behind the co-founder’s house.
My events organisation will offer a specific service. Should I take this into account when coming up with my name?
That’s a great idea! It not only helps to set you apart from the competition, it’s also a very easy way of telling people what you’re all about. You do need to be absolutely certain that this will be the path your organisation will take. If it later turns out that you need to diversify, a name like Perfect Princess Parties isn’t going to attract clients who are looking for a wedding organiser!
Can I use my own name?
It’s an approach that’s worked for many successful businesses. But, be aware that in the future this could make selling your event business a little difficult, as it’s so closely associated with you.
I’ve come up with a great pun. Name chosen!
Hmm, maybe! Sometimes a play on words will be a great hit because it’s particularly clever or memorable. But other times all it does is to make people roll their eyes because it’s corny. Make sure you test it out and get honest feedback if you want to do this.
I’m having problems choosing a name. Could a made-up word work?
Yes, just make sure it isn’t offensive in another language! The benefit of this approach is that no one else will have chosen it (though you should always check to make sure this is the case). Plus, trademarking won’t cost a fortune.
Someone else has chosen my ideal events company name. Can I change the spelling?
Not a great idea. Changing spellings risks making it look like you can’t spell. It’s also not a very original approach to coming up with a name. Back to the drawing board!
How did you come up with your event organisation’s name? Share your story on Twitter or the Comments section below!
