changing your business name

[steve frasier]

have you ever done this while still operating in the same city

did it help or hurt your business

or did you keep the same name and then just start the same business under a different name and then switch names later

what are the disadvantages

 

[Rex Tyus]

I changed my company name in the same city. However I had only been in business about 1.5 yrs not many people to confuse at the time. Worked out quite well for me actually.


Rex Tyus
a.k.a Rug Rex

 

[Steve Toburen]

To answer your question, Steve: No, I never changed my business name. But IF you were to ask my opinion (which you haven't) I would mention the following points:

1. If it is not broke, why fix it? I see that you have been in business under I assume this name for 14 years. that is a long time and I also assume a lot of goodwill and name recognition built up.

2. One reason to change is because your current name is self-limiting. You don't mention it but you may want to offer more services than just floors care. So then you would just make it "Drew and Steve's Cleaning Services" or something like that.

3. BTW, who is Drew? Is he still in the picture? Even if not, that doesn't mean you can't keep running with your current business name. Some people don't like having their personal name in the business because they feel it may limit its appeal in a future business sale. Maybe. But I know lots of businesses that have sold with the owner's name attached and for example they are still running under "Ed's Carpet Cleaning" even though Ed left town and retired to Puerto Vallarta years ago!

In other words, I would be really cautious before you throw away 14 years of hard work. It would have to be a really compelling reason to change before I would do it.

My two pesos,

Steve Toburen CR
Director of Training
Jon-Don's Strategies for Success

PS There are also some logistical, legal and financial issues to consider before changing a business name. Once again, it all comes back to "why"?

 

[Mikey P]

If I were you I would just change my dog's name to Drew.

 

[Ed Hartman]

Ko Ko The Klown Karpet Kleaning has already been taken..

 

[KC OHanlon]

I had to change my company name when I dropped a COIT franchise after ten years. The change can go well if you do it as a transition over a period of years. We went from COIT Specialty Cleaners to COIT of Austin Specialty Cleaners for two years and then just dropped the COIT. You will have to do a double RL listing in the yellow pages for a few years, but as long as you are mailing your customer base, you can convert almost all of them. So try changing to Drew & Steve's (enter superlative adjective of your choice here) Floor Care for starters.

 

[JohnnyV]

Every year when I have to think about my phone listing, I wonder if " Ultimate Floor Care" wasn't a mistake. I've been Ultimate since 2001. Things are not exactly booming here and I sometimes wonder if its my lack of marketing skills or the name.


JohnnyV

P.S. Good to see you posting here Steve!

 

[J Scott W]

We had been in business 20 years when we decided to purchase a franchise to take advantage of name recognition and national marketing. We kept the old name and just added the new name. Operating under both names for over two years so people were getting used to the switch. They knew it was still the same people they had been dealing with for years.

Scott Warrington