Naming a business

[Mark Imbesi]

...

 

[Royal Man]

It's very important to consider what keywords you want in your name.

Carpet cleaning"name of town" is usually the most searched for term

Adding other services can help your ranking even more for those categories.

 

[Mark Imbesi]

....

 

[Royal Man]

At least have carpet cleaning and an other service in your name.

The name of town is not that important as you can set whatever location you want on Google local

I have Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning in my name and it makes it ranks like crazy for upholstery cleaning searches and cleaning searches.

Up 7 times on the first page of Google.

 

[Loren Egland]

Don't name it after yourself. You may want to sell the business some day, but if you stay one man/one truck, your customers will know they are still getting the owner/operator.

Something easy to remember, but that doesn't damage your image.

If your area is known for something, you could use that word in your name.

If you add services later, the name might hinder you if it the name just says 'something carpet cleaning', but if you are sure that is all you want to do....

 

[Ron Werner]

Mike West told me years ago
Have the name and logo match
Have the word "clean" in your name
I would add, make it something that people will remember

 

[Hoody]

Marc,

Good advice already given. It may help you to start marketing plans, and how you're going to go about getting your brand infront of the customer. Since your target audience is going to be women, ask some women friends what words come to mind when they think of clean carpet. You more than likely can use those words in your biz name, as well as your USP. Also it will give you some ideas to use for imagery as well.

I know you do a lot of installation and repair as well, more so than cleaning ?

Whatever you choose, just make sure your USP, the images and message you are trying to get across flow together nicely, and make sense. Nothing drives me more nuts than a marketing message where I'm totally lost on what they're trying to tell me.

 

[encapman]

Read this book!

The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding

http://www.amazon.com/22-Immutable-...=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271243571&sr=8-3

There is nothing that compares to it. I read this book and found it extremely valuable!

I had named my cleaning business Pioneer Maintenance when I started my business back in 1982. But about 10 years or so ago I read the book mentioned above. It opened my eyes to what BRANDING is all about. I immediately recognized that Pioneer Maintenance was NOT a brandable name. So I did some brainstorming and chose a new name for my carpet cleaning company - KLEENSTEP. I also matched it with a good logo. Did it help my business? I'd say that it transformed my business. People would ask me "Is this a franchise?" And I'd reply "No it's my company". I can't over-stress how that simple change to the identity of my company gave me a strong marketing edge! So go read the book and then focus on what you can do with your "brand" (i.e. your company).


The transition form old to new...

.

 

[cleanimagemarketing]

Here is some great information on choosing a company name. Well worth the download and read.

http://www.igorinternational.com/proces ... -names.php

 

[Mark Imbesi]

....

 

[Dolly Llama]

Just finished reading Killer Brands by Frank Lane, suggested by Scott Rendall. What a ton of information packed in 200 pages and it sighted many examples of real Killer Brands out on the market today and yesterday. Everything can be branded and certainly our businesses should be so we may stand out among the crowd.

I also purchased Rick's suggestion, The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding by Al and Laura Ries. Gonna start that tomorrow.

Thank you for your comments and suggestions.

I'd of offered some suggestions, Marc, but I just plain suck at stuff like this.
all I could think of for a new name for you was;

"Gumba's Perfection"
with a slogan of
"Eh! we make-a tings nice-a for you"


..L.T.A.

 

[Mark Imbesi]

...

 

[Askal]

Rick is on the money. That is the first thing I said when I saw the sign on his van. "Is this a franchise. Good job Rick.
Al

 

[FB7777]

Imbecile Carpet Cleaners

 

[Mark Imbesi]

...

 

[bob vawter]

Mr Steamclean has worked well for me.........everthing you need in ONE word!

 

[Mikey P]

Darren Lumpkin's Clean and Tidy Floor Care.

 

[Brian R]

Whatever you do don't use Supreme, Superior, Extreme, Pristine, Happy :mrgreen: , Quality, Pro, Your Name, Advantage, Deluxe, Power, Magic, Platinum, Got, All, Bright, Steam, Green, Service, Safe, Advanced, Accurate, High Class, Infinity, Premier, Speedy, High Tech, Tech, Unlimited, Premium...Need I go on.

Be original if you can.

 

[Nate The Great]

Whatever you do don't use Supreme, Superior, Extreme, Pristine, Happy :mrgreen: , Quality, Pro, Your Name, Advantage, Deluxe, Power, Magic, Platinum, Got, All, Bright, Steam, Green, Service, Safe, Advanced, Accurate, High Class, Infinity, Premier, Speedy, High Tech, Tech, Unlimited, Premium...Need I go on.

Be original if you can.

You forgot Priority... :wink:

 

[ACE]

Whatever you do don't use Supreme, Superior, Extreme, Pristine, Happy :mrgreen: , Quality, Pro, Your Name, Advantage, Deluxe, Power, Magic, Platinum, Got, All, Bright, Steam, Green, Service, Safe, Advanced, Accurate, High Class, Infinity, Premier, Speedy, High Tech, Tech, Unlimited, Premium...Need I go on.

Be original if you can.

What about Kawasaki Carpet Care?

 

[Mark Imbesi]

...

 

[Dolly Llama]

This way, I can wear a wife-beater

shave your back....


Q.) know why Italians wear gold chains?
A.) so they know where to stop shaving....


..L.T.A.

 

[Brian R]

[quote="Brian R":2i9zec0x]Whatever you do don't use Supreme, Superior, Extreme, Pristine, Happy :mrgreen: , Quality, Pro, Your Name, Advantage, Deluxe, Power, Magic, Platinum, Got, All, Bright, Steam, Green, Service, Safe, Advanced, Accurate, High Class, Infinity, Premier, Speedy, High Tech, Tech, Unlimited, Premium...Need I go on.

Be original if you can.

You forgot Priority... :wink:[/quote:2i9zec0x]


Saw that coming....oh and don't forget "Ace" either. :wink:

 

[Brian R]

.

What about Kawasaki Carpet Care?

Mike,
I like the pic of the kids on the carpet...but you need a background of some sort.
The IICRC logo is waaaay too big and I think it shouldn't be listed above the fold.
I can hardly read your call to action..I would get rid of the phone...mabye put something more up to date there. And don't forget to put your email near the phone number at the top as well.
Visa and MC logos are too big and shouldn't be above the fold either.
Your logo needs some work...or at least ad a tag line to it...like "We'll "Flush" the dirt out of your carpet"
or something like that.
The photo of you is a good one...maybe make a little bigger and position to the left or right. An info pic should never be right in the middle of the page.
Once you have a background set up, you can have secondary backgrounds for the side info. I like where yor text links are but because they are naked, they look un-organized.
Wow, your site is totally inconsistent. Every page should have the same header and an easy way back to your home page.
Your logo on every page should be a link back to your home page...this is universal for websites.
I just noticed your "Ask about green cleaning" on that main pic. Take that off...I hardly noticed it and then when I did it looked horrible.

Hope this helps

 

[Brian R]

This way, I can wear a wife-beater

shave your back....


Q.) know why Italians wear gold chains?
A.) so they know where to stop shaving....


..L.T.A.

Larry, where's your website?

 

[Brian R]

Oh, and nothing with "Solutions" in the name either. :mrgreen: