A Quick Guide to Naming Your Business

Eight Simple Rules for Choosing a Business Name

    Your name should have a positive tone. Avoid any negative. Your name should make people enthusiastic and optimistic about working with you.
    Avoid names that are difficult. If people have trouble pronouncing or spelling it, they remember it. (Embarrassing are exceptions: "Haagen-Dazs" and "Guerrilla.")
    Creating a unique name. You do not want people confusing to our existing business, especially if it is one that has a bad reputation.
    Do not use names that limit road. Acme Sleep Shop will limit you to selling sleep. Acme interior is more open to expansion.
    Use a descriptive name, such as Jiffy Lube. Note that this name gives benefits.
    Do not fall behind the trend or fashion. While it may be useful in the short term, you can not ride a trend for the long term, and focus on the long term.
    Your name should reflect your identity: dignity, nobility, local identity, quality and other descriptive elements.
    Choose a name that looks and sounds interesting phone, the radio, on your letterhead, and your website.

Once you have a list of features, try it with peers and focus on the group. For example, if you start a dry cleaning service, ask them if the attributes you choose - fast, reliable and inexpensive - would meet their needs. If not, adjust your list and try again.

Now that you have a list, you have to make a decision. Do you want a name that is generic, descriptive or unique? Any lawyer to tell you that the best kind of weird name is trademarked. It is the easiest to protect from encroachment by competitors, and ultimately makes the strongest name. A unique name is one which no picture comes to mind. No one knows what it looks like Nike or a Xerox.

The problem with a unique name that it takes a lot of time and money to persuade the consumer that they stand for something. The name itself does not start putting the product or company. So for most of the guerrillas, the name of this magnificent too expensive to build an asset.

The second alternative, which is more difficult to protect, a descriptive name. These names will help reposition your company or product, and they telegraph information about what you are doing. A few examples:

Quick Muffler

Ultimate Auto Body

College Pro Painters

Descriptive names are my favorite. Enough that they talk about your product to help sales, but they are unique and bear in mind the customer and help stop the competition.

Finally, you can use a generic name. The name is virtually unprotectable, but they have the ability to immediately telegraph what your business.

Some generic names include:

International Business Machine

U.S. Steel

Park Avenue Cleaners

General Foods

As you can see, sometimes a generic name takes off and works, but in general, an uphill battle - you've positioned your company, but your company has an identity.

Example of a Good Name

Popcorn faith - a catchy name that reminds you that he does not take things too seriously.

National Public Radio - a simple name that immediately connotes weight, seriousness, and the fact that all the people involved.

Staples - a simple word that brings together office equipment everywhere another word for "crucial" Once learned, the user will never forget what you mean.

Head and shoulders - The name allows you to see the benefits of the product - no dandruff on your shoulders.

Apple Computer - a simple, gentle, basic, easy to remember.

Related: 'Bar Rescue' Asks: Is Your Business Name Hurting Your Business?

This article is an excerpt adapted from The Best of Guerrilla Marketing - Guerrilla Marketing Remix (Entrepreneur 2011) by Jay Conrad Levinson and Jeannie Levinson and contributing authors, including Seth Godin.

10 Business you can Start From Your Smartphone

You're out of work. List of thin work. You do not have the money to start your own business. Maybe you do not have a computer to assist in conducting a proper job search.

Relax, we are here to help. We scoured the earth for ten solid business idea - an effort that you almost start with little more than a smartphone and a Gmail address, and you can actually get under way tomorrow.

Of course, the computer - or at least a netbook - can help with any of these suggestions, but for most of the day-to-day activities of the company ten, you do not need anymore of your phone and a large dose of old-fashioned courage. Now get out there - the economy is waiting!

Car Service

Provided you have a car with a loose rear seat - and you're good at keeping them clean and tidy - you can start a car service without much effort, especially if you live in a smaller guy with no constitution cab. The biggest obstacle for the appropriate drivers license for your state and / or city (check with your state DMV for details). After the way it is, you can put a simple website and offer a phone number for customers to schedule pickups. Your phone can double as a calendar and address book to keep track of appointments, and can operate as a GPS device to make sure you go the right way. See UberCab, which allows passengers to travel directly book a private car from their iPhone.

Travel Tips / Tour

What better way to change the lives lived in the same town in penetration than a tour guide around the city say? Get the word by developing a website and offer commentary on Yelp to promote yourself as a local expert. Services such as Genbook can help you manage appointments and scheduling, and any Android phone can download a multi-waypoint map from Google Maps to help you plan your tour route. In your downtime, write a book and sell it as a tour guide book print-on-demand and e-book applications and smartphones.

Author

Probably foolish to try to start a career as a writer without a computer - and we do not really recommend them - but it has been done before. Blogging is a good place to start: A variety of iPhone apps exist for the major blog platforms (including WordPress and Tumblr) to expedite mobile platforms other posts, and many (like TypePad) with mobile services built right. But you do not need to stop blogging. In Japan it is becoming popular to write and distribute entire novels via mobile phones, especially text messaging - in 2007, five of the top ten sellers in the Japanese novel "cell phone novel" written specifically for the media. Are we ready for such a thing on our shores? Only one way to find out.

Videographer

In the past, a documentarian, Movie Maker or other video production professionals are used to fill a van with equipment and pulling it from location to location - along with a large crew - to get a shot a day fee. Now reached pocket HD quality video camera, it is possible to change all that. If you dare, you can even shoot with high-end mobile phones and handsets like the iPhone 4 and the Samsung Instinct line of the main features of video editing on the phone. If you shoot a custom video for a client, you can distribute footage directly to them while you are still at the site, or upload it to YouTube with a little more than a click and drag.

Mystery Shopper

One popular scam constantly spam the world - 'Mystery Shopper wants your place! "- Definitely legit business for many people, and could bring real cash advance with minimum effort. The important part is to do it properly. E-mail-on there is no way to start a real business. Instead, do your research on the mystery-shopping transactions rightful place as the International Corporate Research (where mystery shoppers are called "auditors"), which holds the main clients include the chile from Sears. Do not expect to make tons of cash - busy shoppers often earn five figures annually in cash and schwag - but if you have lots of time to kill and visitor spending, it's worth a look.

Auction Maven

eBay may be the hottest technology companies last millennium - traffic eroded for many years now - but still big enough to develop a 21st place among the site's most-trafficked sites in the world, per Alexa. Business opportunities in the auction will remain different number of items for sale on the site. Troll garage sales and storage in a foreclosure sale of the Center for treasure, and then relist the item at auction. Make your own blanket and offer them on eBay (or, better yet, on Etsy). Or set up shop helping people who should be able to put the stuff that they are unwanted in the way a few bucks by selling them online. eBay mobile apps for iPhone, Android, or BlackBerry makes managing storefronts easy from anywhere.

Life Coach

Ah, the beauty of a life coach: You can not really credentials, degrees, and no special license to give people your opinion about how they should run their lives. Throw together a website touting your expertise - life-coach world, the more outrageous the design, the better - get some testimonials from people who are friendly to your cause, and wrote some of these stories show off how smart and intelligent you are (something like "Seven steps to a quieter id"). When a client comes calling, you can book an appointment for in-person meetings or, better yet, a phone call. Charge premium rates or monthly followers for people who want 24/7 attention. Are you ready to own, however, when it comes to actually dealing with all the crazy people.

Virtual Assistant

Who does not need a little helping hand from time to time? Virtual assistants let people have too much on their plate outsource the most rugged tasks to a worker. It is you! Exactly what you do is you and your clients, but the most successful virtual assistant to do anything that would even remotely fall within the letter of the law. Realistically you are going to purchase event tickets, researching vacation, get dry cleaning, and even dogsitting from time to time, but the request can run the gamut from plain to extravagant. Be clear about your fee structure - most assistants bill plus hours, or offering monthly deals packaged for a set number of tasks - and promote the heck out of you. Entrepreneur Magazine has some ideas along those lines to get going.

Tech Support

Do you call all when their computer goes south? Why not get paid for it by repairing computers and answering technical questions helpless stranger? A good web page touting your services is very important here. Use keywords and make sure you are specific about the local boundaries of each service in place. Most people who seek help "city name tech support" Google or something like that, so use the best SEO-fu to design a page that search engines can understand and love - remember the beginning, it was frustrating that they do not know why the fonts are so small that their new monitor, the language is very simple and clear is key. Craigslist is a popular place for advertising your stuff when business is slow, but sure to enhance your posts above the riff-raff.

'Personal' Telephone Operator Service

When all others fail, you can always talk to people on the phone. It does not take much skill or so down the road setup after getting the number 900 or 800 (including a mechanism to accept payment by credit card) number. You want to give suggestions recipes, sports betting options, or a psychic reading? Whatever floats your boat, chances are that you will be paying someone to hear you out there will say it. Of course, many of these services may tend towards a more "mature" to be offered, but we here at PCWorld will never be judged on.

Five Reality Hard Gun-Control Support

unceremonious box office from the Senate failed (D-Calif.) Dianne Feinstein "Assault Weapons Ban: The sequel to" provide an opportunity to assess where We are in post-Newtown gun-control debate. News is not good for months after the massacre guns skeptics.Three Sandy Hook Elementary School sixth of 20 children and teachers, Senate Democrats closed miserable Senator Feinstein tries to revive the restrictions on the sale of military-style semi-automatic rifles of the type used by a crazy Newtown. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Feinstein law, which also ban the sale of ammunition magazines containing more than 10 round, have more than 40 votes in the 100-member Senate. (An earlier attack weapons ban, legislation in 1994, which expired in 2004.) When the Senate returns from recess for two-and-a-half weeks of relaxing, scheduled to begin on March 23, Reid promised to get some sort of weapon control bill to the floor for a vote. Its exact contours remain uncertain. However, after 12 weeks of playing politics on the issue of arms, it is possible to make some predictions and observations: 1. President Barack Obama is not serious push gun control. Yes, he gave several speeches, saying things like, "Weapons of war have no place on our streets or in our schools or threaten our law enforcement officers." Remember, However, the bill passed without a peep Feinstein president.

 If there is time and cost him the top political capital, today. He did not do it. My bet is that he keeps his powder dry social-reform immigration reform.2. National poll numbers are not important. Public-opinion experts reported that most of the strong national support ideas such as restrictions on assault weapons and magazines. Post an ABC News / Washington Poll conducted March 7 to 10 found 57 percent support the ban on assault weapons, with 41 percent opposed. As your junior high civics book that teaches you, though, we have a federal system. In the popular vote does not count for much. What is the material of the views of the pro-gun Democrat state, most of whom are undecided about or directly challenge the prohibition or restriction of certain weapons. In the Senate, politicians including Max Baucus and Jon Tester of Montana, Mark Begich of Alaska, and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota. Speakers from several countries, gun-control laws developed in New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, and several other blue states.3. Parliament has a veto. By starting a national debate in the Senate, where they hold a slim majority, Democrats created a misleading appearance of movement towards a federal gun-control changes when, in fact, the real battle is in Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Whatever emerged from the Senate watered down, if not less, by for blocking, anti-Obama Republican majority led by Speaker John Boehner. Senate going through the motions as a political gesture, which helps explain why the initiative Feinstein ended with a whimper, not bang.4. Democrats could fumble background checks, too. Ever since the days immediately after the massacre of December 14 Newtown, realistic analysts, including yours truly, trying to focus on the political and significant weakness of the proposed ban on assault weapons, in contrast to a more reasonable idea to improve the criminal- background-check system. I do not practice all of the arguments here. By spending time and energy in a futile attempt at humor Senator Feinstein, the White House and spiral-control advocates failed to mount a campaign like a laser to rationalize the existing laws on the books. We require background checks for every sale of arms to computerized a licensed gun dealer. Surprisingly, we allow unlicensed "private" seller's market for guns no questions asked. Closing the gap can be structured as a crime-control measures are simple with little, if any, are the implications of the Second Amendment. Democrats can not do that, and they muddied issue.5. The result: When the Senate reassembles, Reid would allow floor debate on the bill unobjectionable but largely symbolic toughens penalties for illegal gun trafficking and increasing (slightly) federal financial aid for school safety. Democrats offer change of assault weapons and magazines to quickly fail. Democrats offer other changes to the background check, they are caught in a debate about the recording. The White House is magsenyas that he wants something to pass, so that the background check provision is able to be suspended. During the House of Representatives.

mocking it? Facilitating Davos entitled to Social Programs

The Great Ruaha River south Tanzania running dry for many months every year due to deforestation and inefficient irrigation. Food supplies are at risk, as more coffee most countries, money. But help on the way. Under the partnership was launched two years ago at the World Economic Forum in Davos, agribusiness, including the Norwegian Yara International (YAR) and Swiss Syngenta (Syt), using their money and technical expertise to reduce their water consumption Tanzania while strengthening the crop. This year, Yara Chief Executive Ole Jørgen Haslestad turned into alpine resort and urging fellow businessmen to do more, says South corridor Agricultural Growth "There is a great need to increase the speed." Tanzania initiative is the kind of thing that the World Economic Forum proud and best known. This project took less attention this year than the deer stuffed with green laser shooting eyes dazzled guests at a party hosted by former Facebook (FB) President Sean Parker. In the outside world, playing snowy Davos is where people like Lloyd Blankfein, Derek Jeter, David Cameron, and many billionaires in the world polyglot exchange of compliments. A few gasp-!-Although there is a tendency to bloviate. British newspaper The Guardian mocked the forum this year with an online generator that spits Davos HotPhrase terms like "interactive multi-agnostic" and photos by Simon Dawson / "pre-delayed-alization." BloombergSean ParkerAlthough World Economic Forum is a mockery mature , it performs a unique function. By bringing together leaders from government, business, cultural, financial, philanthropic, and non-governmental organizations, trying to solve the coordination problem economists refer to: manage all parties needed to make something happen. "This is a very strong ability to organize," said Laura Tyson, former chief economic adviser to President Bill Clinton who is a professor at the University of California at Berkeley Haas School of Business. Meeting in Davos "lead in starting something," he says.Because facilitator, not a perpetrator, forum claims rarely get credit for the achievement. In 2000, the GAVI Alliance vaccine for children aged officially launched in Davos with the support of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates. Last year the forum to collaborate on the arm of the World Bank, the International Finance Corp., the idea to unleash private investment in low-carbon energy and water in developing countries. At Davos this year, the IFC said it had raised $ 280 million for energy efficiency and renewable energy, which includes contributions from the governments of Canada and British and sovereign wealth funds have become year-round organization Azerbaijan.The forum, with the spin-off show this year in Peru , South Africa, and Jordan. It has spawned local organizations "global shapers", "young global leader," and dozens of issues focused on the global agenda council comprising senior "who thought leader.": "It's kind of aircraft carrier" for the agency network , says Don Tapscott, a Davos regular who wrote books on the Internet. "The catalyst was capable of Pioneering." Said Ernesto Zedillo that when he became president of Mexico from 1994 to 2000, visited Davos "a very cost-effective" to interact with the major interest groups. (When an impromptu chat with people like Zedillo one of the benefits of going to Davos.) "If it's a place to shake hands and slap backs, people do not always come back," said Peter Corbett, CEO of the Washington-based rap iStrategy digital agency Labs.The hard-to-avoid at the World Economic Forum (sayings is "committed to improving the state of the world") is that it is small compared to the time and money to go to the organization. "The return on investment is high for the participants but not for the world," said Vineet Nayar, vice chairman of HCL Technologies, India's info-tech outsourcing agents, who attended Davos this year.As for a broad public, were cynical about the collection of self-identified best and only increased since the financial crisis: A document prepared by the Council of WEF meeting this year titled "Weaknesses Elite" for Davos founder Klaus Schwab and believe in him., the challenge is to prove that the VIPs who flock here every January is really the world Better place.Illustration bloating Williams / Guardian News and Media Ltd 2013Davos important and easy to mock. "The Guardian," UKIllustration of Luojie / Cagle Cartoons "China Daily," ChinaIllustration by Paresh Nath / Cagle Cartoons "Khaleej Times," Union EmiratesThe bottom line: Given combining those of the public and private sectors, Davos is a place good to bear social programs and the environment.

Japan Is Wal-Mart said Gain

Keikichi MIYAKAWA he gets about $ 50,000 per month selling expensive golf club membership for Japan's bubble economy in the 1980s. Now retired, 65-year-old store in Tokyo resident in Seiyu, a discount chain owned by Wal-Mart Stores (WMT). He just bought a packet of bean sprouts for ¥ 29 (36 ¢), and croquet to ¥ 49 (60 ¢) as part of the store Promote Mainichi Yasuku my sister. Japanese translation of Wal-Mart's slogan "everyday low prices". With the Japanese economy on the cusp of the third recession since 2008, and a fall in household income over the last three years, the country is famous for picky and consumer brands like atmosphere of bargain-hunting. Discount stores and Wal-Mart gets, after years of mixed results and 20.9 billion yen to a loss Seiyu in 2007, is expanding for the first time since November 2008. Wal-Mart Japan saw net sales increased 2 percent during the second quarter of this year. Seiyu unit, that directly owned since 2008, will open seven new stores this year and three more in 2013. Wal-Mart's head of international business, Doug McMillon, said the company would consider taking to increase its presence in Japan.Wal-Mart had problems in other parts of Asia: In China is adding more stores less than previously planned, and the approach in India has been hindered by regulation until September prohibit foreign companies from investing in the supermarket. Far less enthusiastic about Japan even as European rivals Wal-Mart provides. In June, the UK Tesco (TSCO) has agreed to sell its business in Japan retailer Aeon. France's Carrefour (CA) remaining in 2005.With Japanese family budget under stress, Wal-Mart's "everyday operations low prices take root," said Takayuki Kito, a consultant in Tokyo to Munich-based Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. By spending less on promotional flyers, Seiyu chain cut advertising costs by 45 percent from 2008 to 2011, according to Ryo Kanayama, an executive at Wal-Mart Japan. "Getting rid of a lot of brokers and even managed to go directly to the consumer," said David Strasser, an analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott to. Other foreign retailers such as H & M (HMB), and Ikea is also growing in Japan. And local discount retailers overcome waves. Supermarket chain Aeon said in June to lower the price of 1,000 items, while rival Daiei will reduce the price for 2,000 items from 17 November. Committed to Seiyu to cut the price of the item by the end of December 2300. All this is good news for Japanese consumers. "That is now our monthly budget is ¥ 70,000 for the cost of food and eating. It is about 100,000 yen a few years ago, "said Aki Yamada, 29 years housewife shopping at Seiyu stores in southern Tokyo. "The cheaper, the better." By Toru Fujioka and Keiko Ujikane

SMEs not prepared to manage the health of staff

A quarter of small business owners in the UK do not feel confident they will be able to recognize and cope with pain, fatigue or depression along with their staff, the researchers found.

A quarter of small business owners in the UK do not feel confident they will be able to recognize and cope with pain, fatigue or depression along with their staff, the researchers found.

It is estimated that mental health problems such as fatigue costs the UK economy £ 26000000000 a year on his lack of presenteeism, and turnover of staff. In a small business environment, the absence may create more fatigue for employees leaving the raised additional workload, according to BUPA private healthcare company.

Two of the five (41 percent) of small business owners admit that they never question the employee about the physical or mental health, and 24 percent said they'd rather not talk to anyone about the problem posed as an employee rather than seek professional advice on how to deal with it.

Interference with privacy is the reason most often cited for not overcome anxiety health staff. One-third of managers (30 percent) believe it is' their business to get involved in the situation. However, because this work is ongoing stress related problems for businesses in the UK, with 10.8 million working days lost in 2010/11, according to figures from the HSE independent health watchdog. See also: stand staff for serious health problems

More than half (55 percent) said regularly to discuss time employees but only one in four (27 percent) will discuss the health of employees, sparking the fear that employers do not feel well equipped to handle the complex personal conversations.

Dr Jenny Leeser, clinical director of occupational health at Bupa, said: "If health problems like stress is not managed, the employees suffer in silence can cause a small problem becomes a bigger problem for a long time and ultimately affect productivity.

"No one expects the boss to solve all the problems of a person, but there may be adjustments that really helped, such as changing the clock for a while."

FPB: Do not scrap Xmas knees-up

Forum of Private Business has warned that ditching the office Christmas party could alienate workers.

Forum of Private Business (FPB) has warned that ditching the office Christmas party could alienate workers.

Free people suggested that more than half of small businesses are expected to do away with the annual festive feast for the staff.

Walking group warned managers that deprive employees of their seasonal celebrations disincentivise them to go the 'extra mile' for their company in the future.

The FPB added that, while the cash will be in short supply for many SMEs, not the number of festive frolics are also earth.See:Local shop says FPB

Forum chief executive Phil Orford said: "The benefits of the annual get-together can not be underestimated. They encourage communication, motivate staff and reward them at other facilities, such as salary increases and bonuses for many simply is not an option. '

FPB has some tips to boost morale among entrepreneurs in the absence of parties, including asking staff to alternative ideas and put them to a vote, with a discount voucher for the food group, and decorate the office with Christmas decorations detail.

Staff shows you recognize their efforts can mean more than a gift or bonus money, and talk to any member of staff about their holiday plans go too far, adding the organization.

Organise a 'Secret Santa', where the participants each buy a gift for another member of staff, as well as moral-strengthening measures that do not cost anything.