Whether you’re looking to change your brand name or rebrand your entire company, this guide will help you identify all the reasons why you should consider making the switch, plus offer expert tips to get started.
When changing your business name, there are many different factors to consider—from the legal requirements to the branding guidelines. As your business grows, however, it’s often difficult to remember which marketing materials refer to the old brand and which refer to the new one.
So, why not use the time you spend on business cards, letterhead, and other marketing materials to update your business name instead? That way, you’ll be more prepared to switch up your brand name when the time comes.
What Is A Business Name Change?
You start looking around for a suitable name that you can legally trademark. It’s a long, drawn-out process and you start getting discouraged. You call your friend and say, “I think I’m going to give up on the idea because it’s so hard to get a good business name.” He says, “You know, I used to be in the business of doing business name changes.
I can do you one for free.” You jump on the phone and he tells you what to do. You tell him your situation, and he offers you some advice and guidance. The next day, you get a nice email from him saying that he’s changed the name of the company to “Company X.” He’s done a lot of work and he thinks you will be pleased with the result. He’s wrong. You’re not happy.
Why? Because you’ve given up on your idea and decided to just go and do something else. When that happens, it means you’ve lost focus and momentum. When you lose your focus and momentum, you’ll never be able to recover. To recover, you have to start your business again and this time, make sure you.
Why And How To Change Your Business Name?
I know it’s not your favorite subject, but changing your business name is inevitable in today’s world. If you want to attract the right audience for your new business or service, then it’s crucial to be prepared to change your name. If you don’t, you’ll miss out on the opportunity to communicate your business more clearly and powerfully to your target audience.
Even if you have the money to spend on a new business name, it’s not easy to come up with a good one. In fact, most of us struggle to do so. That’s why the first step is to figure out what your ideal business name is. But once you’ve figured out your ideal business name, you have to keep it secret.
In this article, we’ll explain why changing your business name is inevitable, and we’ll show you how to choose a business name that will set you apart from your competitors and give you maximum visibility in today’s world. We’ll also show you how to create a logo that works for you. I encourage you to read more about this blog here: Business Growth Strategies For A Brand Turnaround
How Risky Are Business Name Changes?
As a business owner, you may have heard that the risk of changing your name is very small. In today’s podcast, I interview three business experts to help you decide how risky a business name change really is. I’ll give you their insights on this topic, as well as their recommendations about how to make your business name changes a little less scary. I’ll also reveal how you can get some free advice for making these kinds of business name changes.
8 Reasons To Change Your Business Name (And What To Do About It)
Have you ever had a change of heart about your business name? This post will share 8 reasons why changing your business name is a great idea.
1. You’re Being Legally Forced To Change Your Name
You’re legally forced to change your business name. This means that someone else already owns your current business name and trademark.
A lot of businesses get stuck in a name change rut and can’t seem to move forward. They’re stuck in legal limbo, afraid of potential legal ramifications. But, sometimes you’re forced to change your name due to a variety of reasons. And, if you’re being legally forced to change your name, that can be a real drag. We’ll take a look at why you might be forced to change your business name and how you can get the ball rolling to make your business name change a reality.
2. You’ve Outgrown Your Name
This is not a new thought and there is a lot of advice on the internet about why changing your name is a good idea. But there are some reasons why changing your name for you can be a bad move. We’ll give you some of the common ones you might be thinking of when you are considering changing your name.
You’ve outgrown your current name. Or you’re starting to run out of options. Either way, you may want to change your business name. The benefits of doing so are significant. Your new name:
- Represents your brand identity
- Gives you the opportunity to stand out from your competitors
- Improves your search engine optimization
3. Your Name Causes Brand Confusion
You probably spend more time trying to figure out how to pronounce your business name than anything else about your company. But what happens when your company name changes? The problem is that most companies don’t change their names very often, so the majority of customers will not know your new name—unless you tell them. This could create brand confusion, and it might even lead to fewer new customers or lost customers. And that’s bad for your business.
4. Your Name Is Failing To Stand Out
Your name is supposed to be your identity. It’s what people call you in your professional life. It’s how you sign checks. It’s what other businesses will refer to you as. It is your brand. In fact, it’s so important that some professionals will actually charge you for helping you come up with a new business name. If you’re in the process of starting a new business, it’s an absolute must that you choose a name that represents your vision.
5. You’re Facing A PR Disaster
You may have started your business without thinking about whether it would benefit from a name change. But in a world of instant gratification and constant change, a business name may be about to go out of fashion. And when it does, you’ll need to act quickly to save the brand name and reputation you spent years building. If you’re facing a PR disaster, it’s time to do something. So what is the best way to change your name?
6. You’ve Expanded Beyond Your Geography
Many of us have a great idea for a business but lack the capital to get started. Our brains are wired to protect our investments, so it’s tough to admit when we’ve lost our focus. When our business expands beyond our geographic boundaries, we may feel like we need a name change. But is that true? Not necessarily. A business name change can be a good way to reassess your goals and refocus your business.
7. Your Business Is Named After Its Founder
In the spirit of entrepreneurship, you’re probably thinking of names for your product before you actually finish launching it. You’ve spent countless hours researching a name, and now you want to get feedback. But how do you find people who will want to help you launch your new product? This is where the “launch team” comes into play.
8. Your Business Name Is An Acronym
If you’re thinking about changing your company’s name, you should really think long and hard about it. A lot of companies decide to change their company names for the sake of changing their company names. Many companies end up with a company name that sounds a lot like the word “acronym”.
There are many different ways to spell an acronym, so it’s not uncommon for a company to change its name, but keep the acronym intact. While some people might think that changing a company name is a good idea, in many cases, changing a company name is actually a bad idea. The reason is that a new company name could create confusion and cause potential clients to have a hard time remembering your company.
Companies That Changed Their Names
When you think of a brand name, you usually think about the product or service it represents. But that’s not always the case, especially when a company is in the business of creating, designing, and selling products. As a rule of thumb, we all know that names play a key role in branding. Brands, products, services, and even companies are often named after famous personalities, products, places, or things.
Some companies change their name, and some simply add a suffix or suffixes to the original name, but there are many other companies that have taken a different approach to the brand. From brands that changed their name to names that became synonymous with a certain product, we’ve put together a list of companies that changed their names. So take a look at our list and see if there are any brands, products, or companies that you’ve never thought of before! 6 companies that changed their name.
Facebook | Meta
“Companies That Changed Their Names For Facebook” is the most popular topic on MetaFilter right now. You might already know that a “Meta” is a website that lets its users post their thoughts, stories, jokes, or photos on a community bulletin board. Or you might not know anything about MetaFilter. So let’s just say that the “Meta” part of MetaFilter is a big deal—in fact, it’s the site’s most visited section. We’ll get to that in a minute.
But first, let’s go back to 2008 when MetaFilter was called MetaFilter.com. Back then, it wasn’t so easy to get people talking about you online. It was easier to talk about yourself. That’s why we started MetaFilter. Our goal was simple: to give our users a place to share stories, ideas, thoughts, and opinions. It didn’t take long for people to start asking questions. Like: Why did you change your name to Meta? And we’d have to answer them.
BackRub | Google
Google changed its name to Google in 1998 after the Internet search engine firm was sued by a former employee for using the trademarked term BackRub. It didn’t end well. In 2015, the company changed its name back to Google, citing its brand as “the original and preferred name.” Back in the 90s, Google was the most trusted search engine on the web—they made it easy for users to find information and perform searches.
Relentless | Amazon
“Companies that Changed Their Names FOR Relentless” is about companies that changed their name in order to be more well-known and effective.
As the world’s largest online retailer, you know that your products are only as good as your customer service. You know that your brand name is a huge part of your reputation. And you know that an excellent name can make a big difference in your ability to attract new customers.
But how do you find a great name? And when you do find it, how do you stick with it? That’s where this list comes in. We’ve compiled a list of over 1,100 popular companies that have changed their names at least once over the past 50 years.
Sound of Music | Best Buy
Best Buy has had a colorful past. They started out as a mail-order radio store in Chicago. Over time, they diversified and grew to become one of the largest retail electronics stores in the United States. In the 1990s, the company suffered from the recession and bankruptcy, but the company is back on top and has grown to dominate the retail electronics market.
While there are plenty of companies that changed their name for the sound, feel, and/or humor reasons, the best ones tend to be the ones that are truly iconic and have an impact on the world around them. In the case of Best Buy, they are more than just a store; they are a community. So, why not give them a name that reflects this?
Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo | Sony
Sony: Sony Corporation of America has been named one of the 50 largest companies in the world. Its founder, Masaru Ibuka, once stated that the name of the company was meant to represent the human need for progress through technology. He wanted a company name that would stand for the potential for new technologies and products.
In the US, the company is a division of Sony Corporation, a holding company that also owns other companies, including Columbia Pictures. Sony has been involved in electronics production, broadcasting, cable television, motion pictures, and music. Its flagship brand is the Sony Alpha DSLR line of cameras and mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, which are marketed worldwide under the Alpha brand name.
Jerry’s Guide to the World Wide Web | Yahoo
Jerry’s Guide to the World Wide Web is a simple, free ebook that tells you how to learn more about the internet, including how to get online, how to navigate the web, and how to get started on the internet. It’s also where you can find my free, no-nonsense internet marketing guide, called “The Beginner’s Guide to Internet Marketing.” This ebook is full of useful information and practical tips to help you get started with internet marketing and become an expert in your own niche.
Conclusion
In conclusion, even though you might not feel like it, your company is always changing. It goes through different stages in life, and each stage is a unique period in which you grow. Every stage brings changes, including new names. Sometimes, businesses change their names because they want to change their personality. Other times, businesses change their names to reflect what they do better than they ever could have done before. Whatever the reason, it’s important to know that the name of your business isn’t set in stone forever.
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