Choosing a great name for your business requires a lot of research, and planning.

You need a name that’s easy to remember, describes what your business does, and isn’t too similar to the name of another business

This guide will take you through the steps from business idea to business name.

What’s in a Name?

Start by deciding what you want your name to communicate. It should reinforce the key elements of your business.

The more your name communicates to consumers about your business, the less effort you must exert to explain it. Entrepreneurs should give priority to real words or combinations of words over fabricated words. People prefer words they can relate to and understand.

Consider “Italiatour,” a name that was developed by one naming company to help promote package tours to Italy. Though it’s not a real word, the name is meaningful and customers can recognize immediately what’s being offered.

When choosing a business name keep the following tips in mind:

• Choose a name that appeals to the kind of customers you are trying to attract.
• Choose a comforting or familiar name that conjures up pleasant memories so customers respond to your business on an emotional level.
• Don’t pick a name that is long or confusing.
• Stay away from names that only you understand.

Get Creative

At a time when almost every existing word in the language has been trademarked, the option of coining a name is becoming more popular.

Coined names can be more meaningful than existing words.By working with meaningful word segments produces new words that are both meaningful and unique.

However, that made-up words aren’t the right solution for every situation.

Find Out Which Names Are Available

After you come up with a list of business name options, you’ll need to see which ones are available as domains.

Check the social media platforms you plan to use to see if your surviving names are available as handles. If they’re taken, are there close-enough alternatives you can use?

By now, your list of possible names may be a lot shorter than when you began.

If nothing on your list made it through with domain and social media names available, you can either start the name-brainstorming process again or choose a name from the ones that aren’t trademarked or used by another business and then get as close as you can with domain names and social media handles.

Claim Your New Business Name

When you’ve decided on your new business name, it’s time to make it official.

The first step is to register the domain name for your business. Do this first, even if you know it will be awhile before you can set up your website, so that no one else claims the domain name in the meantime. We suggest GreenHost.eu

Signing up for web hosting when you register your domain name can save you time, because you won’t have to transfer your domain to a hosting service later on. Getting hosting right away also gives you the ability to put up a “coming soon” notice until your site is ready After you have your URL, go ahead and sign up for the social media accounts you’ll use to market your business. Claim those social media handles, add your URL, and let people know your new business is launching soon.