![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.crowdspring.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/27125456\/balance-2034239_1280.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/images.crowdspring.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/27125439\/cs-200px.png\")
<\/div>\nEvery business will face a public relations crisis at some point. We cover reliable and proven strategies to help your business handle a PR crisis.<\/p>\n
<\/div>Read More<\/i><\/a> Receive six actionable guides, including a how to start a business checklist, detailed comparisons of LLCs, corporations, sole proprietorships, and partnerships to determine the best fit for your business, plus insights on crafting a compelling pitch deck to attract investors.<\/p> Receive six actionable guides, including a how to start a business checklist, detailed comparisons of LLCs, corporations, sole proprietorships, and partnerships to determine the best fit for your business, plus insights on crafting a compelling pitch deck to attract investors.<\/p> Receive six actionable guides, including a how to start a business checklist, detailed comparisons of LLCs, corporations, sole proprietorships, and partnerships to determine the best fit for your business, plus insights on crafting a compelling pitch deck to attract investors.<\/p> Birds of a feather flock together. Or, so the saying goes.<\/p>\n And, accurate or not, sharing a name with a well-known entity implies that your brand is of the same ilk.<\/p>\n Maybe that’s why entertainment-giant Disney decided to drop the “Fox” from the names of their recently acquired film studios – 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight Studios.<\/p>\n Going forward, the studios will be called 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Studios.<\/p>\n According to Zack’s Equity Research<\/a>,<\/p>\n Fox News, a name synonymous with Murdoch, is a media superpower. However, the brand has become a polarizing one, primarily because its prime-time opinion hosts are vocal supporters of President Trump.<\/p>\n …<\/p>\n Associating itself with an increasingly notorious brand can significantly harm Disney\u2019s fortunes from Fox\u2019s entertainment assets. Thus, it is not surprising for the media giant to maintain its distance from the \u201cFox\u201d name.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Survival-savvy Disney knows that their audience spans beyond political lines. And, as Disney has learned in the past, to affiliate too closely with either party publicly runs the risk of alienating wide swathes of their viewership.<\/p>\n People who don’t know your business may lump your brand in with others operating under similar names. We recommend that you take a lesson from Disney and do your best to sidestep any unwelcome comparisons with pre-existing businesses.<\/p>\n As you brainstorm names for your business, do your research.<\/p>\n Make sure you create a brand name independent of and unrelated to any businesses that throw up a red flag in your research. It’s just not worth the risk. As we strongly emphasized in our complete guide on how to start a business<\/a>, “strong brand identity is the most effective way your new business can gain a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded marketplace.”<\/p>\n Here is everything you need to know to successfully rebrand your business and get it back on a path to growth and success.<\/p>\n <\/div>Read More<\/i><\/a> A good business name leaves room for growth – instead of stifling it.<\/p>\n Narrowly focused names can undermine your ability to expand into other profitable areas.<\/p>\n Narrow names can be too descriptive (example: “Jane’s Lampshades”), too generic (example “ABC Services”), or geographically too limiting (example: “Antioch Plumbing”).<\/p>\n We faced this issue when we came up with the name “crowdspring.” We knew we wanted to offer entrepreneurs, businesses, and agencies a new way to buy creative services, but we weren’t sure which specific creative verticals we would target. Had we named our business “Logo Designers,” we’d be limited to a single niche. Even if we named the Business “Design, Inc,” we’d still be limited. That’s why we chose a broader, unique name capable of growing with our business.<\/p>\n You can see more evidence of this principle at work in Tesla’s 2017 name update. The forward-thinking brand decided to change its name from “Tesla Motors” to “Tesla Inc.”<\/p>\n According to Reuters<\/a>,<\/p>\n …the name change\/shortening highlights Musk’s focus for Tesla. It’s not just about vehicles, it’s about energy. Tesla is a company focused on providing energy products, one part of which happens to be electric cars.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Perception is a powerful thing. And, customers who perceive your business to be limited may not be willing to risk their hard-earned dollars on a new venture.<\/p>\n Even worse, it may never occur to customers that your business performs services or sells products outside of the limited scope the name implies. So, you lose the chance to even compete for their business.<\/p>\n The wrong name can really hold your business back.<\/p>\n Don’t even consider names that are too literal or narrowly focused. Instead, think about the business you want your new venture to become in five or ten years.<\/p>\n You may not know all the specifics now but think about logical ways to expand your current vision. Then choose a name that reflects your larger vision rather than the version of your business that you launch.<\/p>\n Here are 10 powerful tips to help you develop a strong business name for your new company.<\/p>\n <\/div>Read More<\/i><\/a> Once a name has been trademarked in the U.S., that name is protected in all 50 states.<\/p>\n Now, you might think, “I’m just a tiny local business. It doesn’t matter if my name is similar to that other business.”<\/p>\n But it’s just not true.<\/p>\n You will be unable to trademark a name in your industry if another business has already claimed it. Furthermore, if the existing business fails to take sufficient action to protect their trademark, they may lose it. So, the motivation is strong for businesses to defend their trademarks proactively.<\/p>\n If you use a name (or even a significant part of a name) that is already under trademark, you should anticipate a cease and desist letter in your future – along with the need to find a new business name.<\/p>\n This is a scenario you should strive to avoid if at all possible, as Sean Smith and Chase Baron of Denver-based roofing company Skyyguard can attest. Skyyguard is embroiled in a lawsuit with SKYY Vodka.<\/p>\n According to Baron, the alcohol company has claimed that “…it would actually dilute the SKYY Vodka brand” if Skyyguard were allowed to trademark their name. But, Skyyguard has already been doing business under that name since 2018. Baron explains<\/a>,<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just as easy as changing a name… We would potentially lose two years worth of equity that we built into our brand. I mean it would be further time, further resources that we have to go and change all of our documentation and file new paperwork with the state.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Loss of brand equity is no small matter. It takes time to build a relationship with customers. A major change in identity can leave customers confused, unable to find you, or even assuming that you’ve gone out of business.<\/p>\n And, you may even get sued.<\/p>\n Between the threat of legal action and the cost of rebuilding lost brand equity, using a business name already protected by trademark law is an expensive mistake.<\/p>\n But if this happens to you, there’s a path forward.<\/p>\n For example, one crowdspring client, Asabasa Spice Co.<\/a>, previously used an agency to name their business. After operating the business for several years, they were threatened by a much larger competitor because the business name infringed on the competitor’s name. Jacob Childrey, the owner, worked with crowdspring’s namers to quickly rename and rebrand the business. He avoided the substantial expense of litigation by taking quick action and ended up with a terrific new name.<\/p>\n Again, do your research!<\/em><\/p>\n If you find that the name or web domain is already taken, it’s safest to choose a different business name.<\/p>\n Also, remember that most states require you to register your business if the trade name under which you operate your business differs from your business’s legal name.<\/p>\n <\/i> Hire an expert to form your company and save time.<\/span> Our trusted partners can help: Northwest ($39 + state fee)<\/b><\/a> or Bizee ($199 + state fee)<\/b><\/a>. For example, if your registered company is an LLC<\/a> and is named Three Brothers, LLC, you cannot operate that business lawfully in most states if you\u2019re selling products under the trade name Three Tigers. That\u2019s because the registered name, and your trade name, are different.<\/p>\n Fortunately, this is not a difficult problem to overcome. You can register your actual trade name with your state (and or local government) by filing a \u201cdoing business as\u201d (DBA) certificate. DBAs are also commonly called \u201cassumed name,\u201d \u201cfictitious business name,\u201d or \u201ctrade name.\u201d Here\u2019s a terrific resource that explains what a DBA is, the DBA state requirements, and how to file a DBA<\/span><\/a> for your business in all 50 states and U.S. territories. Registering a DBA can help you avoid operating under a name identical to another business in your state.<\/p>\n Here is an actionable look at what you need to know about trademarks.<\/p>\n <\/div>Read More<\/i><\/a> As we just discussed, changing a business name comes at a cost.<\/p>\n Now, there are times when it’s wise to change your business name and rebrand<\/a>. But, some companies decide to rebrand for reasons that don’t hold up.<\/p>\n Getting bored with your brand, or changing your business name as a panacea for a struggling business, are not good reasons to change a name.<\/p>\n Bradley Airport, Connecticut’s largest airport, discovered this recently for themselves.<\/p>\n Although some members of the board wanted to rebrand as “Connecticut International,” the research didn’t support the change<\/a>:<\/p>\n The authority\u2019s study found, among other things, that airports which changed their names did not see a resulting bump up in passenger traffic, the main motivation for adopting a new name.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n So, the airport will remain “Bradley International” for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n Be like Bradley International. Resist the urge to change your name if there’s no benefit to be gained by it.<\/p>\n We look at five branding mistakes that will cripple your small business and how to avoid making those mistakes.<\/p>\n <\/div>Read More<\/i><\/a>![](\"https:\/\/images.crowdspring.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/27125439\/logo-pink-blue.png\"\/){kind=logo}
<\/div>\nFree Business Startup Kit<\/h2>
Free Business Startup Kit<\/h2>
Free Business Startup Kit<\/h2>
Naming mistake #2: Affiliating with a bad reputation<\/h3>\n
Do this instead:<\/h4>\n
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How to rebrand your business.<\/h3>
<\/div>\nNaming mistake #3: Choosing a business name that is too limiting<\/h3>\n
Do this instead:<\/h4>\n
Want tips on naming your business?<\/h3>
<\/div>\nNaming mistake #4: Choosing a business name already protected by trademark law<\/h3>\n
Do this instead:<\/h4>\n
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Pay just $39 + state fees and you'll get a free year of registered agent service, articles of organization, privacy, and client support from local experts.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\nWant to know more about trademarks?<\/h3>
<\/div>\n![\"entrepreneur](\"https:\/\/assets.crowdspring.com\/marketing\/landing-page\/naming-quiz-hero.png\")
<\/div>Naming mistake #5: Changing your company name for no real benefit<\/h3>\n
Want to avoid branding mistakes?<\/h3>
<\/div>\nDo this instead:<\/h4>\n
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