3 Reasons NOT to Use “Home” in Your Home Business Name
November 26, 2008 by Jean Murray
Home Shopping Network can get away with it, but you can’t. As a home business owner, you may have already selected a business name. If you haven’t, think carefully before you use the word “home” in your home business name. Here’s why:
1. It diminishes the image of your business as a REAL business, and makes you look less professional. Cindy’s Home Crafts, for example, doesn’t sound as professional as The Craft Boutique. One of the cardinal principles of business is “LOOK BIGGER THAN YOU ARE.” People don’t have to know you’re operating a “mom and pop” operation. With the web and excellent graphics and design people, you can create an image of a thriving, big business. Having the word “home” in your business name might keep you from looking as big as you want to be.
2. It lets people know you are operating from home, and you just gave them your home address. Unless you use a PO Box, putting the word “home” with your address gives people way too much information about you. I would not want people to know I am operating from home and what my home address is. Sure they can find out, but why make it easy for them?
3. It limits your ability to grow and move out of your home. In some instances, it might be ok to continue to use Cindy’s Home Crafts, just as a branding thing, but if you wanted to take your business to the next level and move to a location outside your home, it might limit you. Having “Home” as part of your business name might limit you if you wanted to sell your business, because the new owners will probably want to move it out of the home environment.
I also recommend to people that they NOT use their name as part of the business name. Similar reasons as above – it isn’t as professional, it gives people too much information about you, and if you want to grow or sell your business, you are limited.
Creating an image of your business as big and professional helps you in your dealings with customers and others, and it sure helps you to feel big and GROW BIG.