How to Create a Name for Your Cleaning Business

Name Tag How to Create a Name for Your Cleaning Business

Before you open the doors of your cleaning business you not only need equipment and supplies, you need a name for your business. The name of your company will be the first thing prospective clients see - whether that is in the phone book, on your company car, in an ad, or on a website. The name symbolizes what your cleaning business represents. So it is important to spend some time on choosing a name that not only fits your cleaning business, but also presents a positive image to customers, suppliers and employees.

The easiest way to name your business it to use your own name or initials, such as Joe Smith's Cleaning. This provides a personal touch, is easy to remember, and if you have a proven track record in the business, it can attract customers. However, if your plan is to one day sell your business, you might want to consider something less personal.

Instead of using your name or initials, you may want to think of descriptive or suggestive wording for your business name. When going this route begin by brainstorming key words or phrases that have something to do with the business: clean, cleaning, squeaky clean, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, janitorial services, etc. Write down as many words as you can think of and use a thesaurus to create more wording possibilities.

You can also use words that describe the benefits your clients will get from using your service: spotless, spic-n-span, dust free, immaculate, etc. Take the words from your two lists and start combining them into various business names: Sparkling Waters Cleaning Company, A1 Janitorial Services, APlus Cleaning, Spic-n-Span Cleaning. As most businesses also use a tag line or motto, look through your list to see if any of your potential names suggest possibilities. For example, "Sparkling Waters Cleaning - Your floors will look like sparkling waters".

Try out different names and combinations and then judge the names by the following:

- Is it easy to pronounce?

- Is it concise?

- Is it easy to remember?

- Is it distinct?

- Does it convey the message you want your customers to see?

- Is it pleasant to hear and repeat over and over again? - Is it something you can stand behind?

Before you can begin using your business name, check to see if the name is already trademarked. Do an Internet search at the USPTO (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) at http://www.uspto.gov . Then check with your local secretary of state to see if anyone else in your state has already registered that name. Once you have decided if the name is available and can represent your business, run it by family and friends to get their reaction.

The business name is the flag that can wave down potential customers. Once you have decided on a name it will most likely be with you throughout the life of the business. Putting the time into researching a suitable name for your cleaning business is one way to get your business off and running in the right direction.

How to Create a Niche Market for Your Business

Lanyards How to Create a Niche Market for Your Business

Have you ever wondered how so many beauty salons, web design companies, attorneys or Mexican restaurants can exist in the same geographic area? Especially in small populated areas? Maybe the demand is high. Or, perhaps some of these businesses have set themselves apart by targeting a niche market.

A niche is a special area of demand for a product or service. Not all beauty salons, for example, are created equal in price, customer service, convenient location and hours, scheduling, stylist expertise and so on. The same is literally true for all businesses; web design, marketing consultants, hardware stores, attorneys. The list goes on.

Creating a niche and marketing to both your general and niche markets is a smart business and marketing strategy. You cannot expect to start a business with millions of world wide competitors (via the Internet), hundreds or thousands of regional competitors and a dozen or more local competitors, and instantly, or easily, gain a fair market share without creating a niche market.

Every business has a niche. The key is identifying what that niche is. An online retailer like Amazon.com has a different niche than competitors Barnes & Noble or Borders who rely more on developing a local presence and foot traffic. A few years ago DHL came out with a brilliant commercial pitting itself against the leading overnight delivery service. DHL did not claim to be number one or lower priced. Instead they capitalized on a niche market, being number two and a reliable back up service when you, the consumer, need it most. It was a brilliant campaign.

Identifying or creating a niche means digging deeper into what sets your business, product or service apart from the competition. The typical marketing question is "Why would I buy from you instead of Company X?" Your answer will likely just scratch the surface and match what many competitors could claim. This is where you dig deeper. Look at your location, hours of operation, years of experience, price point, friendly staff, response time to customer inquiries or processing orders, the quality of your product or delivery of your service, personalized attention, and so on.

For example, marketing easy access to your business from a major road or highway is a niche that should drive traffic and make sales soar. If you are the only video store in your area play it up. If your video store carries a large selection of hard to find movies in VHS format and stays open until midnight, those are two more niche markets. Being a new wholesale supplier in a regional area is big news to your local city as well as the region, creating multiple niches for your business overnight. Claims of being the first, the only one or the original are unique niche selling points that no one else can (legitimately) claim.

Do not wait for your industry or market to become saturated to identify and market your niche. Start now. Work both your general market as well as your niche market to develop a solid foundation for success so you can survive when competition does heat up. As your business grows or your industry changes so will your niche opportunities grow and change.