Have You Ever Changed Your Business Name?

[I_like_melts]

I'm just curious and exploring possibilities. My market has been primarily online, but I think my current name may be limiting me. I love the niche audience I have, but I think I'd be more successful with a more generic name.

Has anyone else been through the rebranding process? Aside from the legalities, registering a new web address, ect, has it had a positive impact on your business?

 

[amd]

I can't speak from experience myself, but a soapmaking friend of mine re-did her name last year. Her original name was seven words, it was cute but so long! She rebranded to two words, and uses "Soap made by [seven word former name]" as her tagline. She completely overhauled her business to only wholesale and custom order, and one hometown market, at the same time so the name change made sense for her.

I would ask though is the name change based on just your thought or have you asked customers what they think about the name? I would start asking every new customer before I even started looking into the process. Sometimes what we think as owners isn't how customers think.

 

[I_like_melts]

I can't speak from experience myself, but a soapmaking friend of mine re-did her name last year. Her original name was seven words, it was cute but so long! She rebranded to two words, and uses "Soap made by [seven word former name]" as her tagline. She completely overhauled her business to only wholesale and custom order, and one hometown market, at the same time so the name change made sense for her.

I would ask though is the name change based on just your thought or have you asked customers what they think about the name? I would start asking every new customer before I even started looking into the process. Sometimes what we think as owners isn't how customers think.

I think my current customers are ok with the name (most buy more than once), but I dont think the name would do well for anything other than home fragrance. It's also not a "politically correct" name, so while it wont cause issues now, it could limit growth later on. (EDIT: The name isn't too bad and sort of matches the style, most people giggle at it - which is fine - just clarifying the vague terminology lol)

 

[Lin19687]

Back in the beginning of the 2000's I was Doodlebug Soaps. I was not really selling much if any and didn't have a web page (way too $$ back then). Then a hiatus on soaping... someone took the name. Even though they are not a Registered name I was not going to play with it so came up with a new one.

It took months to think of a name. I am also looking to buy a Farm so i needed something that I could use for that too. That is why it took so long, it had to fit .... ME.
Rustic Life Farm is what happened. When I get a farm up and running I will have Eggs, Chicks, Bees, Honey and some kind of plants (herbals I would like). So while the name is not 'Soap' it still works, for me
Only issue I have now is at Farmers Markets if I have my sign up. It just says Rustic Life Farm, so I have to explain, which has gotten me into some Fabulous conversations !!



ok none of that really is what you are looking for I just don't want to label my soaps anymore LOL

 

[shunt2011]

I have another registered business name. I would like to rebrand as I just called my business something in the beginning without much thought (my bad). I love the one I’ve been sitting on for a couple years now but haven’t taken the jump. Maybe next year. I’m just concerned my customers will overlook me if I change it.

 

[cmzaha]

My daughter started with CZ Wick and Suds but we now work under the dba of ACTZ (our initials) She also has her Marshmallow Soap Company, or I should say did. She is not working anymore but we still have our site. The CZ Wick and Suds did not work because she found out she did not like making candles. . Actually people seem to remember our ACTZ and they will ask what it means.

 

[I_like_melts]

I have another registered business name. I would like to rebrand as I just called my business something in the beginning without much thought (my bad). I love the one I’ve been sitting on for a couple years now but haven’t taken the jump. Maybe next year. I’m just concerned my customers will overlook me if I change it.

That would be my biggest concern. Maybe keep the logo?

 

[cmzaha]

We changed our logo too. Customers noticed and like the new better.

 

[I_like_melts]

We changed our logo too. Customers noticed and like the new better.

I love my logo. I think it matches my style but who knows. I still have to think of a new concept that still matches my brand, but has a completely different name lol

 

[Lin19687]

Suggestion... Take a small note pad and keep it with you. Write down words that pop into your head that make you think of what YOU want your Biz to be or sound like. Maybe even words that describe what it looks like.

I do that when I am thinking of how to change something.
Take Soap names for instance. I will sit and smell, what pops into my head, write it down. Close eyes a day later and smell, write what pops into head. Then I look at it and same thing.... Ending with mixing words or looking up synonyms for all the words I put down. Sometimes a word just fits!

 

[Candybee]

I did the whole biz name and logo and branding change a few years back. My new name is entirely different from my old name. I had to do it because I changed from a primarily candle making biz to a full soap making biz with candles as a seasonal sideline. So I couldn't have candles in my biz name anymore.

One of the things I did was start working in advance to make the announcement any way I could like in handouts and on my website making an announcement. I also kept my old website up with home page only with a link to my new website and wording on the webpage that I had changed my name. I kept the old website up for about 6 months.

So if you plan ahead of time you can save your customers from confusion and also from losing them. I did lose some customers I am sure but was able to retain many due to my planning.

 

[shunt2011]

I did the whole biz name and logo and branding change a few years back. My new name is entirely different from my old name. I had to do it because I changed from a primarily candle making biz to a full soap making biz with candles as a seasonal sideline. So I couldn't have candles in my biz name anymore.

One of the things I did was start working in advance to make the announcement any way I could like in handouts and on my website making an announcement. I also kept my old website up with home page only with a link to my new website and wording on the webpage that I had changed my name. I kept the old website up for about 6 months.

So if you plan ahead of time you can save your customers from confusion and also from losing them. I did lose some customers I am sure but was able to retain many due to my planning.

Thank you for the ideas. I will have to give it some thought over the winter. I’ll need a new logo too to go with my theme for the new one. Need to find someone to do that as I paid quite a bit for my current one and don’t want to go there again.

 

[I_like_melts]

I think I am going to hold on to mine a bit longer (like 6 months ish), so I can find a name that suits wax/soap/bath. I currently can't do bath products, but Im hoping I can get the ball rolling on that sometime next year - expanding may be the best way to introduce a new name/rebrand without alienating my target audience. Plus it gives me more time to think. Every name I think up seems to be taken at the moment anyway lol

I would just do a forwarding address on my website, and I can change the names on social media easily (70% of my traffic comes from social media - mostly Instagram).

Thank you for all the help and ideas!