Tips for choosing a business name

[chris]

I came across this today and thought it might be helpful for visitors looking for advice about choosing a business name.

Choosing your business name is one of the first and most important things you will do when you start your business. It’s an important decision and you don’t want to get it wrong – it can be a costly mistake.

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To ensure you do not waste valuable time on setting up a business with a name you may not be able to use, follow these essential steps first:

Search the ASIC website for your preferred business name.
Search the IP Australia website for your business name.
Check the domain name is available, plus all derivations such as .net, .com, .org and any overseas countries you might expand into.
Register the name with ASIC and the business name as a trademark with IP Australia.
Lastly, register all the similar domain names and hold onto the ones you won’t use to protect your name from copycat businesses.

Registering a business name together with the trademark and domain name should be a priority. Don’t get caught out – check your options beforehand … and have a backup name ready just in case!

http://www.startupsmart.com.au/sale...hoosing-your-start-up-name/2013101810967.html

Cheers,
Chris

 

[petermeadit]

Great straight forward advice here Chris.

 

[Ashman]

I think it's also important to select a name that allows for future expansion of the business.

For example rather than "Jacks Hammers" a better option would be "Jacks Hardware".

 

[Data Glasses]

gonna be a lot of 'safety registrations' when the 1000 or new gtld's appear

 

[Data Glasses]

gonna be a lot of 'safety registrations' when the 1000 or new gtld's appear

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i suggest the .com.au and .com will be sufficient

 

[petermeadit]

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i suggest the .com.au and .com will be sufficient

You don't see businesses rushing to secure the new gtld's for their business name for branding security purposes?

 

[Data Glasses]

You don't see businesses rushing to secure the new gtld's for their business name for branding security purposes?

I think the cost of so many regs being the biggest hurdle

 

[petermeadit]

I think the cost of so many regs being the biggest hurdle

Makes sense Spacey, perhaps only large companies with large budgets will start to pick these up off the bat. Such as large insurance companies or finance companies with a large disposable spend for online presence?

 

[Data Glasses]

.com for worldwide and local cctld for the rest ....... easy
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Unless there is something really specific like Agl.gas or iag.insurance, would have to suit their market