business name question...input requested! :)

[Dana Mae]

Hi All,

Finally, after over 2 years, I have decided on a business name. My name really doesn't say anything about *what* I (will be) selling....it's more a personal thing.

My question is, for you sellers, is do you like to do YOUR COMPANY NAME and add Soap and Candle Co. (for example).....whatever you are to be selling behind it?

I'll be starting off with soap.....but will be adding candles once I am completely satisfied with the burn (not quite there yet!)

I am involved in other things (fine art..drawing/painting, pottery, ceramic sculpture) but thought it might be better to keep that as separate entity, probably using my real name, period...maybe linking to one or another.

Thoughts? I'm months and months from going "live".....but undecided if I should use only the business name or having something behind it indicating what the business is.....

Thoughts anyone?

[SherriLynn]

9 years ago my product line was candles, tarts, votives, dipped critters and incense... my business name was Candlelite by Sherri. I was pretty restricted in marketing or adding anything new to the product line with Candle in my name.

6 years ago I changed my businessname to a combination of my first and middle name. I felt that tagging candle,scents, bath and body, or anything else hindered me and limited what I could create and sell. I quickly learned one cannot live by selling candles and wax products alone. The market was toooo saturated in my area and still is in candles and bath and body products,,, Good grief everyone and their brother is making them in an attempt to get rich, so I knew I had to find another niche'. I found my niche' then needed help to meet the demands of products.

We've ( my daughter and I are now in partnership) expanded into a multi line of products: candles, soaps, bath and body, aroma beads, waxed critters, incense, themed candles, fundraisers and our own recipe line of gourmet foods,so I needed to find some way to blanket all aspects of my business. Changing my business name enabled me to do that as well as keeping my business name with a personal touch. Clients and potential clients can easily recognize me by my business shirts and jackets that have my business name,, plus my own name embroidered on the front. I'm the creator, the maker and the marketer and clients love to know me by my first name.

I found adding products, actually increased my candle sales. Clients wholesaled gourmet foods first in their business and because of the hit our products were, added candles and B&B.

You could always use your name,, then distinguish your products by calling each of them a collection. Something like this:

Your Name

Fine Arts Collection

Your Name

Ceramic Sculpture Collection

If you set up a website, you could create a separate tab, for each of your collections.

HTH's

~S~

[Dana Mae]

Great ideas.......thank you for sharing your experience and input!

dana