Choose A Name For Your Event Planning Business


When I started my event business in 2004, I struggled with what to name it. It’s a problem we hear a lot at Event Planning Blueprint, “how to choose a name for your event planning business”.

Tyesse, a long time community member at Event Planning Blueprint and a recent grad of our business training program, experienced this when naming her event business.

Ultimately she chose a name that was close to her heart and had meaning for her – Marigold Rose Events, which was named after her two grandmothers. So sweet, right?!

But, it took going through this 8 point checklist before she decided on the right name for her.

How I Named My Event Business

It took me weeks to decide what to name my business because I couldn’t decide if I wanted something fun and catchy, something meaningful or if I should name the business after myself.

In the end I decided on C!AO Event Management. Ciao (pronounced chow) is an informal Italian greeting that is used to say hello or good-bye.

The name helps you brand your event business, decide what your website will look like, what logo to choose and what to put on your business cards.

Many event planners struggle to choose a name because of the pressure to pick the ‘right’ business name.

Choose A Name For Your Event Planning Business

Some experts believe names should be abstract and others believe they should be informative so it’s easy to understand what your business is about.

In today’s video, I share 8 steps that you can use to help make a decision.


 

Step One: Grab a pen and a piece of paper and write down every word that comes to mind. Don’t filter your thoughts or say no to anything – yet. (Use wordnik.com to expand your word list)

Step Two: While some synonyms have positive connotations others are neutral or negative. E.g. lazy vs. relaxed, difficult or challenging, studios vs. nerdy. Explore different word choices to enhance your business name. Ask yourself:

  1. Who is my target audience?
  2. How is my business better (or more unique) than the competition?

Step Three: Narrow your list to 2-3 options.

Step Four: Is the name easy to pronounce and spell? Ciao wasn’t an easy word for many people to say, but it was memorable and it meant something to me.

Step Five: Is it descriptive? C!AO had personal meaning for me because Italy is one of my favorite countries, and it also stood for Contemporary, Innovative and Original.

Add a Tagline

If your business name isn’t descriptive, add a tagline to describe your services.

Step Six: Confirm the URL is available. Use a web hosting site to secure your domain availability.

Step Seven: Test your business name by asking (at least) 25 people from your target audience for feedback.

Step Eight: Is the name legally available? Use your State/Government website to check availability and register your business name. Most Government sites allow you to do this online.

I’d love to hear from you.

In the comments below, let me know if you’re struggling to name your business and which tip helped you most.

Leave as much detail as you’d like, but remember, links to outside posts and videos are seen as SPAM and will be deleted. 🙂

Your comments help the entire community, so thanks for sharing!

Have an eventful week,

 
 
 

18 Comments

  1. Whitney Brown at 7:56 pm

    I have been racking my brain over the last three weeks. It’s also very annoying when you finally come up with something and it’s not available. My event business will deliver fundraising events however, I don’t want a name which will bracket me incase I choose to expand in the future.

    Reply
    1. Event Planning Blueprint at 8:01 pm

      Totally get it, coming up with a name is stressful! Try out a few names, say them out loud, say them to other people and see what sticks. You can always change it if you don’t like it!

      Reply
  2. Genee Carr at 4:04 pm

    This is something that I struggled with for a while. My business partner and I ended up changing our company’s name twice before we chose the perfect one. We encountered the issue of choosing names that were already trademarked and ones that just were simply not captivating enough. The best advice I can give would be to not let this stop you from working on your business. Continue to be productive and the name will come to you. Also, before creating any social media pages, logos, or any other stationary make sure to check the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) website to make sure that your company name has not already been trademarked. Trust me, it’ll save you a lot of headaches. Be blessed!

    Reply
    1. Event Planning Blueprint at 4:25 pm

      Genee, that is great advice, thank you for sharing. It’s also good to point out that you can choose a name and then change it, and that nothing is set in stone, and that it shouldn’t stop you from moving forward.

      Reply
  3. Jade at 5:04 am

    I am still struggling to think of a name because I am looking to do all types of events – from parties to corporate to weddings – and just don’t know how to pick the right name to suit them all. Your story was really helpful though, hopefully it will come to me soon.

    Reply
    1. Event Planning Blueprint at 7:58 am

      Thanks Jade. Your best option for success and for choosing a business name is not to be all things to all people. Choose a niche. This makes picking a name easier, marketing is easier and sales are easier.

      Reply
  4. Sandra at 9:55 am

    Hi Melanie, I am really struggling to get my business going, but I am finally ready and the name I want to use is AArons event and decor. I want to name it after my late son. What do you think?

    Reply
    1. Event Planning Blueprint at 12:48 pm

      Hi Sandra, thrilled you decided to join our course to get started. Re: your business name – I love it. It’s a beautiful story that you can weave into your marketing and use to honor your son. What a beautiful tribute.

      Reply

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