Most people don’t realize it, but one of your first and most important business decisions can be picking your business name.  A great name is one that attracts customers and can really give your business legs in terms of starting a buzz.  Do you think Google would have created the fanatical sensation it has with a name like Search Engine USA?  If you are not the creative type, then bring in others to help you to name your baby.  Work with a team of advisors, family or even just some business savvy friends, but don’t delegate this task completely to someone else, and especially not to a stranger or some internet naming company.  A naming company is not going to understand your business or know you.  If it is your business it should be a name that you like and that links back to your unique value proposition and the personality of your company.  People will ask you, where did you come up with your name.  This can be a golden opportunity for you to say something really brilliant and memorable, come up with a name that allows you to take this opportunity.  If you are conservative, don’t be persuaded into something wild, that makes you uncomfortable and if you are zany, then don’t go conservative just because everyone else in your industry does.  Picking a name should happen over a period of time, not in a day or an hour.  Forcing creativity seldom works, so give yourself and your team time to percolate on it. Hold a series of brainstorming sessions until you are comfortable and excited about saying, seeing, hearing and owning a particular business name.  During these brain storming sessions you should work through these eight rules for choosing a business name:

1) Be distinctive and be memorable, but be easy to spell and pronounce.