Why is it important to know how to register a business name?
According to the latest business formation statistics over 2.6 million business applications were filed as of June this year in the United States alone.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, you must find ways to stand out from the crowded business environment.
One of the most effective ways is to register a unique and memorable business name that your target customers can identify easily.
But this is also the most time-consuming, hectic, and challenging process, particularly for newbies. And getting it wrong can be the beginning of your downfall.
To help you out, we’ve created this simple guide to teach you how to register a business name the right way.
Let’s get started.
1. Pick a Relevant Business Name
Your first step when learning how to register a business name is to choose a business name that’s easy to remember by your target customers.
But why?
Because there are thousands of other businesses out there and getting customers to remember yours can be difficult.
Pick a short, simple, and memorable business that’s easy for your customers to identify you in the midst of your competitors.
2. Register the Name
You need to know how to register a business name at the state and national level.
This is especially important if you plan to run your business nationwide. Besides, the laws regarding business name registration can differ from one region to another.
But registering a business name both at the state and national levels can be a tough task, especially if you’re doing it for the first time.
You could read our comprehensive review of Inc Authority and see how their services can help you avoid some common business name selection mistakes. Such agencies can also help you form your business from scratch, speeding up the process.
3. Register a Doing Business As Name
A ‘Doing Business As’ is a fictitious name that’s not your official business name. It could be your name or something related to your business.
When you use this method, you can always change the name to something else in the future unlike the other methods discussed here.
This is a great idea for sole proprietors who wouldn’t want to use an official name for their businesses.
4. Trademark a Business Name
When you trademark a business name, you restrict anyone from using the name and other brand identity elements associated with it such as your slogan, logo, color, etc.
You’ll need to check whether the business name you plan to trademark isn’t already trademarked before using this method. You can get all this information from your state’s trademark database.
Conclusion
Starting a business comes with a lot of responsibilities and one of them is to know how to register your business name.
We hope this guide teaches you how to register a business name correctly.
