So here we go! Alright, it’s time to start this blog. I’m a designer, not a copywriter, so anyone reading this, you’ve been warned. I plan to use this blog for tips, ideas, and random thoughts about the creative industry. Specifically concentrating in the things I do best…graphic design and website/interactive design and development.

Whenever I take on a new client, and they are debating about a business name, I strongly encourage them to search for a top level domain address  (.com, .net, or .org), before choosing their official “name.”. People will search for you under your business name, and you want to be sure you send them to your website, and not your competitors. Or your clients simply “give up” because they can’t figure out how to find you on the web (ie: you are “Joe’s Auto Body” but you have your domain under “jab.com”). People get confused easily, have trouble remembering exactly how you spelled your name, just remember part of the business logo, etc. You need something that people can remember, something that isn’t too long or complicated, and that makes sense to your customers.

Most of my clients find out very quickly everything seems to be “taken”, thanks to Domainers (people who buy and sell domain names). These folks have made a (very rich) business out of guessing what domains people want to own…so then you have to purchase it from them if you want to use it (and it’s often not cheap).

With social marketing, you can almost guarantee this is going to happen in this arena also. It is extremely important that you secure your business name, your nickname, a stage name, or however people search for you on the social networking giants and on the web. So once you capture a name, be sure to register for safekeeping…LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Even if you don’t plan to use these services yet (look at me…I registered for it months ago, and I’m just now starting my blog), secure it before someone else does it for you.

Case in point: Jennergy has become a popular nickname, and not just for businesses. Now I find there are a huge amount of ladies named “Jennifer” who have taken this on as a brand or nickname for themselves. I’m running into it everywhere…Facebook, Twitter, WordPress, etc. When I go to secure my name on different networks, it’s often already taken. Then I have to come up with something similar but different so people can still find me, because I’m known as Jennergy to all my clients and friends. It becomes extremely frusterating because this isn’t a pastime or hobby…this is a true business I started over 10 years ago and I am trying to maintain it’s brand, and brand recognition is so critically important in my industry.

At the same time, you can’t go crazy and register yourself for anything and everything out there. But you should take the time to secure yourself with the bigger networks that everyone is using, just in case at a later date you want to use it too. I can’t stress this enough…take the half day and get it done. I know, I know, who has that kind of time, but well worth it in the long run.

Until next time…