According to a recent survey of small business owners in the United States, the most stressful thing about starting a new company was not manufacturing of products or advertising to customers, but coming up with a name for the small business. Entrepreneurs spend weeks and even months trying to develop the perfect name.

Starting a small business means coming up with a brand that will woo prospective customers and drive traffic to your website or storefront, and the most important part of branding is coming up with a name. It has to be creative, unique and descriptive enough that prospects will understand your business from the get-go.

Length

The length of the name you choose for your small business is paramount to how well your prospective customers perceive it. A short name might be more difficult to brand, while a longer one will be difficult to remember and to promote. It is best to keep the name of your small business to three words or fewer, if possible.

Logo

Ideally, the name you choose should be easily turned into an identifiable logo. Your logo – even more than your name – will be the symbol with which your customers will readily identify your small business. The name of your small business will become synonymous with that logo, and you should be able to come up with a name that can be translated into a logo.

Made-Up Words

Many of the world’s most successful companies have thrived under a name that never existed before the business. While this can turn into a powerful marketing tactic, stay away from made-up words that will be difficult for your customers to pronounce or spell. You want your small business to be easily found on the Internet, in the Yellow Pages and on advertisements.

Research

Before you head for the line at the DBA or begin the incorporation process, research the name you have chosen for your small business and be sure that there isn’t a likeness in your industry. For example, “Tom’s Pictures” might be a name that you have come up with for your photography business, and it is certainly descriptive. But if “Tom’s Prints” sells pictures and frames down the street, you will have a hard time overcoming the confusion.

Connotation

You’ll want the name of your small business to convey the atmosphere and philosophy of your business. For example, a toy store should have a fun, whimsical name that attracts your target customers: children (and of course, their parents).

Developing the perfect name for your small business should be a pleasant experience, and should be given the appropriate amount of thought. Remember that when you open your business, you won’t want to change the name, so make sure that the word or phrase is one that you like and can live with for the duration of your business.

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Laura J. College is a professional ghostwriter with more than ten years' experience writing fiction and non-fiction manuscripts. Her work can be found all over the Internet, and she is currently accepting ghostwriting clients. Check out her website at http://www.laurajcollege.com