Business name

[ScottG13]

I am going to register as self employed (sole trader) in the very near future. What should I do about a business name? I am assuming I will need to register even for '_ _ _ Tiling' on business cards, ads etc.

I was looking online at the national business register. On there you can check for the availability of a business name and as long as it is available you can (for a fee) register.

How have you gone about this?

 

[Colour Republic]

you don't need to registar the name if you are just becoming self employed, the tax office will ask your for you trading name which is different from a Limited Company which is what the business registar is more than likley offering

so you will become Scott G T/A ???? Tiling - this has no fees attached

 

[redmist6]

As a business title,..in my experience, something which contains your name is the best route, so you'd be unlucky if someone's already registered it....or your initials...it comes over as honest.

 

[ScottG13]

I was going to go for simply S.G Tiling but came across this SG-TILING wall & floor ceramic tiling specialist. Professional tiling in competitive prices. on a google search, so Im guessing that is a non-starter?

 

[united]

The only problem with using your initials is that nobody will remember you so when you do a great job in a customers new bathroom and all their friends ask who you were, they won't remember you business name

 

[Colour Republic]

Yes and no, if you work in the same areas it could be unwise but you can be S.G Tiling, they are SG-Tiling.

If it was me I’d go for something a bit different so there could be no confusion, I’m sure they are not the only SG tiling operating in the UK, there are only a certain amount of combinations with initials you can have so there will always be another trader with the same name. Which makes it harder for customers to find you if they search for you on the net.

Personally I’d also steer clear of the obvious choices for the same reason, I don't know, do a search for Apex tiling and I’m sure you'll come across plenty in the UK.

Some could argue that my name doesn't say what I do, and granted some people think we are just decorators (which are what we started doing many years ago) but I’m only aware of one other company with the same name in the whole world! (In the US, which started up after us and is a flower company). So nobody is going to get us confused with another company

 

[Scott]

The similar/same name can work in your favour. I have a scaffolder friend who is a millionare just because his company initials are one initial away from a very large scaffolding company.

You could always find a name that sticks, i trade as 'Scott of most trades', have done for almost ten years and people tend to remember it as it sticks

 

[Daz]

All I can say is choose your name wisely.
A mate of mine started his tiling business by selecting the town name and adding tiling to the end, i.e Bath Tiling (wow what a cool name if you live in Bath, wish i'd thought of that, hang on I did :lol. He had a run in with a local bloke who produced documents to prove that he had been trading on that name locally for the previous 2 years. The result is that my mate has to change his company name .

Do plenty of local searches before you commit to anything, is my advise.

 

[diamondtiling]

I was going to go for simply S.G Tiling but came across this SG-TILING wall & floor ceramic tiling specialist. Professional tiling in competitive prices.on a google search, so Im guessing that is a non-starter?

Looked on the map but cant find competitiveprices, any ideas? :smilewinkgrin:

 

[doit4u]

You only need to register a company name, with companies house, if you are forming a limited company. As a sole trader you can call yourself whatever you like. You have to have your name on any headed paper with your address details, but don't need the full info on business card, van signage etc.

For example, if my name was Steve Jones personally I wouldn't choose a business name with just initial like S J Tiling, I would use Steve Jones Tiling, as 8i think people are more likely to remember this, especially if you have an unusual name.

The other option is to pick something which you feel customers might remember, this could relate to the area you live; the type of work you do or be a pun on you trade.

If you would like to see what I use on cards, headed paper etc or bat a few ides around PM me.

Once you have decided to go self employed just look at the tax website, where you can download lots of useful info and forms, order info booklets, or ring your local tax office - they are in general quite friendly and helpful these days.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

As a business title,..in my experience, something which contains your name is the best route, so you'd be unlucky if someone's already registered it....or your initials...it comes over as honest.

TIMELESS HONEST JOHN - I like the sound of that.:smilewinkgrin:

 

[Richard Edwards]

I trade as a Limited Co, but if I decided to trade as Sole Trader - I would choose a non personal name - ie I would go for something that people would remember - such as Essex and Wessex Tiling Services . That way you are telling folks what you do straightaway as A.B Scott says nothing to me. Also if you built up the bus in a few years and decided to sell it as a going concern, it will be worth more if it does not have your own name above the door.

Either way your first call is the robbing Bas'tds at the HMRC to register the trading name-do not be tempted to start operations before your set up with the afteforementioned robbing b's at HMRC.
:welcome:

 

[doit4u]

I would choose a non personal name - ie I would go for something that people would remember - such as Essex and Wessex Tiling Services . That way you are telling folks what you do straightaway as A.B Scott says nothing to me. :welcome:[/QUOTE]


I so agree that a name should show what you do. Its surprising when you are travelling around home many vehicles you see with a company name on, telephone numbers and often an address or town but nothing that tells you what they do. Perhaps just for a laugh we ought to start a thread on the least informative vehicle signage.

 

[enduro]

I trade as Gem services, we came up with this name years ago in a pub over several pints.. G- get -E- everybody's-M-money. and as i cover different services i did not want a name that does only one service.

 

[Aston]

hi scott

alot, infact tooo much is made of business names..peoples impressions of your work will have a far greater impression on the memory than your business name

i went for a name that discreetly represented quality...its good to use a word that subconconciously associates your name with a certain target market. ie if somebody has a double barrel name, you associate them as being well to do, its natural in most cases...
if you said what does aston mean to most people (exclude the clarets from birmingham ) they would probably say aston martin...they represent ultimate quality but are they are quite understated too..

so if i were you, i would give your self a nice easy name begining with A that represents a quality name/event thats also maybe personal to you ie you name instead of intials, so how about...... ASCOTT TILING ?? and your website could be
www.ascotttiling.com or the likes??

ascott races etc ??? well to do.....just an idea for you mate...its simple, hints at a the upper class race meetings, easy to remember, begins with a, 1st page advertising etc and it has your name in it too....

ed