hey guys i would really like your opinion on this. I named the company after my last name which is a spanish last name. Do you think that there is a large amount of customers that might automatically assume that im like an illegal alien worker trying to drum up business, especially when they pick up my flyer? Ive been kicking the idea around of completely changing the name of my co. and getting a new DBA and all the other legal stuff. Im new to the biz so it wouldnt hurt me that bad right now. I just like the idea that hopefully it would become a family biz named after the family, but if its gonna hurt me in the long run then…what do you guys think? does it matter?
I think no matter what you do you run into small minded people. That being said if you find alot of those people in your market you might consider an adjustment to increase profitability. It’s difficult for any of us to say difinitively unless we knew your market.
It could hinder your business some with the whole immigration thing going on and all. Some like dealing with smaller guys named like Johnny’s Window Cleaning. Some like a company that sounds bigger: Allied Window Cleaning or Tri State Window Cleaning or something like that. I would also try to pick a name that would put you some place in the front of the yellowpages or on yellowpages.com close to the top. Starting with A.B. or C. It couldnt hurt. This is just my 2 cents. Someone on here might be named “We do windows” and they are flooded with calls everyday.
Steve
The name of your business is very important so chose wizely grasshopper. I think you are smart. Let’s look at it this way. Let’s say the whole immagration thing get’s worse. My wife is from another country. I stowed her away in a duffle bag on a plane to get her here. No just kidding, she is here legal. But seriously if it goes bad and stupid americans decide to do something stupid. Then it would be wize to have a differant business name. How old are you? Do you remember seeing all those Korean shop owners in LA during the king riots? Business owners were running around spray painting “Black Owned” on the side of their stores even if they were not black. If you had a symbol on the side of your building that was from the far east and it was not a fung fu shop, you had to stay up for a few days with nines, shot guns and a few illegal weapons just to keep your **** safe. But that just goes to show you, how important your business name is.
Heres another scary one for you. Let’s say you drive by a racist who just lost his job to an illegal. He calls you up for an esitmate and when he answers the door, lets you in the house. Next thing you know, your in the basement looking over the windows. You turn around and there is a tall big man exiting a foot locker. He is dressed in black leather, head to toe. You can’t see anything but the bright red ball gag in his mouth and two white spaced out eyes. The guy who called you for the estimate says “I would like to introduce you to my friend, the GIMP!” lol
dude Jugg, now i’m getting paranoid. Well not really as soon as that potential crazy customer meets me he would see that i am NOT that type of business owner. Gosh i wish i could just put like “american citizen”, “100% american” on my cards and flyers or something. Man it sucks. Definitely have alot to think about. A part of me says screw it keep the name and if people arent gonna call me for those reasons, cool, i dont want those kind of customers anyways. But then again im a business man and i want my business to prosper. I still got a grip of flyers and cards left so ill pass those out and while im doing so, ill think about it and a possible name. Thanks guys for your honest opinions. Hey by the way Jugg nice WFP system, your stoked!!!
Hey man seriously. Don’t worry about the name. Like I tell my wife all the time. You are here legal, if anyone questions that. Don’t pull out your ID, tell them to F off. Unless it’s a cop of course. I asked my wife to get me some beer a few months back. I had just gotten home from my military duty. I was 1/2 undressed and she did not have the beer. She told me the lady behind the counter refused to serve her the beer, after she produced her green card (Not really green lol), passport and military spouse ID. I went back to the place, freaked out on the lady. The manager called the cops while I was questioning other customers, asking if they would have served my wife. I show them all the ID’s and once they saw the military one, all agreed they would. Keep in mind I’m still 1/2 dressed in camo and look like a nut lol. The cop comes in, we talk and he explains to the counter girl that the ID’s are vaild and she could have served my wife. She argued with him, he won. I vowed to never enter their again and never have. They would be the only place in town serving and I will drive to another town. That’s why I say F-All those aholes. :eek:
If you have the opportunity to talk about how you got here legally then do so. I know most Americans when they find out you did it the legal way have no issue with you working on their home and will refer you to friends. It shows a level of your character. That you are willing to obey the laws.
I think he just said his surname is Spanish; not that he was born elsewhere…
dude that sucks that happened to your wife. I would be bummed too. You know ive experienced so much racial crap in my life time, it doesnt really get to me anymore you know. Your right Larry my surname is spanish and im from here, I am a filipino american thus the spanish last name. My wife is German/Polish. I ask her to come w/ me sometimes to pass out flyers so people might get a different idea when they see her passing em out w/ me. I asked her about the name change and she was like dont change it. She says the majority of people arent going to care, especially when they meet you. The illegal alien situation is out of control out here and especially w/ all the low ballers. I did a house in Irvine a while back and the house was done for 160 dollars, easy house not too many windows. She had a guy bid the house for 90 bucks inside and out. Thats a lot lower than i did it for but she decided to go w/ me. When i asked her who was the guy who gave her the initial bid she pulled out the card and it was a cheesy card w/ a spanish last name. So… i dunno. Ill finish up passing out the rest of my flyers and cards, cuz ive got tons left, and see what responses i get after that. Then ill decide.
hey jugg where did you get your avatar, its so sick!!!
I know we are circling the racist wagons here, but… I think choosing any last name as your company name sucks. I would say disconnect yourself from your business a little
Whether it is Chavez Window Cleaning, or Johnson Window Cleaning.
A name that has meaning associated with what you supply, something that says it all before they even hear “window cleaning” at the end.
We have a company here called Squeegee Squad… that is brilliant. I know it may not seem fancy, but because it is directly associated with the service, it will be remembered more easily.
Of course, this is just my opinion…
p.s. my point is the weaker the name the stronger everything else needs to be. In turn, making it just a little more difficult for us to get our message across. If we can figure out how to have our name penetrate the already bombarded consumer, the easier it is getting them to the message.
Squeegee Squad was a very successful residential company named Jack & Joe’s for years before going big. So a name is not going to make or break any of us… but we can make our lives a bit more simple.
What is the greatest marketing motto?
Simple sells
[B]
oh yeah, careful on blurting out name ideas on here. I could go on godaddy and reserve that web address for a few bucks. A lot of us could use a great name. Talk about it after you secure it.[/B]
right on CFP, thanks bro. Good post. Im gonna keep it simple and to the point.
I agree you should change your name to something that speaks to the potential client about what you do and nothing else. You can still pass the business on to your kids without the family name being there.
Actually, you could find it difficult to sell the business (if the situation arose) if it’s got your family name on it.
Good point, Good point. When your done with the business, I’m assuming you would like to get a decent price for it. That could help significantly.
If you’re going to advertise you might want to think about starting it w/ an A so you get top biling. Of course you will get more than your fair share of price shoppers but a few gems come along as well.
Big B. sorry I got the avatar from seaching the net. I forgot the link about could find it someplace. I searched google for star wars gifs and star wars animated gifs.
Jugg,
Damn you sure do like you beer man! That story about the Gimp was way cool. My scariest story was similar. You show up at this house and I head down to the basement to find a dude in a wig with his twig and berries tucked inbetween his legs. All the while you can hear women screaming from a pit that he has dug out in his basement. I high tail it outta there. I just figured that he had some cleaning ladies down in that pit cleaning his storm windows.? What do I know?
Steve
I thought one sold contracts, or a financial statement, and not a business name?
I think it can be done either way. The whole package, or just certain parts such as contracts.
