A Graphic Design Student's Guide to Freelance: Practice Makes Perfect

Chapter 4

I Have A Business Plan. Now What?

Choosing a Business Name

If you haven't already decided on a name for your business, it's time to do so. It's important that you don't duplicate the name of a company that already exists in your state. You'll have to check with your local or state agencies to make sure that your idea for a business name is still available. Each state keeps track of business names a little differently, so you may have to check with the Chamber of Commerce, your state's Small-business Development Center, or the Secretary of State's office to see if your business name is still available.

In Virginia, we are asked to contact the Clerk's Office Call Center, using their toll-free number, 1-866-722-2551. However, if your business isn't in Virginia, you should be able to identify the right agency to talk to by searching the phrase “Available LLC names in <your state>” online and sorting through the results. You're looking for the name and contact information of the state agency that is responsible for managing and recording business names.

Picking a name for your business is the beginning of branding your company. The name should be memorable and create positive emotions with your clients. It's worth spending some time thinking about your business name before committing to one. There are a few key points in the following sections that you should consider before finalizing a business name.

Create an Emotional Response

Think about how you want clients to feel when ...