Hi, I'm a new member here. I have a little trouble & I hope you guys can help me. Thanks in advance. I am an accessory designer and have a small company. I have that company for over a year now and the name... then I have discovered a new accessory company a little older than mine that has the same name. Like mine is BARKY theirs is BARKY & GIL. Coz they are partners. And the other designers real name is barky. They are a bit ahead of me as they are bigger company. (They have more money) we both have online store, though I've just started, the price point is about the same ans we graduated at the same school. So this really bothers me. I love my company name and I've started establishing it. Registered the business, have a website etc. And now I want to change the name, its sad. When I search barky accessories for example their company will pop out, barky bracelet, their company will pop again and mine will be a few clicks away on the lower page or something...
While I am not that established yet do u think I should change my name now? Will it pose any problems in the long run? Confusion etc. It will be a bit costly for me too esp right now.. that I don't earn as much yet. Im really sad about this but I want to do the right thing for the best of my budding company.
Or shall I just keep the name and work hard to set myself apart and compete o a company bigger than mine right now in hope that I will be bigger than them... I don't know I'm really confused. And honestly its hard to find a new name that matches my theme. Thanks all and sorry that's long.

Hi, farahway7!

Is your company going to be doing business via the Internet only, or will you have local business with people in person, please?

Thanks!

Are you still there, farahway7?

Thanks!

Hi sorry I was farahway. Im kidding.
Thanks for your reply. Im going to be doing business both online and in person. I am starting to sell to boutiques.

The problem is when people see my product in the store for example they type the name barky if they like it then they go straight to barky and gil website.

Im really confused. Coz I like my name too.. and can't find any good sounding name right now. And I will have to change my website etc.

Thanks

Also, by the way... will I have legal problems later on? Can they have the right to sue me because we have about the same name? It's a persons name but its not very common.. Almost modern. (Btw I used codes to protect parties) thanks. )

Hi again, farahway7!

My suggestion would be to avoid having a name that's like that of another business. Besides that, people don't necessarilly go looking for a product because of the name of the business. It's best to have a name where people will find you easily because of what you're offering to them.

You could easily beat the competition on the Internet with using a certain type of name and also good keywords in ads and on your site.

I offer a number of things that I can do for people. I beat all of my competition in the area when people do searches for me on the Internet.

Please click HERE (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=Piano+Lessons%2C+Music+Teacher+Quad+Cities&aq=f&oq=&aqi=), HERE (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=Piano+Tuner+Quad+Cities&aq=f&oq=&aqi=), HERE (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=Quad+Cities+Furniture+Refinishing&aq=f&oq=&aqi=) and HERE (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=Quad+Cities+Party+Pianist&aq=f&oq=&aqi=).

Most of what you'll see in the first few pages of those searches will be about me.

If you'd like to know how to do that. Please let me know on this thread.

Thanks!

Thanks for your answers clough, that search result was impressive. I would love to learn how to do that :). But first I will have to change my name right? Then market it.

Hi again, farahway7!

You won't necessarilly have to change your official business name right away. Although, I would still suggest that you do that eventually in order to aviod any problems.

With me, my business name is my first and last name. Any other name that I choose is for advertising purposes and I'm then a "doing business as".

I like to use words that will get me toward the beginning of searches. For instance, when I use the word "Absolute", that word is near the beginning of the alphabet. A big way that Google finds things is alphabetically. I also use names of cities and towns, counties, states, etc. in my ads or websites.

Also, I'll see what keywords and phrases the competition might be using in ads or on websites and use those words or variations of them. Further, when posting ads or listing things on a website, it's also important to use the singular as well as the plural form of words. For instance, "city" and also, "cities".

Here's one example of word variations that would be good for you.

"Accessory Designer", "Accessories Designed" and "Accessory Designing".

If you study how I word things on the Internet, it will give you an idea as to how you might word things with what you post.

I don't know when I'll be back on here. Am using the computer of a friend right now. Phone is down at my home, and hence, my Internet connection is, too.

Hopefully, I will be back soon, though!

Thanks!

Thanks so much clough for all your help! I will do what you advised. Thanks & all the best. :)

Hi, farahway7!

I'm here right now, but not for long.

If you'd like to discuss something, I'm available for a bit, now.

Thanks!

Okay, I can see that you're no longer on here, farahway7!

Would you please give to me the link to your website? You could post it here as a tiny url so that it would be advertising in any way.

Thanks!

Hi again, farahway7!

I'll still be around here and do look forward to working on this with you, if you would still like to do that.

Thanks!