What’s in a Name?


How do you decide what to call your counselling or therapy practice? Do you use your own name, or do you opt for a name that conjures an image in the mind of potential clients or referrers? Do you choose something that captures the essence of the service you’re hoping to provide? Here are some things you might like to take into consideration in deciding what your business is going to be called:

Something that will last: You’re probably better to choose a name that will last.  Unless this is a once off type of project, (in which case you’d be better picking something really specific to this project), you want the name to be something that will continue to work for you for the foreseeable future. So if, for example, you put a date or an address in the name, and then something changes, the name will no longer fit for you.

“New Millenium Psychotherapy” may have been a great idea in 1999, but might seem a bit dated in 2017.

welcome“Ballydehob Therapy Centre” is fine, so long as you stay in Ballydehob, but won’t fit so well if you open a branch in Ballybunion.

Choose a name that includes what you do: Bereavement Counselling Centre, or Couples Therapy Centre lets people know exactly what you do. If it’s not in the name itself, use a tagline to explain, for example, Ryanair uses the tag “The Low Fares Airline” explaining exactly what they do.

Don’t exclude potential clients by being too obtuse: If it’s in another language or includes an obscure reference only understood by the initiated, you run the risk of turning potential clients away. Of course you’ll want something that is meaningful for you, but you might also ask if it will mean anything to your clients?

Don’t make it complicated: If someone wants to pass your name to a friend, it helps if it’s easily spelt and pronounced.

People may assume the name reflects your name: I’m often asked “can I speak to Anne Leigh?” I then have to explain that AnneLeigh Counselling & Psychotherapy is the business name, and that my name is Jude.

Before making your final choice: Check it out on Google and with the Companies Registration Office to see if there’s another business with the same name.  It’s also a good idea, if you’re planning to have a website, to check out the available domain names, as you’ll want to get one that is close to your business name.

Did You Know? If you trade under a business name that differs in any way from your own true surname, you must register the business name with the Companies Registration Office. What is your own true surname? The CRO advise that registration is required if:

“an individual uses a business name which differs in any way from his/her true surname. It makes no difference whether the individual’s first name or initials are added. So registration is required if, for example, Mr. John Murphy traded as Murphy Builders but not if he traded as Murphy or John Murphy)”

If you choose to have a .ie domain name for your website and you aren’t calling your practice by your own true surname (eg judefaycounselling.ie,) you will have to register the business name with CRO before you can claim your .ie domain name.

See http://www.cro.ie/ena/business-registration-business-name.aspx for more details, or go to http://www.cro.ie/ena/registering-a-business-name-online-5.aspx to register your business name online.

If you’re struggling with any aspect of running or developing your therapy practice, I’d love to help. Please contact me here to make an appointment or to avail of your free 20 minute consultation.

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