What Should You Name Your Photography Business?

This seems to be a tough question for new photographers. I have strong feelings about this. You may or may not agree!

Use your own Name!
Peggy Farren Photography or Farren Photography.

Here I build my case:

1. There are so many photography companies out there with similar names! Here are a few words that are overdone: Moment, Time, Timeless, Memories, Sky, Click, Shoot, Snap, Impressions, Impress, Vision, Heart or a color. It’s confusing to potential customers and difficult to remember!

2. To protect your company name, you will have to trademark it. Trademarking is expensive and not easy if you have a generic company name. Incorporating or Doing Business As (DBA) will not protect you from others using that same company name. Don’t believe me? Search by name for registered businesses in Florida herel; www.sunbiz.org. You’ll be surprised how many “Memories” companies there are in Florida alone.

3. Your customers will have to remember two names; your name and your company name. It is easier to remember just one!

4. Search Engine Optimization. If someone is searching for you by name, they have a better chance of finding your website. If you have a generic name, you could be on page three behind all the other Blue Sky companies.

The whole point of a company name is to make it easy for people (potential and current clients) to find you and remember you. So make it easy on them! If you want more business, you have to put yourself in the mind of your client.

I am a hypocrite!
When I started my photography business 12 years ago, professional photography wasn’t nearly as competitive as it is now. I named my company “Avant-Garde Images, Inc.” for two reasons:

1. I wanted a generic name so I could sell the company at some point down the road. Little did I know that when photography went digital, the business would change dramatically! It’s very difficult to sell a photography business in this time.

2. I wanted to be first in the PHONE BOOK! LOL! That’s why I chose a name that began with an “A”. Who knew Google would change the way we search for companies?

I pay for Google Adwords so that if someone searches for “Peggy Farren”, they will be directed to my website. Here you can learn from my mistakes so you don’t have to pay if someone searches for you by name!

I run a busy photo training center and an even busier Facebook group. The question of naming a new photography business comes up so often.

Remember the point is to make things as easy for your clients or potential clients as possible. Your name is your brand!