I have been struggling to decide on a business name for a couple of weeks. I have a short list of five names. I get to the point where I think - ok, that's it. I complete the SOS filing documents, get ready to buy the domain name and then I start to question my decision. I'm so frustrated, I really thought that selecting a name would be easier.

I originally decided that I did NOT want "virtual" in my business name but now I'm second guessing that decision. When working through the name process, I always seem to go back to "Business Solutions" or "Executive Solutions". My main reason is as I look down the road at what I plan to achieve, I want a larger umbrella to cover growth.

In my years in the venture capital world, I saw hundreds of names for service businesses and the majority did not reference their industry. While most were brick and mortar - some were Internet driven.

So my questions is how important do you think it is to include "Virtual" or to reference some indication of administrative services in a business name for our industry? Do you think the use of something like "Business Solutions" can accomplish a similar goal when accompanied with a more descriptive and memorable tag line?

Any advice would greatly be appreciated!

Thanks!

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Kim Alvis, Managing Director
Cardinal Point Business Associates

I personally chose "Business Services" to allow me the flexibility to branch out to other things that I enjoy, such as office decluttering and organization which cannot be done virtually. I think it's a personal preference and you will get a variety of opinions with this.

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Bette Creek
http://bettecreek.blogspot.com/
www.ashbusinessservices.com

I have virtual in my name but somehow end up working directly w/clients paperwork (either picking it up or them dropping it off). I think it is personal choice - if you intend to be fully virtual I would include it in the name. However, if you plan on doing some on-site work, then virtual would not be completely appropriate.

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Lily Chambers, The Virtual Office Goddess, LLC
Author "How to Do Your Own Small Business Bookkeeping"

I think Lily has a good point in that if you want to specify that you are strictly virtual it's not a bad term to consider including but at this point, with so many VAs on the market and so MANY names utilizing the term 'virtual' I just don't see it as terribly important anymore. Better to differentiate yourself with a name you love that your clients and potential clients will remember - if the term works into that equation for you then go for it

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I agree with everyone else. I don't believe it makes a difference at all, pick a name that you are happy with. Personally if I'd been a little more patient and thought it out more I might have chosen something different, because I do offer local business the option of meeting me in person....

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Deb Frawley
Gem's Virtual Office

It doesn't make a difference as far as I'm concerned. I've found that 8 out of 10 people don't know what a VA is - the term is common to us, but not to most of the world. I don't have virtual in my company name.

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Julia

Hi

I think you can get "virtual" in your tagline and that can work. It does take a while for a name to fit and then it just feels so right. When I came up with my first business name (before I incorporated), I practiced how it would feel saying it to my old boss (the one that gave me a 25 cent raise for 2 years in a row). That really helped me find a name I was proud of.


Thanks!

Diana Ennen
Virtual Word Publishing

Thanks everyone for all the great feedback. It seems my internal conversation is one that everyone has had!

Diana .... your comment about your old boss really hit home. I too wonder what my old boss's reaction will be once I tell him what I'm up to. He's built so many companies and then taken them public. He was never stingy with money, just extremely stingy with his business knowledge.

And again .... thank you everyone for all your great feedback!

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Kim Alvis, Managing Director
Cardinal Point Business Associates

I struggled with that question myself. Then I realized I would be limiting myself to that. I do virtual, on-site, and personal services, so I just stuck with the Assistant Services part of Four Corners Assistant Services.

Anita

There is no virtual in my business name but I am entirely virtual. I can do anything over the phone but hate meeting people face to face. That would mean putting on real clothes and maybe even some make up! ick!

I think including it in a tagline is a good idea that I will one day implement if I can come up with a tagline that I like.

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Administrative Support Group
Jenifer D

I too wondered this. I decided on my business name before even knowing there was a "virtual assistant" industry. I chose not to change it, because I have a vision of developing close local relationships and I did not want to turn people off who value the in-person relationship.

I chose not to include 'virtual' in my business name because I wanted the name to stand out from the rest. Instead of a tagline, I use 'off-site office assistance' this way potential clients have some idea about my business.

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Dusty Warren

Personally, I preferred not to use the word "virtual". I think it's great in a tag line and everything but for me I wanted my name to be about what I'm doing, not how I'm doing it. I want people who contact me to be easily able to see what I offer as a service. Part of this is that I plan to do a lot of my marketing locally as I know there is a demand here.

It's a very personal decision in my opinion, as there is no right answer, just the answer that works for you and your target clients!

Laurie

I personally am choosing to not make "virtual assistant" a necessary or integral part of my business or marketing at all, because my target clients don't know what it is and won't go looking for it.

My new business cards have my name, then "Your Personal Assistant" as the title. My business name at the top is "Your Office People" and the subtitle is "On Call Administrative Services". Instead of a physical address I listed industry specific services for my original target clients (local contractors). I think it conveyed what I wanted for this first marketing effort.

I may make use of Virtual and Virtual Assistant on my website and cards for different industries, but I am really preferring "on call" to either virtual or outsourced

This thread was great!!! I decided not to put "Virtual" in my business name too, but I did put it in my tagline.