Hi everyone!
I have had my name in use for close to 10 years but I have by no means been extremely busy and active with it (just the occasional new local clients and a couple of regular part-time clients). I was sent an email by someone who has been using the same business name as me for less years and she was questioning whether I had the name first (I did of course since I did A LOT of research when choosing a name). In my research after this discovery, I found that there are 9 or 10 other people using the same business name that I came up with (but didn't trademark). This isn't really much of an issue at this point except that the LinkedIn business is showing other people as part of the same business where they are not actually part of the same company.
So, I am considering whether I should keep the name as is or changing the official name of the business (while keeping my domain the same) to Vanessa Cox, Virtual Assistant or something else that sounds good but with my name in the title.
Please share your thoughts on this.
Thank you!
Vanessa Cox

By the way, I am getting ready to change my whole website as well and have no page rank to be concerned about so that's not an issue.

I think you should keep your name as it is, bcz you are the pioneer right..so why should you change your business name, rather i suggest you to go with new website design with the same domain name, with lots of information, social networking connection, blog and good online promotion.

Best of Luck with your branding and promotion.

Regards,
YourWallStreetOffice

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Virtual Office Space | Virtual Office Service

Vanessa,

Are you happy with the name? If so keep it, if not change it. I am just wondering is the motivation to grow your business and differentiate yourself or is it because you were contacted about your name? I guess I would look at it from a marketing standpoint and go on how will I best be able to promote and grow my brand. Take into account your social networks and where else you are on the web.

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Lee Drozak
My Office Assistant

Originally Posted by leedrozak

Vanessa, Are you happy with the name? If so keep it, if not change it. I am just wondering is the motivation to grow your business and differentiate yourself or is it because you were contacted about your name? I guess I would look at it from a marketing standpoint and go on how will I best be able to promote and grow my brand. Take into account your social networks and where else you are on the web.

Hi Lee,
Thanks for the response. Sorry I haven't been on to respond. My grandmother went into the hospital the day I posted the original message and she passed away a week later. So, I am just now getting back on track with everything!
Anyway, I like my business name and feel like it is a name that is broad enough for a variety of services. I am starting to work on website setup, etc. so I want to keep it general enough to cover other services.
My motivation on questioning my business name was due to being contacted about it and realizing so many people were using the name since I started using it (especially on LinkedIn) but also having to reapply for my fictitious name license with my state. I have this name and 2 others I need to pay for which total $150 and since I am starting over again, I am hesitant to spend the money if my business name isn't necessary.
I think I will probably go ahead and stick with it because if I try to use my personal name as a business name, I feel like it won't be broad enough to show the variety of services if I just say "Vanessa Cox, Virtual Assistant" or whatever.
Thanks again for the responses!

I think keeping it is a great way to go. clearly those who have started using your name, didn't do their research. Try and see how you can get your name to show up more often than theirs, and maybe it will push them to choose a different name.

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Jaidi Clayton
Imagine It Virtual Office Assistant - You imagine it, I'll get it done

I also created a business name- and I network on Facebook and Twitter with my real name since the whole thing about Social Media is to step out in front of the computer (although still virtual) and have people get to know the real you. So I think you can use a business name and still use your real and have people associate it with you.

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