Is there any type of process copywriters use for naming a business?

40 replies
I've had my own mold site on a development domain for about 6 weeks now. The original goal was to finalize a name, move the site, license it, and stop brokering work to a friend in the mold industry.

I simply can not decide on a final name for the site. This is something I am terrible at. My "process" right now has included scraping relevant mold urls with scrapebox, and rearranging words to see if I can come up with something I like.

The problem, I don't like anything I'm coming up with.
All the good names seem to be taken.

At one point I liked the name "moldmasters.com" but thats taken. I also liked the name "mrmold.com" but thats also taken.

Then I noticed that "moldmasters.com" doesn't do mold remediation. They do mold sculpting for manufacturing. So can I take a name like "moldmastersnj"? Is that violating their trademark?

Do you guys like the name?

Can you think of a better name? (thats not a challenge as much as me begging ).

I wanted to make a thread like this a while ago, but I personally HATE naming businesses. So I imagine that you people may hate it too.

I don't want to license a name on a random spark of confidence. I need to be sure that its good and WF approved.

Anything you guys can do I'd really be greatful.
In the meantime I'll post some more names to nourish your creativity/approval/disapproval.

Thanks - Red
#business #copywriters #naming #process #type
  • Profile picture of the author WFAlex
    Good idea on using scrapebox to scrape related sites and looking if something sticks out.

    To be honest, I'm not a master at this kind of name-finding, too, but "moldmastersnj" gets my disapproval, sounds like you're sneezing in the middle of the word. About copyright, it looks pretty borderline to me but I can't give you clean legal advice on that.

    I don't really have a process but when I like something but it's taken, the first place I start is with synonyms (in this case: thesaurus.com, searching for master).

    Then I just match some words together, like this:

    moldingking
    moldking
    kingofthemold
    masteringthemold
    moldspecialist(s)
    moldprofessional(S)
    professionalmold
    expertmold
    moldexpert(s)

    Just from the top of my head and some might not make a lot of sense but hope it gets your creative juices flowing a bit more!
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  • Profile picture of the author RedShifted
    Excellent, am going to check those names out right now to see which are available.

    Here are a few more:

    microbialmasters.com
    mistermicrobial.com
    moldmilitia.com
    moldmedic.com (update: taken!)
    moldmarshal.com

    So far I like moldking.com (update:taken), moldexperts (taken!), moldmedic (taken!!) and moldmarshal.com (still available). And I'm still on the fence about moldmastersnj.

    I just want something solid that people will remember.
    And anyone else who approves/dissapproves please voice your opinion!

    Does anyone else NOT like moldmastersnj? I need to narrow my focus here and more opinions will really help.

    Thanks - Red
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  • Hi Red,

    Rather than just having a name with "mold" in it.

    Could you concentrate on the solution you bring.

    Or if you feel the word must be used - (for inter web stuff) could you add a bit of humour - which also shows the solution?

    It might grab more attention and stand out from the competition.

    Yes, yes, before any shouts at me I know it's a serious problem.


    Steve


    P.S. Alex's idea of using scrapebox to scrape away trying to find a moldy word did make me laugh (it was a good idea though).
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    • Profile picture of the author WFAlex
      Originally Posted by Steve The Copywriter View Post

      Hi Red,

      Rather than just having a name with "mold" in it.

      Could you concentrate on the solution you bring.

      Or if you feel the word must be used - (for inter web stuff) could you add a bit of humour - which also shows the solution?

      It might grab more attention and stand out from the competition.
      Steve, some good tips you jotted down there. Could you provide a few examples based on those? I find it always a bit abstract to look at these kind of "rules" (I know they're not...) and apply them successfully. An example would really help!

      Edit: forgive me, you just did that in a post previous to mine...cheers!
      Originally Posted by Steve The Copywriter View Post

      P.S. Alex's idea of using scrapebox to scrape away trying to find a moldy word did make me laugh (it was a good idea though).
      It wasn't my idea I was giving credit to OP for thinking about it.
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    • Profile picture of the author sethczerepak
      Originally Posted by Steve The Copywriter View Post

      Hi Red,

      Rather than just having a name with "mold" in it.

      Could you concentrate on the solution you bring.

      Or if you feel the word must be used - (for inter web stuff) could you add a bit of humour - which also shows the solution?

      It might grab more attention and stand out from the competition.

      Yes, yes, before any shouts at me I know it's a serious problem.


      Steve


      P.S. Alex's idea of using scrapebox to scrape away trying to find a moldy word did make me laugh (it was a good idea though).
      I agree, I'd just add that you want to take your target market into account. You'll need something that resonates with them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Pusateri
    Your positioning will determine what makes a good name. How are you positioning yourself in this market?
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    • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
      exitmold.com is available.

      I've been through the whole naming process myself for more than a week.

      Still none the wiser how best to get to the right name.

      Much tougher when you entering a internationally crowded market.

      Ended in good news with coming up with 2 with domains available.

      Best,
      Ewen
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  • ...what do you do that nobody else does?

    ...how do you do things better?

    ...do you have a longer guarantee?

    ...special equipment?

    ... safer, faster and more reliable technology?

    ... better qualifications or industry recognised fame and acclaim?

    ...what is the number one reason why customers should only use you and not bother even thinking about anyone else?


    etc etc...
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  • ... if all else fails - use the power of 3.

    3 words each beginning with the same letter.

    Dammit having said that it might be touch difficult with a .com at the end.

    Still we can throw around a few ideas.

    Not me, cos I'm not an inter web expert (I can do you a cracking postcard or flyer though...).


    Steve
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  • mangymoldmoved.com

    Just to jog some ideas.

    You'll need to be quick on that classic... (I would register it asap before Steve The Copywriter delves into the inter web buys it and tries to sell it to Red for $20.00).


    Steve
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  • ...Yes I noticed Red was scraping the mold out of scrapebox (lol)

    I guess he just can't help it - it's his job.


    Steve


    P.S. All credit to Red for having a "real" business - it makes a brilliant change from all the IM stuff.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
    Banned
    Originally Posted by RedShifted View Post


    I personally HATE naming businesses. So I imagine that you people may hate it too.
    Personally I love it. Great pastime. Thoroughly enjoy it.

    Try these suggestions on for size Red...

    (All currently available on the .com)

    MolderAndScully.com

    ShitHotMolds.com

    MolduLike.com

    NothingButMolds.com

    BigMoldCompany.com

    MoldBold.com

    MoldsUSA.com

    MollyMolds.com

    MoldusOperandi.com

    2 minute ^ search.

    Hope this helps.

    Get in touch if you want more suggestions, email address below...

    Smoking hot,


    Mark Andrews
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeHumphreys
      Red,

      I've lost count on the number of times I've had to come up with a better product name or special report name for my clients. I do name brainstorming all the time with my info-product business as well.

      I typically start with the tactics that Pusateri and Steve already mentioned. The name needs to tell the average person what it is you offer... or what the SOLUTION is you offer.

      My back-up source for naming things is Barry Callen's excellent book "Perfect Phrases for Sales And Marketing Copy". It has some great brainstorming checklists for coming up with taglines, slogans, business names, and more.

      For domain names, sometimes I use a web tool like NameTumbler.com to come up with possible domains. But I normally wait until I have some finalists before I start looking at available domains.

      IMHO, it's easier to come up with a domain name that works for your business than a strong product name. For example, if my business was called 'Instant Copywriting" (and for the record, writing copy fast is not my area of expertise), then I could probably find an available .com by adding suffix word like 'Online', 'USA', 'Source', etc to the end of my business name if my business name alone wasn't available as a .com.

      As for your business name... I'm not going to even attempt to offer up a mold-related name. The only thing I know about mold is that I'm very allergic to it.

      Hope that helps,

      Mike
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      • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
        Well Red, exitmold.com fits into naming the problem and solution which is easily understood by the average consumer.

        Best,
        Ewen

        Originally Posted by MikeHumphreys View Post

        Red,

        I've lost count on the number of times I've had to come up with a better product name or special report name for my clients. I do name brainstorming all the time with my info-product business as well.

        I typically start with the tactics that Pusateri and Steve already mentioned. The name needs to tell the average person what it is you offer... or what the SOLUTION is you offer.

        My back-up source for naming things is Barry Callen's excellent book "Perfect Phrases for Sales And Marketing Copy". It has some great brainstorming checklists for coming up with taglines, slogans, business names, and more.

        For domain names, sometimes I use a web tool like NameTumbler.com to come up with possible domains. But I normally wait until I have some finalists before I start looking at available domains.

        IMHO, it's easier to come up with a domain name that works for your business than a strong product name. For example, if my business was called 'Instant Copywriting" (and for the record, writing copy fast is not my area of expertise), then I could probably find an available .com by adding suffix word like 'Online', 'USA', 'Source', etc to the end of my business name if my business name alone wasn't available as a .com.

        As for your business name... I'm not going to even attempt to offer up a mold-related name. The only thing I know about mold is that I'm very allergic to it.

        Hope that helps,

        Mike
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        • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
          Just a thought:

          MyMoldRemovalGuys.com
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          • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
            Banned
            Pardon me for asking a 'stoopid' question...

            Are you talking about molds (moulds) for boat making for example?

            Or are you looking for a domain name with reference to keeping mold (mould) as in mildew and damp problems under control Red?

            Which mold (mould) exactly are you talking about please?

            Kindest regards,


            Mark Andrews
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            • Profile picture of the author RedShifted
              Originally Posted by Mark Andrews View Post

              Pardon me for asking a 'stoopid' question...

              Are you talking about molds (moulds) for boat making for example?

              Or are you looking for a domain name with reference to keeping mold (mould) as in mildew and damp problems under control Red?

              Which mold (mould) exactly are you talking about please?

              Kindest regards,


              Mark Andrews
              Thanks Mark. Its for the black mold that grows in peoples homes after they get damp or wet.

              Someone else asked about what makes us unique. And although I would like to explain it in 1 sentence, its really hard if you don't know anything about the mold industry.

              There is a HUGE conflict of interest with mold, when you have a company that both tests and remediates mold from peoples homes. Many companies are screwing with samples before they send them to the lab, to exagerate the results... so they can sell a bs job and make money. Other less intelligent companies, don't even understand how to remediate mold in the first place. They get their certification, and all learning stops there (any monkey can get their mold certification tbpo).

              They often do this by spraying samples with water, and putting them in a tiny black bag after they take them from a persons home. Which is fraud afaic, but for some reason noones cracking down on it.

              Because of this, its generally best to have 2 seperate companies. One that does the testing, and a different one for the removal.

              Our company is able to do both, while removing that conflict of interest 100%. We are able to do testing right at the persons home, and we are also able to do it for free, which is unheard of in the mold industry.

              The reason we're able to do this, is because I know a lot about chemistry/biology.. as Mark might know =].

              We do NOT use those "at home testing kits" because they are extremely inaccurate, and a total sham if you ask me. Although many people buy them from Home Depot, and have no idea how inaccurate they are.

              We essentially do a "lab test" at the persons home for free. If we detect a certain level of spores, we recommend removal. And the person watches the entire test, so they know we're not replacing original samples with moldy samples or anything.

              This allows for quicker testing/removal, more accurate results, and no conflict of interest. The first mold business I started working for (they do waterproofing too) still wants me to teach them how I'm doing the tests. And I told them its not happening. They seem to be paranoid, because testing this way has helped their marketing a lot (which I also do) and when I leave, they will have to go back to their old way of testing, which creates a major conflict of interest. They refuse to use the cheap/disposable home tests (they're smart enough for that), which leaves them charging for lab fees. And although I know they don't tamper with results, it still creates a major conflict of interest and hurts sales.

              They've already seen me do the tests right in front of their face, and still have no idea how they're done. I used a calibrated lab sample to prove that these new/free/home tests are better than the $10 disposable home tests. The problem is, there is nothing proprietary about the testing. I'm doing it the same way the labs do them, but at peoples homes. I basically copied their entire process. And I sterilize the chamber everytime I go to a new home. If this mold company really wanted to learn, its not hard. But for some reason they'd rather bitch like I owe it to them... which I do not. They never taught me anything, I taught myself this skill, which to me, is sad. Thats when I realized "if I can do this better than they can... why am I even working for them?"

              This industry as a whole is still pretty outdated afaic.
              But as far as what will make this business unique, its definitely that. You can find other businesses that do testing on site like we do, but they use cheap unreliable tests, they have no idea how the tests even work, and the minute a customer researchs online, they see that the tests have no credibility. Another interesting feature is these companies who use the disposable tests, are charging $400 for a test that cost $10 to buy, and not even an hour to do. Then if they fail the test, they sell them a $3,000-$6,000 service. Lab tests cost about $80, and they charge about the same, $400 for a "certified" company to mail out samples lol. When the companies really aren't doing crap. There is very little consistency in the entire industry. Very little respect for following scientific standards OVER industry standards.

              And this just covers the testing, the remediation is so much worse. Some people use anabec, others using valprene, some use natural moldicides, some using CO2, some use lasers... its unbelievable. It doesn't matter one bit what you use to kill mold, what matters is what is CAUSING the mold to grow. But most companies focus on why x chemical is so unique. And don't get me wrong, different chemicals have different advantages/disadvantages, but very seldom do I see these companies trying to address the source of the problem. If a person has a crack in their foundation, and you treat all the mold with chemicals, you're NOT fixing the moisture problem. You're fixing a symptom of the moisture problem. The mold won't grow back on the treated areas, but then it just spreads to a new area of the home. Its so sad how some of these companies work.

              Sorry for the long post lol. But now maybe you can see why this is so hard for me. I really want to set a new standard in the mold industry as far as testing/remediation goes, so picking the right name is really important for me.

              Thanks - Red
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              • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
                Banned
                No need to apologize for the long post, I found this added insight quite fascinating.

                Read your last private message I sent to you and you'll understand why.

                So let me get this straight, you not only test for mold but also provide a mold remediation service, correct?

                Right, I better get back to doing another domain search for you on your behalf, back in a bit with some more suggestions / ideas on branding this business of yours.

                Smoking hot,


                Mark Andrews
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                • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
                  Banned
                  Available .com's

                  WeSolveMold.com

                  MoldConsultancy.com

                  TheMoldConsultants.com

                  MoldFixIt.com

                  MoldyMold.com

                  SayNoToMold.com

                  MoldMob.com

                  MoldSavior.com

                  MoldMessiah.com

                  This is the complete list of names I just very quickly came up with...

                  WeSolveMold
                  MoldSolution
                  MoldSolutions
                  TheMoldExpert
                  TheMoldExperts
                  MoldConsultant
                  MoldConsultants
                  MoldConsultancy
                  TheMoldConsultant
                  TheMoldConsultants
                  MoldFixIt
                  MoldSolutions4u
                  MoldRemediationExpert
                  MoldRemediationExperts
                  GetRidOfMold
                  MoldBeGone
                  MoldAssist
                  MoldyMold
                  MoldCleaning
                  MoldTesting
                  SayNoToMold
                  MoldMob
                  GetRidOfMold
                  MoldSavior
                  MoldMessiah
                  MoldGo
                  MoldCo

                  Hope something here is of some use to you Red.

                  Smoking hot,


                  Mark Andrews

                  P.S. I just registered...

                  WeSolveMold.com for you on your behalf.

                  If you want it, just give the word and I'll happily transfer the domain over to you.

                  I just couldn't bear the thought of someone else registering this domain before you possibly got a chance to do so if you like the name.

                  If you don't no big deal, I'll simply delete it within the grace deletion period and add the credit to my account.
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                  • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
                    Banned
                    Originally Posted by Mark Andrews View Post


                    P.S. I just registered...

                    WeSolveMold.com for you on your behalf.

                    If you want it, just give the word and I'll happily transfer the domain over to you.
                    Thanks for your private message Red.

                    I thought you'd love it as much as I do the second I saw it was available.

                    It's short, easy to remember, rolls off the tongue very naturally, it's a great domain / business name for branding purposes, tells your target market exactly what it is you do (solution provider) and bonus...

                    Even has a couple of your keywords within it 'Solve Mold' - to be perfectly honest with you, I don't think you could do better than this.

                    I can just see the name now, plastered across your fleet of company vehicles all across North America!

                    Soon as you want me to, just let me know and I'll get the domain name transferred across to you.

                    It was a real privilege to help you.

                    With my compliments and the very best of luck!

                    Smoking hot,


                    Mark Andrews

                    P.S. If you want to see how this could look on your fleet of vans in the future, use this free simple vehicle wrap design tool Custom Car Wraps
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  • Profile picture of the author Bruce Wedding
    The first question you have to ask yourself is, is this a name for SEO or not? If so, you begin with keyword research. Find the top keywords and start looking for domains that are available, with modifiers or stop words if necessary.

    If you're buying traffic or this is primarily and offline business, the keywords don't matter. In that case you want a short catchy, easy to remember name. My best advice is to get a copy of "Pop!: Create the Perfect Pitch, Title and Tagline for Anything." Go through the exercises and you will find something.

    POP!: Create the Perfect Pitch, Title, and...POP!: Create the Perfect Pitch, Title, and...
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  • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
    Am I the only copywriter who sees this?

    No disrespect, and I know money's being spent here, but WeSolveMold.com has the wrong frame of reference.

    Before you fall in love with it, how many times a month do we as copywriters chastise marketers on this forum for talking about themselves? Using "I" or "we", instead "you"?

    I'd normally let this go, but naming a business is a big deal. Once you lock in the name, it's a PIA to change.

    There are other reasons I wouldn't use this, but this is the biggest reason.

    - Rick Duris

    PS: Let me put this another way, Red: I appreciate your ambition and enthusiasm, but you're treacherously close to falling in love with who you are, what you do and what you have. As opposed to falling in love with your customer.

    PPS: The main reason I suggested MyMoldRemovalGuys.com is because I strongly suspect the majority of your business will emanate from real estate professionals and investor referrals.
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Grace
    how about MoldBeGone.com

    it's available but on auction... current bid 1k
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Mark Andrews View Post


      MoldBeGone
      Originally Posted by Don Grace View Post

      how about MoldBeGone.com

      it's available but on auction... current bid 1k
      Suggested this one above though unavailable on the .com - see reply #20 Don.

      Originally Posted by RickDuris View Post

      Am I the only copywriter who sees this?

      No disrespect, and I know money's being spent here, but WeSolveMold.com has the wrong frame of reference.

      Before you fall in love with it, how many times a month do we as copywriters chastise marketers on this forum for talking about themselves? Using "I" or "we", instead "you"?

      I'd normally let this go, but naming a business is a big deal. Once you lock in the name, it's a PIA to change.

      There are other reasons I wouldn't use this, but this is the biggest reason.

      - Rick Duris

      PS: Let me put this another way, Red: I appreciate your ambition and enthusiasm, but you're treacherously close to falling in love with who you are, what you do and what you have. As opposed to falling in love with your customer.

      PPS: The main reason I suggested MyMoldRemovalGuys.com is because I strongly suspect the majority of your business will emanate from real estate professionals and investor referrals.
      Respectfully I disagree with you Rick.

      As you rightly state though, it's all about positioning and of course complimenting this, branding too.

      Your frame of reference likewise I feel is a little skewed. Your suggested domain / business name is far too long, five syllables instead of my three.

      Dare I say it, my suggestion will be far easier to remember and will stand out much better.

      It instantly conveys, this is what we do, and this is exactly how we can help you if you have this mold problem.

      MyMoldRemovalGuys.com just feels wrong.

      I can't possibly see this being used to good effect in any advertising or marketing medium. People will just shrug their shoulders and say, "So what?"

      Why? Because the name is weak.

      WeSolveMold.com is a much stronger statement to make.

      This is what we do, exactly what we say we do right there in our business name. No question about it. It will leave a much better impression in the mind of the person seeing not only the website but the branded business name on all advertising and marketing material.

      Yes sure, in copywriting, salesmanship-in-print, yes we do advocate switching out the focus from using the words, I, me, or we. But this isn't copywriting as such is it? Not as we traditionally understand it.

      This is branding which is altogether a different kettle of fish.

      There's absolutely nothing wrong with making the biggest boldest claim you can in as few words as possible within your domain or business name to really hit the bullseye.

      We Solve Mold - I think hits the target bang on center.

      Smoking hot,


      Mark Andrews
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  • Profile picture of the author RedShifted
    Hey Mark,

    How much longer do you have with that name? I want to give myself a bit more time to think (probably a couple hours) but I don't want you getting stuck with the name encase I change my mind.

    The problem is I like all the names, so I'm on the phone making calls right now. I know a few business owners who have solid business names and I'm going to run the names by them, along with my family and a few friends.

    I realize that copywriters are usually the best to ask, but I just want to see what other people have to say.

    Thanks guys, I'll be back shortly.

    -Red
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
      Banned
      Just over 4 days left for the grace deletion period so in your own time Red, in your own time.

      Absolutely not a problem.

      Plus, I don't think I can instantly transfer it, I'll have to check up on that.

      Register for a free account at Dynadot.com when you're ready to since this is where we register all of our domain names.

      Kindest regards,


      Mark Andrews
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  • Profile picture of the author RedShifted
    Thanks Mark I appreciate it.

    So I called 2 brothers so far and a successful business owner. Their background in business is as follows:

    Brother 1 - He's the vice president of smith barney brokerage firm over in shrewsbury, NJ. Has been stockbroking/investing for about 30 years now. Very successful. I definitely respect his opinion although there are just as many things I don't respect about him.

    Brother 2 - A computer tech/engineer for At&t. Probaly my favorite brother. He basically maintains servers for corporations like kodak, nikon, dunkin donuts, and various other businesses. Works from home, does very well for himself, and is a very intelligent/humble guy. I always go to him for answers and he always has great answers to give.

    Business owner 1 - Owns a successful remodeling company which he just bought last year. Although he's owned many remodeling companies before that. His most recent business broke 1 million his first year owning it. So I definitely trust him when it comes to advice.

    ------------------

    So far what they've said.

    Brother 1) Said he liked mymoldremovalguys.com.

    His exact words were "all the names get the point across, but for seo/marketing I'd go with mymoldremovalguys.com". Since it has our target keyword "mold removal".
    However, he also mentioned that we can have our business name different from our domain name. At which point I mentioned it would probably be bad for marketing/ consistency reasons. He agreed, but said many companies still do it.

    Brother 2) Said he didn't like any of them. He also said he didn't like the way I was thinking about a business lol. He mentioned how often businesses go out of business, and that I should be focused more on assets than a specific service.

    His concept was to do this.
    Find a name that represents MY NAME. My last name sounds like "cc". So he suggested a name like "cc-enterprises". Only to make his point.

    He told me that I may want to focus on other businesses/assets down the road. At which point I can register subdomains for each business.

    Like cc-enterprises.com/moldremoval.
    Or cc-enterprises.com/pestcontrol.
    Or cc-enterprises.com/powerwashing.

    His idea was if one business isn't successful, customers will see that there are still assets behind the name. Regardless of the specific service. Like maybe mold removal doesn't turn out to be as profitable as I thought (which I doubt because I've been doing it for the last year already). He said I can focus more on pest control. Without looking like a "flybynight" business.

    I told him its a great point, but it destroys the focus of the business. In terms of copywriting, it sounds like a horrible idea. In terms of building more assests down the line... then yes, its a great idea.

    Then he used Lowes as an example. How every year they are adding more services to their name. People have associated the name "lowes" to anything in home improvement. I definitely understood his concept, but I asked myself "is he being way too visionary about this?"

    Business Owner 1 - Said he likes all the names. He also mentioned how "mymoldremovalguys" has our keyword in it. But he said it *might* be too long. Then we went online together and he spotted a friend who is doing really well in home improvement, they have the name "fiverstarhomeremodeling". So his opinion was it didn't really matter. I asked "wouldn't it still be a good idea to have a shorter name?" and he remarked "people aren't as dumb as you think". He also liked Marks name too, he just thought the longer name would be better for SEO, which I do plan on doing.

    ANYWAY. I got more calls to make!

    This might not take me anywhere useful, but I still want to see what other people have to say.

    Thanks - Red
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  • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
    Mark, I don't have a horse in this race. Ain't my business. Not my Client.

    That's stated, my comments are not based upon opinion. Or what 'sounds good'. I *know* how the majority of business is generated in this market.

    Referrals.

    But I'm not committed to MyMoldRemovalGuys.com

    ----

    Also people who buy (i.e. the market) do not necessarily want their mold problems solved permanently. They want their mold removed.

    Sounds the same, but they're actually two different things.

    Think about it.

    You're a home owner and you want to sell your home. But you've got a bad case of mold caused by a crack in the basement.

    You have an offer on the table to buy, but the inspection report says there's mold.

    Damn. What to do?

    You could spend a grand to remove the mold. Or for $3K, you could have the problem totally solved.

    Which one are you going to go for?

    This scenario happens a lot.

    ----

    Despite the desire of the business owner, few want their mold problems solved permanently. Many more just want the mold removed so they can sell the home. Especially flippers.

    Please understand, (and this important) permanently solving a mold problem CAN BE UPSOLD once you're in there doing an estimate.

    But that's NOT what gets you in the door.

    I DO appreciate the desire for a bold claim. I also appreciate the differentiation and desire to solve the problem. But it's not what the market is initially looking for.

    ----

    To further reinforce, look at Red's own assessment of the competition. They're focusing on eliminating the symptom. They're not focused on prevention or solution.

    There's a big clue there with regards to market demand.

    - Rick Duris

    PS: Ever hear of these guys, Mark? TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Movers, Moving Company, Moving Reviews

    Probably not. Their name's too long.

    But this is an example of the power of having the right name.

    PPS: I like FiveStarMoldRemoval.com for the implied social review aspect. But My Mold Removal Guys sounds more 'familiar', more trusting.
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  • Profile picture of the author Pusateri
    Any name with mold in it needs your service. They all suck. None of them are memorable, no matter what anyone tells you.

    Mold is the name of the category. Look around you. How many category leaders have the category as part of the name? It's rare.

    Yet every jackass trying to name a business automatically goes there.

    Don't do it. Unless you are trying to get lost in the crowd, in which case it's a good strategy.

    Get a copy of The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding. Read it. Twice. Before you do anything.
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    • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
      Originally Posted by Pusateri View Post

      Any name with mold in it needs your service. They all suck. None of them are memorable, no matter what anyone tells you.

      Mold is the name of the category. Look around you. How many category leaders have the category as part of the name? It's rare.

      Yet every jackass trying to name a business automatically goes there.

      Don't do it. Unless you are trying to get lost in the crowd, in which case it's a good strategy.

      Get a copy of The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding. Read it. Twice. Before you do anything.
      That's not bad advice. Especially the last sentence.

      - Rick Duris
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    • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
      Here's the outline of The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
      from the same authors.

      The 22 Immutable Laws Of Marketing

      Best,
      Ewen


      Originally Posted by Pusateri View Post

      Any name with mold in it needs your service. They all suck. None of them are memorable, no matter what anyone tells you.

      Mold is the name of the category. Look around you. How many category leaders have the category as part of the name? It's rare.

      Yet every jackass trying to name a business automatically goes there.

      Don't do it. Unless you are trying to get lost in the crowd, in which case it's a good strategy.

      Get a copy of The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding. Read it. Twice. Before you do anything.
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  • Profile picture of the author RedShifted
    You guys are awesome, seriously.

    I'm reading the first chapter now, and this book is exactly what I needed.

    Thanks all for the help.

    -Red
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  • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
    Naming a business and naming a business to
    fit into the available stock of $10 domain names
    are different things.

    The constraints of doing it around a .com are
    considerable.

    Good stuff on my blog about naming and memes:
    The Ultimate Formula For Creating An Instantly Memorable Business Name and How To Create The Most Effective Slogan For Powerful Advertising Results « Breakthrough Marketing with Loren Woirhaye
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
      Banned
      Thanks Rick (and Red too) for the added info.

      In Rick's case, I respectfully still disagree but there we are. It is what it is. Anyway...

      It's all good. The world would be hellishly boring if we all agreed with one another all the time.

      Kindest regards,


      Mark Andrews
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  • Profile picture of the author fated82
    expireddomains.net

    Try this. I got many good domain names here. Just search for the keywords and use the filter function to find appropriate domain for your biz.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeremey
      The first name that came to mind was "MoldBusters." Then I saw there are a number of "Moldbusters" out there.

      You're trying to fit a name that works as a domain as well, but I would think that would be counterintuitive to your marketplace. Your offline prospects (real estate agents, etc) aren't going to be thinking of "What's that .Com business that handles mold?"

      With local optimization you can rank high in your local marketplace for mold removal without forcing yourself to have an exact match domain...There are a lot of things you can do optimization wise to get your site ranking in local searches for your market without having to tie yourself down to an EMD for your business name or keywords.

      Just a few ideas!
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  • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
    my mold removed dot com - I think available because no page came up when I entered it in the browser. (I do it that way because I had a domain name registered out from under me when I checked the usual way. And it was a reputable host. Coincidence?)

    I don't think the website and company name have to be the same.
    Website: Easy to remember name for consumers and referrers sake

    My two cents worth and it's late.
    Signature

    "If you think you're the smartest person in the room, then you're probably in the wrong room."

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  • Profile picture of the author DubDubDubDot
    Originally Posted by RedShifted View Post

    At one point I liked the name "moldmasters.com" but thats taken. I also liked the name "mrmold.com" but thats also taken.
    I don't like MrMold for a mold removal company. There's something about it that casts mold in a favorable light. You probably want the word mold in the name accompanied by something that gives a sense of domination over the mold.

    Even a slight change from MrMold to DrMold really changes things. That one is also taken though. You'll just have to brainstorm for a few days. Write down absolutely everything that pops into your head. Even stupid ideas can morph into something good later on.

    Originally Posted by RedShifted View Post

    Then I noticed that "moldmasters.com" doesn't do mold remediation. They do mold sculpting for manufacturing. So can I take a name like "moldmastersnj"? Is that violating their trademark?
    Trademarks usually fall into areas of business..... Apple computer, Apple records, Apple vacations, etc... As long as the sculpting company doesn't have a mold removal division, you would be fine to use it.
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