Naming Your Crafts Business
Hi! I’m Alicia, and I’ve been selling my crafts on-line and in stores, including my own store, for several years now. In this column, I’ll be talking in a general way about what it’s like to sell the things that you make, and I’ll give you some ideas to consider when selling your own work.
Whether you plan to sell your work on your own web site, at craft fairs, in shops, or at on-line marketplaces, let’s face it: The first thing you need is a name for your business! I love to think of names for things. If you don’t, consider taking a few of your creative friends out for drinks, and bring a pad of paper and pen for a brainstorming session — once you start talking about who you are, what you make, and what your vision of your business is, the words will start flowing. (A margarita never hurts, just to get the ball rolling.) Don’t stop at your first idea — the nature of brainstorming is organic, and you never end up where you thought you would.
Choose your name carefully! None of us can see the future, but when it comes to names you must try. You will, if you’re lucky, have it for a long time, and you will say it dozens of times a day, and see it in print, and hear it said by other people. In fact, say it to other people, and make sure they don’t say it back to you with a question mark in their voice and a bewildered look on their face, because you will be seeing that exact look on someone else’s face every time you say it. It reminds me of when my husband wanted to name the dog “Hercule Poirot.” The dog’s a girl, but that’s not the point. You want your name to be catchy and clever, but pronounceable, and not so obscure that no one will have a clue what you do — unless you like explaining that sort of thing a lot. You also want it to be specific to your work, but not so specific that it will pigeon-hole you into a particular product or “look.” Test your name on a bunch of people. Don’t necessarily take criticism or advice to heart immediately — this is your name after all, and at the end of the day, only you have to love it — but be aware that if you notice people having trouble pronouncing it, or spelling it (as they look you up on a search engine, for example), this is not a condition that is likely to go away.
Some days I wish I could start all over with a new name. If I’d had any idea six years ago that this would all last more than five minutes, I would’ve thought a lot more about it. And I would never again pick a made-up homonym, but, you know, that’s just me. If you haven’t already printed 2000 business cards and 500 woven labels, I envy you, I really do.
Where were we. If you already have a blog, you could consider using your blog name, or some version of it when naming the business division of yourself. If you’ve established a following, it can be a good idea to capitalize on the recognition-factor of the name you’ve already chosen for your blog. People have fairly short attention spans, and the more you repeat words and images (or, establish a particular “brand” for your work — which I’ll talk about in a later post), the more people will remember you. But if you are inclined to choose something fresh, I say do it. A new name can signal exciting changes, and pique peoples’ interest!
Do some searches yourself, and make sure no one is using the name you love. See what urls are available that relate to your name; if someone’s already claimed a url that you wanted, see if you can think of something similar that will be as close as possible to your business name. (Even if you don’t have a web site now, you may want to purchase a url for future use. Think success!) So many people have blogs and little businesses now you would be wise to choose something as unique as possible.
If you’re satisfied that your name is original, appropriate, and will allow your options to grow and change as your business does, remember to register that name with local authorities, and even your state. This protects you, and prevents others from using the name you worked so hard to think of! It will now be your “assumed business name,” and on legal documents pertaining to your business you and it will appear as, for instance, “Alicia Paulson d.b.a [doing business as] Posie: Rosy Little Things.”
For more information about the legalities of names, and registering them, please contact your county clerk, or the secretary of state where you live (or other local commerce authorities in your country). Also, consider investing in a few books about selling your handcrafts — they are invaluable reference tools as you go along. My favorites are by Barbara Brabec, who has been writing about crafts businesses for many years.
March 29th, 2006 at 5:39 am
Thank you. I am so not aware of any desire or need to start my own business, but you never know, do you? I appreciate your insight.
March 29th, 2006 at 5:53 am
Another tip learned the hard way: Look carefully at your name and make sure it will look good when typed out as a url.
I named my first business eclectic sass, thinking that was a great description of what I wanted to make: all kinds of different stuff with a hip look.
Then I got my website and printed out my business cards and all anyone could ask me was “Eclectic’s Ass?”
March 29th, 2006 at 6:59 am
Thanks for this good advice Alicia! I’m still at the “making-many-things-and-selling-nothing” stage, but you never know when all this crafting might have to start being sold to make room for more…
March 29th, 2006 at 7:13 am
This is so great, your advice is always good advice and it’s good to see it here on Whip up where so many people will benefit and hopefully want to read your blog too. I look forward to more.
March 29th, 2006 at 8:32 am
Thanks so much for the advise : )
March 29th, 2006 at 11:22 am
I love reading your blog Alicia and so glad to see you contributing here and giving great advice!!
Women who create are so inspiring to me and I hope and dream to one day be doing something with my creativeness!
March 29th, 2006 at 2:16 pm
hi alicia,
I loved reading this post – such good advice mixed with a very readable style
I am so happy to have you on board
March 29th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
Great post Alicia!
March 29th, 2006 at 5:03 pm
Thank you for your very useful and sensible advice. While I don’t sell anything (yet) it is always a dream that my craft could help pay for itself and now I realise there are plenty of things to consider.
March 29th, 2006 at 10:22 pm
I simply love reading your posts and your tips are great!!!! I will be selling my stuff online soon and can wait to get more of your tips, no one I know is as kind as you are!!!!!
thanks for being you!!!
March 29th, 2006 at 10:53 pm
Hi Alicia,
I too, have been reading and enjoying your blog. Wanted to say THANK YOU for providing this kind of information… I’m just starting out at the whole crafty-biz and your advice is excellent and very needed. Just think, you could be Barbara Brabec for the new millennium!
March 29th, 2006 at 11:54 pm
Thanks for the food for thought.I’d love to start an etsy but I’m really struggling on the name front.I was going to use my blog name Vintage Pleasure but now I’m not sure!Does it’s sound a little risque?
March 30th, 2006 at 12:31 am
Very good post! Glad to see you here!
I’m going to pass this on to a friend who is in the middle of the what-to-name-her-business process. =)
March 30th, 2006 at 1:36 am
You always have such great insight Alicia, wonderful post!
March 30th, 2006 at 2:00 am
Haha…yes, naming is SO important! I really struggled with a name for my jewelry business. I have been selling jewelry since I was 12, and when I was little it was always “Lindsey’s Links”. But now that I’m so much more “mature” I thought it had to be changed. And I wanted it fairly quickly so I could buy a url. At first I though Lindsey Marcella, my first and middle name, but every jewelry designer does that. So I went with “Linques Design”, kind of a twist on my old name. I went with it after doing surveys w/current customers, and everyone seemed to a agree w/it. However, after I made my bus cards, my stepdad said “what’s lin-quest?” I should’ve known right there…now I get people asking me if Linques if my name! Live and learn I guess. I still like it, but I think it’s a little too diff for some people. And like you, I’m too far in to change it now, bus cards, notecards, magnets, stationary, and of course the famed website! I think I’m going to put an “About my name” section on the site!
March 30th, 2006 at 4:01 am
Great advice, thanks!
March 30th, 2006 at 4:53 am
Great advice, and I’m glad I followed most of it when naming my little bib business/blog/market garden empire (bwah!) I hope I’m still happy with it in six years!
March 31st, 2006 at 3:43 am
Great advice! I love the comments too- especially “Eclectic’s Ass” Its so true you have to look at it from all angles. My son and his best friend/cousin called each other “Froy” and “Olo” forever- neither could say each other’s names and the sight of them running around in utter happiness calling each other these sweet names was too much! My business really came out of the need to bring money in but desire to stay at home with the kids so Froy and Olo was the logical choice. Sometimes people scratch their heads but once they hear the story they don’t forget!
April 1st, 2006 at 1:46 am
I tend to use “Mikao” for everything, my blog and my Etsy business…. it was at one time my “camp name” (and still is to many I suppose!), and I like it. When I worked at camp and parents easily confused it with my real name, I often got asked where it came from, if it was Spanish or what. Every once in awhile I get an email asking if I’m Korean though, I think “Kao” is a last name maybe?
In all actuality, the embarassing fact is “Mikao” is short for Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who of course played the character “Michelle” on Full House. :)
Great post Alicia, nice to have such varied content here.
April 1st, 2006 at 6:05 am
Hi Alicia, it’s great to see you here. Very good advise. I have to agree with everything you said. I struggled for a couple of years over my business name (and test drove a couple of doosies!). It really does take a while to get it right. Now if only Tender Arts actually had something to sell!
April 8th, 2006 at 7:49 am
Thanks Alicia.. That’s a very good point.. I had a very difficult time in choosing a name as well.
Sherry
April 10th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Hi Alicia, I’m looking forward to hearing more good stuff from you.
I have a question about taxes. Do you have to register your “company” with the IRS?