Hi Everyone, I've recently set up my own practice under the name Northants Accounting, but then I've had a bit of a think and I'm feeling that it might help to create a brand that isn't so geographically localised. I've bought the domains to Ledgers of the fall and wanted your opinion on whether its a better name although I'll admit "fall" is an American term it was still an epic movie.
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Movie practice names
Mars a tax
VATman Returns
An Inspector Calls (Easy one that)
The Accountant of Monte Cristo
I could go on. On a more serious note, it depends what sort of clients you want to attract. Some will see the joking nature of the second name as proof you don't take your work seriously. They will be concerned that their accounts and tax work will suffer as a result. Others will find the sense of humour displayed makes you seem more approachable. Not the boring suit that speaks technojargon but someone that can talk to them more on their level.
The more boring name is likely to be less limiting unfortunately. Those looking for a personable accountant will make the judgement on meeting you. Those worried about you not taking work seriously won't have that initial meeting at all.
EDIT : The Turnover. Then as you open new offices you could call them parts 1,2 and 3.
I practice under my own name
I wish I had chosen something different but it is too late to change now. I would go for something that relates to neither my name or my location if I was starting again...
Shamrock would be better. Imagine the clients feeling that a little bit of luck will rub off on them from signing up with you.
No
then not Blarney!
That's a terrible name, although I quite like Barney. Maybe too close to Barmy. Tricky one.
Market research
Before setting up, I carried out market research with 20 people in my target client bracket. Part of the research was for them to score various possible business names out of 10. One name emerged as a clear favourite, job done.
Perhaps ..
Of your clients are anything like some of mine it should be Ledgers of the Frail or Legends of the Fall !!!
I went though a similar process deciding
I even covered it in my blog "Whats in a name"
https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/blog-post/whats-name-anyway
which for some reason I do seem to be able to put a link to.
For me "fall" in Uk business terms means things have gone pear shaped so not a good link to an accountant.
If you do not want to use your name or your location using strong words such as " Quantum Accounts" are increasingly more popular with professional firms
I need help too
I have one im not sure about, back home members of my family were called ZED, so I came up with Zed Financial Consultant for a name, but lately im starting to think that isn't so good and maybe I should go with my last name instead hence Zaidi Accountants. This is for an idea I had if I ever wanted to open up my own practise, Any suggestions ...?
Northants Accounting Definately Out
Thanks for the feedback guys and girls, I think I'm going to go with Platinum Ledgers it sounds premium and rolls of the tongue (kind of).
Really?
Thanks for the feedback guys and girls, I think I'm going to go with Platinum Ledgers it sounds premium and rolls of the tongue (kind of).
Sounds like a strip club!!
Could work
Sounds like a strip club!!Client walks in thinking you are a strip club. Signs up with you for accounts and tax returns rather than admit they were looking for a strip club.
Brilliant :)
Sounds like a strip club!!Client walks in thinking you are a strip club. Signs up with you for accounts and tax returns rather than admit they were looking for a strip club.
How about hiring female staff, and then put a sign outside that says 'working girls inside'. :)
That would pull a few more 'raincoats' in.
No! No! No!
What proportion of potential clients do you think will know that 'Ledgers' means you are an accountant? Just as many will think you are a fisherman or even an undertaker. Why do you think Ledgers sounds better than Accountants or Accountancy? It doesn't.I think I'm going to go with Platinum Ledgers it sounds premium and rolls of the tongue (kind of).
@ Tough Accountant
Why don't you use both your initials and call
it ZZ - Top Accountants & Business Advisers
It says what is does on the tin
Hi
I used to work for Sterling Roncraft in my mid 20.s . One of the brands was Ronseal Varnish and if anyone remembers the slogan was "its says what it does on the tin." Most business owners do not even know what a legder is . As for calling yourself platinum . All that says to me is singing your own praises. The more companies sing their own trumpet the more I worry. I am in an agreement with Alan
The below link from bbc sums it up best
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20945352
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Does_exactly_what_it_says_on_the_tin
Why not try
Say you are "probably the best accountant without any professional qualifications whatsoever in the whole world"
Clients will flock to you
Back to basics
Your first choice is probably best at conveying you are accountants and where you are based. The vast majority of prospective clients will be looking for someone local so you'll be making it easy for them to know that you are the right choice.
Fancy brand names are fine for the big boys and for those who are able to invest in securing publicity around the name. They are a definite 'nice to have' but if you choose one now you are highly likely to slow down the rate at which you can secure new clients - for all the reasons given above.
Mark
Northants Accounting Definately Out
The problem with Northants Accounting is that when you search for it Google automatically converts it to Accountants in Northamptonshire which means that even if a potential client has heard my name somewhere and is looking for me then my site wont even show up on the first search page. Platinum Ledgers might sound like a strip club but its so much more effective in terms of SEO, and it also gives me an effective plan b if my practice doesn't work out, I do like ledgers of the fall but it's probably a bit too tongue in cheek for the majority of the clients I want to go for.
Okay Northants Accounting it is, you've ruined Platinum Ledgers for me it just makes me think about strip clubs now.
You could go for an old sytle name
like william Smith and Co, but probally not Mills and Boon as this may get a visit from HMRC.
We have Turf Accountants so why not call your firm Concrete Accountants..." Rock solid"
Just a few ideas....
Sometimes you end up being called something else anyway.....
I named my firm to reflect it's locality. I used a play on the initials to create a logo and now it is just known in the area by it's initials (nickname) and the long winded name I started with is just it's Sunday name. I don't mind as people remember it more easily. Sometimes the logo is stronger than the name and pictures stay in peoples minds longer than words so rather than stressing about the name, think about the image you want to convey and work back from that. There is nothing wrong with making good use of your locality in the name, it has actually helped draw clients to me and I am now known as "the local accounts lady" in the same way that someone would refer to say the local shop. I most certainly don't have a monopoly on the area, but people around here come to me in the first instance because of my locality and in the second instance from referrals. It all depends what image you want to portray.
Thinking about it if you went with Northants Accounting and did a play on the initials you would be known as "NA" - definitely not a positive when your client is asked to refer their accountant and they say "Na".
what do I know...
I started working from home and was too tight to buy a brass plate ...so it got named after the house as it had a sign on the gate post...so I am treetops accountants ( www.ttca.co.uk - if you are interested) 14 years later I have created a monster....
I always thought I should have called it Standard
Then I could be Standard Chartered Accountants...and I would put an autographed liverpool top on the reception wall...wonder if the ICAEW would allow it
I wouldnt use ledger though...sounds a bit dull and bookkeeper ish...and no one knows what one is
Wonder if teh ICAEW would allow it
Named by accident
My firm name is Capsa Accounting Ltd. It means nothing, but I did have one wag suggesting it stood for Can't Accurately Produce Sets of Accounts. I bought the company off the shelf many years ago from a formation agents where this was the only sensible name - the others being Accountant 191, Accountant 192 etc. In those days I didn't want to pay the 50 quid to get the name changed. I have stuck with it despite several people spelling it as caspa because of the ghost! The key thing is "the it does what it says on the tin bit" i.e. it refers to accounting. Using the word ledgers will be counter productive - it will not help to gain clients and I will venture that you will forever be explaining what you do.
Keep it simple
So many businesses have 'clever' names that mean nothing to anyone but the person who chose it and who thought it was great. In marketing be 'in their face' is what you must do. Your name needs to say what it is you do so if someone is looking for an accountant they will see straight away you are one. If they see Platinum ledgers as others have said it means nothing and they move on to the next business where they can clearly see it's an accountant.
The actual name you choose as long as it conveys you offer accountancy services is in my view largely irrelevant. It is the marketing of your name and business that will bring in the clients not a fancy name.
Mine generally causes confusion ... but I like it so tough!!
The main branded part of my practice name is MEDIAN .... I chose it at the time when i did the fees survey on AWEB as my fees were to be set at the average of everyone elses. Sadly, I had forgotten that about 20 years ago the local TV channel down here was called MERIDIEN and most clients (a) don't recognise the mathmatical terminology and (b) Just assume I had spelt Meridien incorrectly!
Never mind ... I like my orange Median logo too much to change it and there is already a Meridien Accountancy not a million miles away.
Ah, the anti-sell
Median - strapline, 'All things considered we're pretty average'.
If it works I might go for 'Mediochre' with a nice yellow logo.
Practice name
Just call yourself Joe Bloggs Chartered Accountant or Joe Bloggs ACCA , anything else is Joe Bloggs Unqualified Cowboy Accountant with no qualifications whatsoever, but think I know a lot by experience