People often say that renaming is one of the most uncertain and unstable tasks to carry out. There is an enigma of tragedy people tend to link with re-branding and naming a company. But we here at Squad Help believe in positive intent. We are very well aware of the fact that for once, a bad paper can be edited, but a blank paper cannot be edited. That is why we are here to help you through your renaming and rebranding process. Many of you might be looking for a magical go-through guide for renaming your company. Well, say no more. Below is an awesome checklist that will help you inaugurate your contemporary brand at a corporate get-together.
What To Do While Renaming your Company?
Inform valuable stake-holders.
While you plan to rename your company, it is important to let know of the upcoming changes to the most valuable stakeholders of your firm. These stakeholders can be your valuable clients, business partners, service providers and anyone with whom you mutually benefit from your business. You need to make sure that these people know all the changes you will be making when you rename your company so that they can adapt well in advance to your rebranding strategy.
Select a new business name for your company.
Once you inform all those who need to be informed, now is the time to take some serious action. Start by selecting a new brand new name for your company. You need to relax and sit with your most valuable and creative employees, family members and friends and brainstorm a list of new names which will generate an electrifying new enthusiasm into your company. After segregating half a dozen names for your company, you need to search for those company names for sale and check their availability.
Name availability is not where this ends.
Yeah, you read it right. Selecting a name for renaming your company is a different thing, and execution is a different thing. Post selection of a dream name for rebranding your company, you need to find suitable domain names and the best relevant social media handles to reach the digital era’s audience. Having a tandem of the relevant URL Domain name and an effective social media handle helps the company name thrive better in every aspect.
Rechecking never hurts.
Once you have brainstormed a couple of company names and their domain names and social media handles, you need to be sure that they won’t come to your possession with trouble to pay with. Before setting up a trademark double-check with the US Patent Office and Trademark data for relevant or similar names.
Apart from checking with the US Patent office, perform a manual search. Search for the two or three names you listed for your future company and read every heading of the first 25 pages. This step is necessary to avoid unpleasant surprises in the future, which may cause turbulence.
Be open to both praise and criticism.
The best way to get an opinion about your new-to-be company name is to create a free survey online and circulate it amongst your friends, family, relatives, clients, business associates and dealers. But do remember you need to be selectively permeable to criticism and choose wisely your next move based on the criticism that might come on your way.
Renaming Checklist
Now that we are all over with what should you do while you rename your company, you might want a handy checklist which will help you rename your company. So here’s to your company’s rebranding. Go through the checklist below and shine.
- Inform all the stakeholders about the big change that’s coming.
- Brainstorm a list of business names.
- Segregate two or three names.
- Research intensively around those names.
- Search for the best and relevant domains for your new business name.
- Get registered on social media handles with your new business name.
- Perform intuitive social media management to increase your reach with a new business name.
- Update your website’s content and search engine optimization according to your new business name.
- Tell any other websites which mention you that your company’s name has changed.
- Customize stationery initialized with your company’s new name. For example – card holders, pen holders, plastic folders, etc.
- Change your previous name into a brand new one in all your invoices.
- Change the name in books too – contact your bank and inform them about the sudden change of your company’s name and that if they need to change an account’s name.
- Having an email address that relates directly to your company’s name is a must. This creates a sense of professionalism amongst your clients and they think of you like a high-end company, which you are.
- Also, positively add a website redirect to your old website which redirects it to your up to the minute website.
- Bring in some creative minds and take their help to design logos, social media display pictures, themes for write-ups etcetera. All of this should happen to your latest company name.
- Last, but not least, go through websites like WHOIs and go through the US Patent office’s records to find out if you’re not going against the book of the law, and avoid a felony well before it’s committed.