You’ve completed your coach training and now you’re excited to get your coaching business off the ground. Choosing a meaningful name for your coaching business can be difficult but don’t let the excitement of your new endeavor be thwarted by indecision.
It is important to choose the right business name and domain name for your coaching business. You want the name to convey who you are and what you have to offer. Coaches often ask me if they should use their name or include the word “coach”. They want to know if their domain name should match their business name. What if the domain name isn’t available? In this blog post, I talk you through these important considerations to find the most meaningful name for your coaching business.
Types of names
Thinking about the types of names to draw from for your business and domain can be useful. These are:
- Literal name
- Descriptive name
- Referential name
- Abstract name
Using your literal name
Here are some questions to ponder if you are thinking about using your name for your coaching business:
- Is your name attached to anything else you have done professionally? How might that help or hurt your coaching business?
Here’s an example. Let’s say that you are currently a well-known real estate agent in your community. If you want to continue doing business as an agent (or even if not) and want to separate the two businesses or lose the association to the old career, you probably want to avoid using your name. If you will offer coaching as an add-on to the real estate business then having your current role associated with your new business is helpful.
- Who shares your name and what is their online presence?
Ever Google your name and realize that someone who shares your name is famous for something else? When this is the case, it is good to use the words coach in your business name. For example, Cindy Bouchard, Coach or Coach Cindy Bouchard.
What if there is already a coach with your name? Then using the type of coaching (assuming they aren’t in the same coaching niche as you) is best. For example, Cindy Bouchard, Divorce Coach, then works better.
Using a descriptive name
A descriptive name is one that describes your services. For example, mine, Women’s Divorce Coach. The name tells you exactly what I do and who I serve. A descriptive name is good for search engine results too. I will get many more hits on Google when people type in “women’s divorce coach” than if the domain name is my literal name.
Using a referential name
Referential names are names that reference something that you do or the way you work. For example, my friend and client, Bridget’s divorce coaching business is called “The Bridging Coach” and her domain name is https://bridgeyourdivorce.com. A bridge references both her name and what she does – giving people a pathway and supporting them through a transitional time.
Using an abstract name
An abstract name is a name that you generally like and understand but that others might not. It is the category I would least advise choosing from.
Do your research
By now you’ve probably come up with some options to choose a meaningful name for your coaching business. Make a list of the names you are considering and then do the following.
Start with these general questions.
Is it:
- unique?
- memorable?
- reflect who you are and your target audience?
Now it’s time to get down to the details. First, you want to make sure any name you’re considering is both legally available and as a domain name. To find fun business names and determine if the domain name is available, use an online business name generator like Name Snack. While the two don’t have to match, from a brand continuity standpoint, it’s best to go with one name and stick with it.
After you’ve ensured domain availability, determine if someone has trademarked your business name. To do this, go to US Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS).
Register your coaching business name and coaching domain name
Once you’ve found the most meaningful name for your coaching business, determine the right business structure (LLC, C-corp, sole-proprietor, etc.) and register your business name. Then go to a domain provider like GoDaddy or Network Solutions and register your domain name. You might also consider grabbing similar domain names if you’re afraid someone else might take it and confuse potential visitors. I personally recommend you stay with a .com name rather buy a domain with .net, or .co.
