When I first decided to start my own business – well, let’s just say that I was excited. Really excited. As in “I found the meaning of life!” excited. I immediately purchased a website and a domain name, then set myself to do some research. Looking back now, it was definitely the wrong order on my priority list.
Like I said – excited.
It didn’t take long for my research to reveal that “wrong order” was also “wrong choices”, according to one of the first blogs I found. This website swore by building a copywriting business according to a personal brand, by using your name to sell yourself along with your services. In fact, as this was posted, Chris Brogan himself talked about personal branding and how to make a business out of it.
This was the opposite of what I had done, which was create a business name and domain. Frustrated, but not willing to give up, I made the switch. Problem solved, right?
Well, no.
Shortly after, I found an excellent article on Copyblogger that talked about avoiding the personal-name domain. That using a business name would work better in the long run.
I didn’t know what to do at that point. What was the better decision?
There are millions of people online – which means there are a million different opinions on every subject imaginable. The web is a great place to learn more about launching a new business – your local government, for example, can give you the resources you need for permits, licenses and registration. A local business guru can offer marketing solutions. Even I’m presuming to offer you my opinion on how to go about your business and I’m definitely presuming to tell you to pick my copywriting services. (See that self-plug there? Shameless.) Now to contradict myself:
Forget what everyone else is saying – what do you want to do?
No one else is going to create your business for you – there’s no “12 Step Solution to Slimmer Services”. Well, maybe there is, but would you trust someone else to tell you how to start your business? You have to be in control. And you’re the one that needs to be happy with the direction your business is growing in.
After reading about business branding vs. personal branding, I finally stepped back and took a good look at where I wanted to go with my copywriting business. Obviously, I chose to go back to the business name – but this time, I gave myself a chance to consider my goals and image rather than blundering in like the first time. Most importantly, I was consciously making the decisions myself rather than relying on someone else to make them for me.
I may have taken the long road, but learning to trust myself was a great epiphany. Still, I did find one silver lining to all of those opinions floating around the web. You’re bound to find someone who has broken the rules – and made it work. So no excuses not to do what you want.
What about you? What have you discovered about business, entrepreneurship or about yourself during your launching process?
Of course there are positive sides of both, business branding and personal branding, but one thing that will never change and which makes more or less your name choice unimportant, is the fact that if you are good enough at what you do, people will come to you no matter what your name is.
Personal brands are maybe not the greatest idea when you are starting in a niche that already has a number of popular experts, but if you are first in something, it can be a benefit. On the other hand, giving your business a different name depends on what or who you are focusing on.
Take information you find online, or anywhere for that matter, as guidelines, not as the only right way. Definitely trust yourself and then, along the way, implement new things and tweak what’s necessary.
100% agreed. Sometimes, it’s a lesson you learn the long way around.
Actually, I didn’t have anything against the “Paige Jeffrey” brand name, but I did like the advantages that having a business name gave me, which is why I ended up choosing it.
In the end, as you said, it’s about trusting yourself and implementing what works for you.
Thanks for responding! You’re my first commenter. How exciting.
When you have a name (Carole Brown) that is shared by 500 some facebook users, 300 some twitter users, and many many other people in the world, it was hard for me to imagine how I could possibly brand myself around my name because some of those other Carole Brown’s are really quite famous. So I couldn’t follow those personal branding rules. You are so right, you’ve got to do your homework, research things fully, and then make the best decision for you. That’s a very good lesson for life in general. Thanks for this great reminder.
Very true. Got reminded of that ourselves when we put our first sales letter out for critique. It’s gotten a lot better since we, ironically, followed the advice to not follow the rules.
And it is indeed immensely comforting to note that someone, somewhere, has made just about everything work well.
Good Fortune to you! Looks like you’re off to a great start.
Yes definitely trust yourself and your own judgement. Then, even if you get it wrong, you won’t be blaming someone else and wishing you had done what you wanted, but can just accept it and move on. And if you get things right – well you can take all the credit!
Good luck with your new blog.