Name for Our Business... Please critique

[jonchick]

Hello! My wife and I are starting our own photography business. Our last name is Chick and we want to incorporate that into our name. The

only thing that we can come up with other than Chick Photography is Two Chicks Photography. I googled it and it came up in a photo.net

forum from a while back with someone saying that it wouldn't work. WHat do you guys think? I like Chick Photography but when i looked it

up on the web there is chickphotography.net and chickphotography.com (which is a fine art fetish site) and chickphoto.com (which is a

porn site). I know that there is no twochicksphotography.com. I would be mortified if a bride couldn't remember our website and typed in

chickphotography.com or chickphoto.com! I am really trying to avoid the cheesy name trap. Do you thing Two Chicks Photography is too

cheesy? Please be honest and I am open to suggestions! Thanks in advance!

J. Chick

[s._miller1]

why not JXChick Photography ('X' being whatever wife's first initial is...) or similar..

 

two chicks sounds like two women... but slang-y, too casual..

[pamela_follett]

The first problem I can see--besides the horror of a potential client mis-typing or getting really nasty google

results-- is that at first hearing it sounds like a description of WHO you photograph, rather than your name.

"Chick Photography" would sound to me like a 20 year old guy with a camera and dreams of photographing babes in

bikinis. If I was searching for a photographer, and it was one of the links that came up in a search, I probably

wouldn't even click on it.

 

Its totally not fair though, since its your name! I'm trying to think of a way around it. It could potentially

work if you did baby portraits, and your logo/branding was an adorable fluffy yellow baby chicken ("chick"), but

since you mentioned brides I don't think that would make the most sense.

 

I think "Two Chicks Photography" would work well if you were both in your mid-twenties, and were rocker girls,

and did off-beat portraits and weddings. I suspect this isn't the case, though =) and it might give the wrong

impression. You might end up scaring away the type of clients you wanted before they even contacted you, and

ending up with people contacting you who are wanting something totally different than you provide.

 

If you don't mind, maybe try giving us your wife's name too, and I'll see if anything occurs to me. Good luck!

[Matt Laur]

I know you'll take this constructively, Jonathon. What you've got there is a case of bad luck (no offense!). That word is SO loaded with cultural issues (for better or worse), that it seems like a real minefield you'd be stepping into. As you rightly observe, the potential Google catastrophes alone could be spectacular.

 

I hate to say it, but almost nobody is going to hear "Two Chicks" and think that there's anyone involved but two women. If you show up for a gig as part of the Two Chicks team, it's just going to be awkward for some. It would be less of an issue if your entire business model was focused solidly on very light-hearted circumstances. But if you think you might be called upon to shoot a the board of directors of a local company, or to handle some product shots, etc., you've got to align the business image with a broader market... and Two Chicks is just Too Chancy, from where I'm sitting.

[russ_konrad]

Use your first names - something like "Jonathan and ______ Photography".

 

It is simple, unique, and very personal.

[jonchick]

Thank you for your comments so far! Yeah, you should grown up with my last name. It was an experience! My wife's name

is Carrie, if that helps. We have thought about J Chick Photography but since it will be our business we want both of our

initials in it somehow if the name is going to be initialed. J & C Chick photography, JC Chick Photography, we have

covered them all but we just don't really know what route to take. Do we include our name? or do we go the other way with

a name like Expression Photography (just an example)?

[jessica_sims]

I wouldn't do the Chick Photography. I myself have had interesting responses to my own company name since there is a pornographic site that is somewhat similar. I would avoid that situation all together.

 

I really like John Carrie Photography. It sounds professional and has flow.

 

Best of luck,

Jessica

[jonchick]

I like John Carrie Photography! It does have a flow...one problem...my dads name is john! :) What about Jonathan Carrie

Photography? J. Carrie Photography?

[katie_ouellette]

Hi!

 

What about dropping the K and have chicphotography or chicfoto?

 

Also, I think that if you used your first initials, than CJ (and it's lady's first! ;) photography sounds softer and easier to

say, than JC - you then could even use CJphoto or something.

 

Just my two cents!

 

Good luck, and let us know what you choose!

 

Katie

[clarence1]

ClickedByChick.com<br>

ChicksClicks.com<br>

shutterchicks.com<br>

[david_schilling___chicago_]

In Chicago there is, or was, a couple of gals that called themselves: "Two chicks that click". To be honest, I think you've got bigger business/studio things to worry about rather than a name. In working on your business plan, mission statement, and goals/tasks, I think chances are good that the name will find you.

[er1]

I'd avoid ChickPhotography all together or anything that sounds like it.

[jennifer_gonzales]

Oooh, I like Jonathan Carrie Photography, that has a nice ring to it. John Carrie Photo is awesome too, but I would do Jonathan Carrie Photography, you know like Ralph Lauren - it sounds rich. Dropping the 'k' is a good idea too, chicphoto is cool. People are right, it depends on the image you want to project for your business. Good Luck!

[William Michael]

Hmm: OK, You seem a nice guy and you asked me to be honest.

 

Well, what I honestly think is you might just read through all these answers and gloss right over the gem which just

above. So I will tell a little story and refer you right back to it.

 

This advice will be in the minority I think . . . but none the less this is what I think and some of what happened to me.

 

***

 

I too like the name Jonathan Carrie Photography, it does have a nice ring to it - it does sound rich.

 

I would NOT use that name, however.

 

I have built three W&P Studios, and now have one other business (not related to Photography).

 

My first studio included two People`s names: (My partner and mine), but I was forward thinking enough to include in

the registered name ``& Associates``.

 

The second studio had a Geographic Location as part of the name.

 

I learnt from both of those MISTAKES that a business name can be limited if it has the predominate Nouns being:

Owners / Principals / Key People / Geographic Location.

 

IMO, the knee jerk tendency to give a business the name of the owner, is simply ego driven, which is human, but it

is NOT applying cool, logical long term business planning.

 

There are businesses which have overcome these limitations and are now part of the daily lexicon and even go to

describe the product or service: ``Ford`` is one example. ``Dior`` is perhaps an example closer to our meaning here.

 

I do not believe that because a W&P business is on the ``artistic fringe`` this lessens my argument: it is still a

business.

 

There are great Photographers who trade under their own name, yes.

 

But do not assume that just because the overwhelming majority of W&P businesses, (both successful and not),

include the Principal or Owners`s name in the title, that is a counter argument my logic: I argue that most of those

businesses at their inception never actually researched any alternatives or applied any logical marketing strategy to

the choice of the business name in the first place. I certainly did not give it any thought for my first studio, and for the

second studio I thought about it, but I still got it wrong: perhaps ask Wes what he thinks on this matter.

 

Others will have different opinions on this, and might wish to argue about it: that`s fine, I withdraw from that

discussion now.

 

I agree with David Schilling: there are many other details to address first.

 

HINT:

 

Perhaps your business name will come from your Vision, Mission Statement and sketch of your Business Plan . . .

But David has already suggested that gem, I think.

 

WW

[dave_shilling__sacramento_]

Theres a saying that more can be accomplished when nobody needs to take credit for it. There are a few husband/wife teams who do marketing.branding with just one person.... Jasmine Star coming to mind first... her husband "second shoots" for her. But she is the brand, her name is used for marketing. Something to consider as well, Star is her middle name, not her last. So try using your middle as your last.... Then again, there are couples like bobbi and mike, whose website is www.bobbiandmike.com... If you've met them and they leave enough of an impression on you to remember even their first names, you have now memorized their website too. So there's no hard and fast rule here other than not using "Chick" whatsoever, simply because it isnt marketable... another example of discarding convention... www.altf.com and www.theimageisfound.com. No names at all... i like theimageisfound because you can substitute the word "image" for something else and use that ... ie theblogisfound.com. So there's some room here to truly separate yourself....as far as having more important things to worry about, you're the only one who can make that call. If you need to make this decision soon, well its pretty darn important then. Perhaps you can hire a professional to assist you with your "brand" .... might be a good investment.

[duncanholmes]

In the UK you can use your own name for your business, the minute you make one up you have to check it and register it and all manner of things.

 

CJC Photography or CJ Photography gets my vote. It's anonymous enough to include additional assistants and stand ins but personal enough for it to be yours.

[steve_hovland]

I think JC Photography is fairly easy to say, and therefore to remember. I personally do not like cute neologisms for any business.

[jeffrey_aiello_photography]

How 'bout "Spanky's Seal training, Excess spackle removal, and Photography"

[jo_dinning]

What's in a name? The right name can really help your marketing, or hinder it. Drop the Chick stuff - for anyone who gets it there will be too many more who wrongly interpret it - don't understand that it's your name, end up with the porn web address, think it's all about women and hens - whatever.

 

CJ Photography and JC Photography is about as interesting and engaging as AB Joinery or CD Plumbers.

 

"I am really trying to avoid the cheesy name trap" - I think you are already in it - you're almost trying too hard to make something work that doesn't.

 

Why not come up with a list of adjectives which you think describe your images and business best, then see what else is in your area? 'Beautiful Images' is going to market you much easier for example than 'Chick Photography' or 'CJ Photography'. I only hope your photography is more dynamic than your marketing!

[jonchick]

Thank you for your responses! So i have let go of any hope of having "Chick" in the name. Thank you all for beating that

out of me! We (my wife and I) sat down and brainstormed and listed adjectives and verbs and came up with one that we

really like- Captured Photography. I liken it to a fragrance campaign.. singular descriptor, associated with beauty and

grace...i also feel it will stand the test of time. At least i hope so. I think of all of these campaigns like "rapture", "eternity",

"happy" etc and want to have something similar. Let me know and please be constructive!!

[jonchick]

One more thing... I googled Captured Photography and it seems like there are a few of them out there but none in my state.

Any advice on registering the name in my state (if it is what i choose to go with)? or can you send me in the right direction?

How does it work when there are businesses with the same name in the nation? Thanks!

[david_schilling___chicago_]

Perhaps it's my history of growing up in the military but "captured" doesn't feel right to me. I would suggest that you sleep on it for several days.

 

In my reply above, I suggested that you move forward with developing your mission statement and business plan and put the name on hold. Indeed, it wouldn't suprise me to find that in doing the business startup legwork first that the name will find you rather than the other way around. Too many new shooters in a rush to get going just pick a name in an effort to post a website, get business cards, and jump into to it. At this point I don't see any evidence that you're not in the same crowd.

 

Here's a resource for small business assistance: http://www.score.org/index.html

 

In the meantime, I'd suggest that you start reading up on past threads covering business and marketing here at P-net. Good luck.

[david_schilling___chicago_]

BTW, If you're really serious about your business and willing to make an investment in your startup, you might want to begin here: http://www.marathonpress.com/education/marketing-workshops

[jonchick]

Yeah.. so I am going to give myself a rule...if I come up with a name I am going to sit on it for a few days before posting

it! Captured is too much....we have another name in mind but I will stick to my rule!

 

David,

 

First of all thank you for your responses! We have set down and finished the first part of our business plan and we know

what we want to do with our business. We haven't polished it up much at this point but we work on it everyday. Our next

big thing is doing a Mission Statement. I am pretty sure that will get a few steps closer to a name. I got really frustrated

the other day and said exactly what you mentioned in your post....that i want the name thing to be over so we can take

the next step which a business license, cards, a website etc. Soon enough i guess! Thanks again!

 

JC

[david_schilling___chicago_]

I think you're making a wise move......good luck.