I’m developing a new business name my own name.   I make romantic/Victorian beaded jewelry….everything is custom.  It has a quirky, funky or vintage feel.  My tag line is “Romantic and Funky with a Twist”  .  On the back of my card I have a list of the different types of items I make.  What do you think? Also – what is your take on using your name as the business vs. coming up with a different name.  I’ve been told that you should always use your name.  Is that what you think?

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Jay’s Answer:   I think that the tagline needs to fit into a larger “branding” issue for your new business: your business name, who you’re trying to attract, and your unique benefit you offer. Your proposed tagline “Romantic and Funky with a Twist” taken on its own doesn’t tell me anything about your offering – it’s romantic (for who? Why?) – it’s funky (as seen by who? Is romantic+funky good or bad?) – and something about a twist (is it jewelry that slithers around the body or something better/different?). While your tagline might fit into your branding (based on imagery, business name, etc.) – on its own, in my opinion it’s not a strong tagline.

As far as “you should always use your name” – it all depends. By using your name, you’re “branding” yourself and avoid the need to file a fictitious business name statement. But if your name isn’t known, why use it? If you want to sell the business to someone else, they’ll have your name for years to come. “Jewelry by LuAnn” could be viewed as a “cute” name or an “unprofessional” name based on your target audience and your positioning (hint: if the average price of your jewelry is $20, “cute” is what you’re probably after – but you may have a hard time transitioning to selling higher-end merchandise with a “cute” name).