A business name LLC shows proof that the company is filed with the state. It is ideal to get an LLC for your business so that you not only appear professional, but you also benefit from all the different advantages provided by LLCs.

Using "LLC" in a Company Name

In general, you want to have LLC attached to your business name. It helps to legitimize your business. Another benefit of an LLC is apparent in the event you are sued, as those bringing a lawsuit will have a harder time obtaining any of your personal assets.

One of the problems with adding LLC to your business name is that it does not sound very marketable, which is not great for your branding. The solution to this problem is filing a DBA, also known as “doing business as.” This way, you can market your business as Smith Landscaping in your marketing materials instead of John Smith Landscaping, LLC.

Choosing Your LLC Name

You need to first know what you will call your business before you can register your LLC. You should not take this decision lightly. The LLC serves as a way to identify your company, but it also helps with your marketing. Take enough time necessary so that you can thoroughly think through all the names you are considering.

You can change your LLC name down the road, but you should understand the amount of extra effort that will take. If you have been in operation for a long time, you should also understand the ramifications changing your name will cause your brand identity. You have a loyal clientele, and it can be confusing to them if you should suddenly change your name.

One thing to keep in mind that you cannot just choose an LLC name and use it for your business. There are many different legalities you have to navigate to ensure that you are correctly attached to the name you want. You do not want to choose a name that is already in use.

The easiest way to get started in choosing a name is to put together a full list of your ideal business names. Drawing on a list of names allows you to do the proper name searches all at once. If you fall in love with one name and do not consider others, you will have to start the search process over. It is best to search many names at once, then make your choice from there.

You want to ensure the name you choose is available before you move forward with any other step in setting up an LLC. This is one of the most important things you will do in your business. You want to have a name that distinguishes your company, but it should also be descriptive enough to tell the customer what you sell or offer. It is good to have a name that is catchy and memorable, but you want it to also be easy so that it can travel easily by word-of-mouth.

More than anything, you need a name that is legal to use in your state. You can still have a name that is fun and memorable to help keep it at the forefront of people’s minds. It should also demonstrate that you are selling something. It is one of the biggest tools in a marketing plan.

The name should be original, but there are several things to keep in mind:

·      Original does not always mean normal. As an example, Google chose a very interesting and unusual name that probably made littles sense to many people at first. However, it has become so marketable that it is used in our daily lexicon.

·      When you are considering names, also consider how they will look as a domain name. you should search domains while you are coming up with a list of potential names to see if they are taken.

·      You also need to think about social media. Your business will need usernames for these platforms, so be sure to see if you can fit your business names into a username that is not already in use.

If you need help with setting up a business name LLC, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel’s marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.