Why must you know how to register a business name?
It is because it’s your first step to stand out from the competition.
Think about it. There are 99.9% of small businesses in the US currently. Registering a unique, catchy, and memorable business name makes it easy for people to remember your business.
Your business name can be a powerful tool to establish your brand identity in today’s competitive business environment.
What’s more?
Every small business established in the United States must be registered according to the law. Thus learning how to register a business name is a great idea.
But how do you do it?
In this simple guide, you’ll learn how to register your business name the legal way.
Let’s get started.
1. Decide How to Name Your Business
Name selection is the first and most important step for beginners learning how to register a business name.
Here, you need to choose a name that hasn’t already been registered by anyone that also represents your brand.
Ensure the name is short, easy to remember, and relevant. To ensure your chosen name isn’t registered already, check its availability with your state’s database.
2. Register Your Chosen Name
Found the right name for your business—that’s also not already taken? Great.
The next step is to decide your business structure and register the name.
Ideally, you can register your business in 4 ways:
- As a Sole Proprietorship
- An LLC
- As a Partnership
- As a Corporation
Each of these business entities has specific requirements so ensure you check with your state’s secretary office to understand what paperwork you’re required to file.
Alternatively, you can hire a business formation service like Inc Authority to do the rest of the paperwork for you. Here is an in-depth review of the company by GovDocFiling to understand exactly how it works.
3. Register as Doing Business As
A DBA, or “Doing Business As” is a name other than your legal name that you can use to run your daily business activities.
Ideally, the legal name you choose for your business could be long.
Registering a DBA allows you to choose a name that’s not only short but is also simple. This is a great idea if you plan to start a sole proprietorship business.
4. Trademark Your Business Name
Another way to register your business name is to register a trademark. This also helps to protect your name and other brand identity elements from being used by other people.
Conclusion
As a beginner, learning how to register a business name can seem like a daunting task but it’s a great idea.
Follow these simple steps to register yours today.
