Business name change question

[Deleted member 5762]

Just wanted to get the opinion of people already doing this type of business.

I run my work just as my own name, which has been ok, but I'm thinking of changing it so it makes it look a bit more professional. There's no issues with changing social media or getting a website so that makes no difference to me or my current customers.

I hav been running as a sole trader window cleaner for a few years. It's been a bit quiet the last couple of years, but I haven't been pushing it at all as I was caring for my terminally ill grandmother and I've been quite down since she passed away.

I've dusted off the cobwebs so to speak, and want to try and gain a few more customers, but from experience using my own name is a bit of a double edged sword - customers immediately know your name, which is good and some have been very good customers - but it also seems to attract some customers thay see you as a sort of business they can mess about with - like a 'bucket bob' type that only expect you to be working in the warmer months and say "oh skip me this month" or "not today, can you come next week?" Etc.

I'm not naive enough to think there doesn't happen across the industry anyway, I just want to know if anyone has experience of one or the other being more beneficial please?

Apologies for the long post, and thank you for any advice anyone can offer.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Just wanted to get the opinion of people already doing this type of business.

I run my work just as my own name, which has been ok, but I'm thinking of changing it so it makes it look a bit more professional. There's no issues with changing social media or getting a website so that makes no difference to me or my current customers.

I hav been running as a sole trader window cleaner for a few years. It's been a bit quiet the last couple of years, but I haven't been pushing it at all as I was caring for my terminally ill grandmother and I've been quite down since she passed away.

I've dusted off the cobwebs so to speak, and want to try and gain a few more customers, but from experience using my own name is a bit of a double edged sword - customers immediately know your name, which is good and some have been very good customers - but it also seems to attract some customers thay see you as a sort of business they can mess about with - like a 'bucket bob' type that only expect you to be working in the warmer months and say "oh skip me this month" or "not today, can you come next week?" Etc.

I'm not naive enough to think there doesn't happen across the industry anyway, I just want to know if anyone has experience of one or the other being more beneficial please?

Apologies for the long post, and thank you for any advice anyone can offer.

If I was starting up today I would probably use my town, shire or something that says where the area I would be working in. Website, email, mobile number and Window Cleaner, External Cleaning and property maintenance, that's all I would put on my van. I would keep it simple after 5 years experience. Today I picked up a great clean on new estate because the company sold out and the new cleaner never came back. Only have 10 in the big estate but might end up with alot more because I'm in the right place at the right time and I'm also a bit dearer. Take a look at other window cleaners websites for ideas. Good luck.

 

[Deleted member 5762]

If I was starting up today I would probably use my town, shire or something that says where the area I would be working in. Website, email, mobile number and Window Cleaner, External Cleaning and property maintenance, that's all I would put on my van. I would keep it simple after 5 years experience. Today I picked up a great clean on new estate because the company sold out and the new cleaner never came back. Only have 10 in the big estate but might end up with alot more because I'm in the right place at the right time and I'm also a bit dearer. Take a look at other window cleaners websites for ideas. Good luck.

@scottish cleaning service thank you very much for your advice. Much appreciated.

 

[Yogi1872]

I wouldn't use anything with premium in it or things like krystal clear, it's cleaning a window, there's nothing really premium about that and if anyone actually thinks there is then it's only because its what they do. If a poll was done with the public I'm pretty sure the results would show that Joe public doesn't think there's anything premium about it either. Using things like krystal clear will make some smart **** bring it up if you mess up there window, you call yourself krystal clear do you ? Then come and see my window etc. Mines is just initials and window cleaning services after it.

 

[K in Kent]

What @scottish cleaning service says is right in principle and all SEO experts agree having keywords in your business name and / or domain name have a positive ranking effect. So if you're looking to grow the business you should be looking at a name that will help your ranking in search results.
Keywords in your business name help your Google Business Profile, i.e. the local pack (3 local businesses that appear at top of page 1 in search results.
Keywords in biz name and domain name help SEO in organic search results, i.e. the standard 10 results per page.
Uing keywords like this aren't the be all and end all but they definitely help and good SEO is incremental - ot's about getting lots of bits done right and this is just one area..

It used to be the case that exact match domains were what everyone wanted e.g. ' Window Cleaners Town XYZ'. But Google has gradually diluted their effect.
Services keywords are probably the most beneficial followed by location - and of course they describe your business. So if you are primarily interested in windows then you want 'window cleaner' or 'window cleaning / service' etc etc somewhere in the name.
But if you want to diversify with add ons perhaps 'exterior cleaners / cleaning services' might be better and more relevant. It's loikely that all the most obvious names that also use the town / city / county name are already taken but don't worry about that. Besides you may later decide to widen your service area so a town name loses relevance completely.
I think your own name is fine combined with something like w/c services = Joe Blogs Window Cleaning Sevices. Says who you are and what you do and that's the main thing.

So my advice would be choosing something that makes sense to people and to search engines. Hope that helps and good luck to you - it's good that you're now up for moving forward after what's happened.

 

[Deleted member 5762]

I wouldn't use anything with premium in it or things like krystal clear, it's cleaning a window, there's nothing really premium about that and if anyone actually thinks there is then it's only because its what they do. If a poll was done with the public I'm pretty sure the results would show that Joe public doesn't think there's anything premium about it either. Using things like krystal clear will make some smart **** bring it up if you mess up there window, you call yourself krystal clear do you ? Then come and see my window etc. Mines is just initials and window cleaning services after it.

Thank you very much . Makes perfect sense ?

 

[Deleted member 5762]

What @scottish cleaning service says is right in principle and all SEO experts agree having keywords in your business name and / or domain name have a positive ranking effect. So if you're looking to grow the business you should be looking at a name that will help your ranking in search results.
Keywords in your business name help your Google Business Profile, i.e. the local pack (3 local businesses that appear at top of page 1 in search results.
Keywords in biz name and domain name help SEO in organic search results, i.e. the standard 10 results per page.
Uing keywords like this aren't the be all and end all but they definitely help and good SEO is incremental - ot's about getting lots of bits done right and this is just one area..

It used to be the case that exact match domains were what everyone wanted e.g. ' Window Cleaners Town XYZ'. But Google has gradually diluted their effect.
Services keywords are probably the most beneficial followed by location - and of course they describe your business. So if you are primarily interested in windows then you want 'window cleaner' or 'window cleaning / service' etc etc somewhere in the name.
But if you want to diversify with add ons perhaps 'exterior cleaners / cleaning services' might be better and more relevant. It's loikely that all the most obvious names that also use the town / city / county name are already taken but don't worry about that. Besides you may later decide to widen your service area so a town name loses relevance completely.
I think your own name is fine combined with something like w/c services = Joe Blogs Window Cleaning Sevices. Says who you are and what you do and that's the main thing.

So my advice would be choosing something that makes sense to people and to search engines. Hope that helps and good luck to you - it's good that you're now up for moving forward after what's happened.

Great advice. Thank you. I am a total novice with regarding SEO etc so that's very helpful. Thanks again ?

 

[K in Kent]

Great advice. Thank you. I am a total novice with regarding SEO etc so that's very helpful. Thanks again ?

No worries mate, you're welcome. This starters guide from Google is worth a read if you're interested and there's loads of great free advice online on sites like Backlinko and Hub Spot.
It all seems pretty daunting at first but once you get your head around the jargon it starts making sense. And the most important thing above all else is to make your pages useful and informative, i.e. explain what it is you do and how you do it. Simple as that.