Husband considering career change

[ks789]

Hey @Iron Giant, red card ?, that's a cheap swipe...this forum is public and has no commercial benefit to be 'known' on here in fact quite the reverse ...quite of few of the guys on here don't realise that...and use their trading names...and then post things like ' how do I clean a windows properly' etc, personally I'd prefer not to advertise to customers/potential customers that I 'm asking 'how do I questions' (When you google 'Iron Giant' your comments on here will eventually appear on a page on google, possibly page 1...so anyone googling Iron Giant Window Cleaning Services...could across you haranguing some poor nameless person ? 

Besides, I suggested a meaningful name which clearly communicates where/what it is you do, so any potential customers immediately can understand that if they need your service, they can contact you - EXACTLY the point you make - seeing 'conceptual' names which communicate very little is a missed opportunity. e.g "Conceputer Services' or "XZY Services"

I appreciate you feel offended because you say you used an 'alphabet soup', I wasn't personally criticising you...but you seem to agree with my point that a name should communicate something about you, an obvious service/value/area that you provide, rather than being an exercise in ego. (which was my point).

I appreciate you've NOW (20yrs later) built a reputation that 'IG Cleaning Serivces' etc is synonymous with, no doubt after 10,000s/1000s of personal great experiences. But that's because of who you are/service you provide not BECUASE your trading name is an obscure impenetrable set of initials...you gotta admit that...anyhow the context is someone starting out...and the idea of using initials...which apart from the person concerned are absolutely meaningless initially (before you have fully functioning customer base - at which what point it really doesn't matter what you call yourself because you reputation goes before you...which brings us to....Mike and DW comments...

IBM were originally called International Business Machines (then when everyone knew of them the could afford to change it to IBM..

ditto MFI...Mullard Furniture Industries diito (yawn)

DFS...Doncaster Furnitture Superstore

etc...

When starting out in business, your name is an advert for your services if you use 'LWC' compared with 'London Window Cleaning' you many not be contacted by as many potential customers and are stacking the odds of success against yourself..hard to argue against that guys, come on you know it makes sense. ? 

 hey he wouldnt mean that as a cheap swipe, just having a laugh as it just seemed ironic.

I agree, something sensible, window cleaning and your name. people have something to go by then. Hes given his name so he must be legit. Course, once you are established and dont really need any more work, call yourself what you like.

 

[Iron Giant]

Hey @Iron Giant, red card ?, that's a cheap swipe..

It wasn't intended as a cheap swipe, just having a laugh neither was I haranguing you which is  to lecture (someone) at length in an aggressive and critical manner. with respect you were been critical of peoples choices in their business name after all it's their choice, although I do agree with some of the points you raised in terms of standing out, but a name like Pristine Cleaning Services or TT Cleaning Services neither of those can get the whole message across about a business which is why I raised the point about building a brand identity, which is why I also referred to national companies as well, Take Mitie they have floated on the stock market so a massive company yet the they have a small logo on there vans and thats it absolutely nothing to say who they are or what they do. 

The benefit of using  town or county name I definitely 100% agree with you more so nowadays as if you want to rank high on Google this will or can get you ahead of competitors in the same work area(s), I also agree with what you say about a member username in terms of been random and not including a business name hence I am iron giant,  a quick search for iron giant window cleaning gets a hit on page 1 of google and this forum. ?

 

[NoName]

Fair play IG sounds like we on the same page ?...spoken to Stokely Park and they will rescind the red.

Thing with Mitie et al is they can afford to market themselves with something more conceptual. Mitie conveys amongst other things the idea they are big enough to take on any and all corporate work, which I imagine is their exact business model, it's succinct and memorable - it's completely irrelevant to them that a 'man in the street' (you or I)  would think anything of their signed written vans (they don't target/rely on that avenue of marketing to gain new work, it's more corporate sourcing/FM events/Champagne receptions etc).

The fact most would have no idea what they do is unimportant as  99.9% of all FM/sourcing/contract managers in organisations would immediately recognise the name and what it represents.

However conversely 99.9% of window cleaning business are targeting working every day folk, who have no real interest in researching one company from the next, so they see three ads/signed vans AKU Window Cleaning, Zippy Cleaning or Bedford Spotless Window Cleaning...they will deduce and form an opinion on each, even unconsciously as the relevancy/appeal of the little they have to go own to motivate them to reach out to one company versus the other. Taking up valuable eyeball time/space with a set of initials helps in no tangible way to communicate/catch the eye of potential customers, compared with perhaps the town/area they live in (we all love 'local) or a subtle 'message' about the service they might expect to receive. That was/is my point...and I would not offer advice to a newbie that they should indulge their ego and use their initials which mean nothing to no one over a meaningful relevant name that will undoubtedly attract/appeal to many more uninitiated.

 

[Iron Giant]

Fair play IG sounds like we on the same page ?...spoken to Stokely Park and they will rescind the red

I thought you were on about Coach Trip  with the red card ?, I think between us we have covered all bases on what a business name can do in relation to peoples perceptions and catching their eye, I have covered both in terms of my business, I have my website address in my business name but also a domain of town-name-window-cleaner.uk pointing to my site along with my fb url been facebook.com/town-name-window-cleaner, 7 years ago or so I had some one tell me creating an online presence is/would be a big thing so to get everything in place, I think everyone needs the ronseal approach/effect as in it does what it says on the tin

 

[PerfectPames]

.

We have a 5 year old and he is currently in a warehouse managers job which he finds OK however the shifts are uncertain which does not suit our life at all as I work full time also. 

Your 5 year old is already in a warehouse manager job? Heavens!!! You and your husband should retire and let your kid run the show. Kids an outright genius!!!?

 

[P4dstar]

I thought you were on about Coach Trip  with the red card ?, I think between us we have covered all bases on what a business name can do in relation to peoples perceptions and catching their eye, I have covered both in terms of my business, I have my website address in my business name but also a domain of town-name-window-cleaner.uk pointing to my site along with my fb url been facebook.com/town-name-window-cleaner, 7 years ago or so I had some one tell me creating an online presence is/would be a big thing so to get everything in place, I think everyone needs the ronseal approach/effect as in it does what it says on the tin

Always cracks me up when the OP disappears quietly and we all keep chatting away days later without even noticing ???

 

[dmw]

Always cracks me up when the OP disappears quietly and we all keep chatting away days later without even noticing ???

I was thinking that. Mrs C hasn't posted since last Wednesday, and there's us prattling on about allsorts.

Perhaps her seeing what Window Cleaners are like she's trying to put her husband off the idea.

 

[Part Timer]

I always say on these posts they're like a Google search, first page very relevant, bottom of second page tailing off, page 3 and after totally irrelevant to what you were actually looking for ?