Business name feedback

[Coltrane]

Hey everyone, Happy New Year!

I'm finally getting the ball rolling with my business, and I think I have most things in place. I am just looking for feedback on the name.

I will be contracting music teachers to go to students' homes and teach them private music lessons...pretty straightforward. The name I have in mind is: In-Home Music Lessons. What do you think? Should it be more "catchy" or "hip?"

Thanks in advanced!

[LarsJ]

Are you also going to want to be online? Make sure the domain is available too. Besides that, it's easy to remember and to the point. Very important. The only down side is it might be a little to "bland"...

[CCAdamson]

Straight forward, good approach. No one will question what you're doing that is for sure.

[Harold Mansfield]

Your email address will be "yourname@inhomemusiclessons.com" (or whatever extension). Kind of long but you can keep it short by using a very short name before the "@" like "tim@inhomemusiclessons.com". Otherwise the name works for me if it's available to be registered.

If it's not and all you can get is the name with dashes in it I may rethink.

Wouldn't want a name that signifies what city you're in so that you can be found easier when searched for in your area?
Just a thought.

[Coltrane]

Thanks for all the replies! I did a trademark and business name search and nothing came up for either "In-Home Music Lessons" or "In Home Music Lessons." However when I did a domain search, "inhomemusiclessons.com" was not available, and when I went to that site, it said it expired on 1/1/15 and was parked by GoDaddy until it is either renewed or is deleted. The search also said "in-homemusiclessons.com" wasn't available and went I went to that site nothing came up.

Here is what's available:

"in-homemusiclessons.org"
"in-homemusiclessons.net"
"athomemusiclessons.com"

Is "At Home Music Lessons" as good of a name as In-Home? I'm confusing myself now!!

[Freelancier]

You're basically a local quantity, so not getting the .com is not exactly the worst thing in the world. .net, .biz, .us....

and then I went outside the box and found this domain is available:

inhomemusic.training

Seems that's a new TLD. Not cheap, but definitely a unique way to solve the problem.

[Coltrane]

Thanks Freelancier! I'll think about that. Would having a dash ( - ) in the domain be a bad idea?

[Freelancier]

Thanks Freelancier! I'll think about that. Would having a dash ( - ) in the domain be a bad idea?
Maybe, maybe not. Depends on whether it'll confuse people just having the one dash instead of one between every word (which at least is more consistent) or no dashes at all (which might take them to a competitor). You might also consider that this is a very local business and put the city name/region in the domain (e.g., syracusehomemusiclessons.com).

[Harold Mansfield]

Thanks Freelancier! I'll think about that. Would having a dash ( - ) in the domain be a bad idea?
Yes. The names you are considering are already long enough, the dash just makes it that much harder to remember, type in, and market. The email factor alone just makes it look shabby. Dashes are fine if you can keep it short. blue-cars.com. IMO, the combination of the dash, long name, and ".org" doesn't make me all warm and fuzzy unless it is absolutely the only thing you can find. Which it isn't, you just need to get creative.

Also remember this, if the name with the dash is the only thing available that means someone owns the one you really want without the dash. Which means if they start using it for the same business, they will be the memorable one and you'll look like the cheap knock off.

I know pickin's are slim, but you can still find a decent URL out there. I agree that you really should think about including your geographical area in your URL. You aren't going to be marketing to the world, you want local clients. Make it easier for them to recognize that you are in their area and easier for them to find you when they are searching.

[Coltrane]

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on whether it'll confuse people just having the one dash instead of one between every word (which at least is more consistent) or no dashes at all (which might take them to a competitor). You might also consider that this is a very local business and put the city name/region in the domain (e.g., syracusehomemusiclessons.com).

Very good point. I'm based out of Princeton, New Jersey. "princetonhomemusiclessons.com" is available and I kind of like the sound of it. Would it be a good idea then to have the business name match? i.e. "Princeton Home Music Lessons" as opposed to "In-Home Music Lessons"?

[Harold Mansfield]

Very good point. I'm based out of Princeton, New Jersey. "princetonhomemusiclessons.com" is available and I kind of like the sound of it. Would it be a good idea then to have the business name match? i.e. "Princeton Home Music Lessons" as opposed to "In-Home Music Lessons"?

I'd buy it right now, even if you end up not using it, just because it's available and to make sure no one else gets it. You may be able to use it for something later...like a splash page or opt in offer. Seriously. Right now.

[Freelancier]

I'd make them the same, just because it's easier for people to remember that one thing.

[Coltrane]

Great, thanks! I'm buying it right now. I'm very new to this, so should I pay to add an email address(es) to it now, or can I create that/them later after I set it up?

[Harold Mansfield]

Great, thanks! I'm buying it right now. I'm very new to this, so should I pay to add an email address(es) to it now, or can I create that/them later after I set it up?

Hold off until you know for sure where you'll be hosting your website. Many times a certain amount of email accounts and storage comes free with hosting.

And don't stop looking just because you've registered one name. There are times when it takes me days or weeks to come up with the right name, that is also available. It's not as easy as it was back in the day when only domain investors where buying up all the good domains. Now everyone is hoarding good names.