The catering business is competitive and finding the right business name is crucial.
Naming your small business is an important step in the business ownership process. Business names are often a consumer's first impression and may influence whether or not customers choose to patronize the establishment. A catering business often depends on word of mouth, referrals and marketing to draw clientele, which makes finding the right business name especially important.
Family Names
It is generally not the catchiest option for a catering business name, but family names should be considered. Some families are known in their communities or their name is associated with other businesses that they own. This name recognition can be beneficial because their family name is immediately recognized by a group of people who could become future customers. A simple example for an individual with the last name of Jones might be "Jones Family Catering," or "Jones Catering." Family names can also be enhanced by getting more specific, such as "Jones Family French Hors d'oeuvres and Entrees."
Repetition
A major concern for most business owners when choosing a name is how the name will impact sales. Names that contain repetition tend to be more popular with consumers. According to a study published in the Journal of Marketing that asked participants to sample identical ice creams that had differing names, participants tended to choose the ice cream that had some form of repetition in the name. A business owners who takes this research into account might choose a name such as "Munch a' Bunch Catering" or "Meal with Zeal Catering."
Target Clientele
Catering businesses tend to attract specific clientele, especially when the business has a specialty such as weddings or business events. Owners may want to take their customer audience into account when choosing their name, to ensure that potential clients recognize what the business is offering. For instance, a catering business that specializes in French cuisine should choose a name that reflects this, such as Ecouter Catering (ecouter is French for food). A wedding catering business might opt for a name like "Bridal Banquets."
Suggestive Names
Suggestive business names are designed to invoke an idea in the mind of the consumer. According to the 2008 article "What's in a Name? Everything," published in Entrepreneur Magazine, successful company names are suggestive instead of descriptive, meaning they require imagination to understand what the business is selling. Suggestive catering names taking a similar approach might include something like "Yummy," which implies food related products that also taste good.
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