Choosing your company name is a big commitment; it is everyone’s first impression of your business, sums up exactly who you are, and carries your reputation. It is often one of the first steps in building a company, but sometimes, once the business has been up and running for a while, its growth and evolution may no longer fit the name.
There are many other reasons you may consider changing your company name. Perhaps it’s very similar to another business, you may have moved away from your original business endeavours, or you may feel like a new name will elevate and reinvent your brand.
There’s a lot to consider when changing your company name – logo and branding changes, website updates, who to inform; the list goes on. So, we’re helping you tackle this by compiling everything you need to think about when it comes to changing your company name and explaining how our ad hoc company secretarial services can assist.
Spend Time Researching
You will have probably spent time researching your first company name, so making sure to do this a second time is even more vital. If you’re changing your name due to similarities with another company that is causing confusion, it’s even more important to ensure that this problem doesn’t occur again. Conducting a trademark search is the best way to do this, as you can see which brand names are already in use and if you’re eligible to change to your chosen new name.
If the reason for your name change is due to an expansion or evolution of your company, try to avoid mentioning specific products or ranges in your name. A famous example of this is Starbucks, originally named Starbucks Coffee; the brand dropped “coffee” from its name in 2011 as a nod to its expansion and introduction of new ranges.
The Change of Name Procedure
Our company secretarial services can assist you with your change of name procedure. As this is considered one of our ad hoc services, the process is very simple and takes much less time than most would initially think. In fact, CRO can provide you with a company name change on the same day you apply.
If this sounds like a service you would benefit from, you may be interested to learn more about our other ad hoc solutions, such as appointments and resignations of directors, change of registered offices and more general swaps and changes most companies will need to deal with at some point. Additionally, if you believe your company would require these changes often, consider enquiring about our CompanyView cosec management service. This software allows you to make changes to your company immediately, wherever you are and whenever you need it. It is easy to use with little to no training required, but if you need a hand getting set up, our experienced team are here for you.
Changing your company name is simple using the cosec management service, but you will still need to plan before the change and compile a changing company name checklist. Let’s take a look at what this could include.
Changing Your Domain Name and Updating Your Website
In an increasingly digital world, having an online presence is absolutely essential for a successful business. For example, if you’re changing your company name, you will need to update your domain name and give your website a refresh in order for customers and clients to find you easily.
It’s a straightforward process not too dissimilar from when you would have set up your company and chosen your original domain through online company registrations. We can register your new domain name here at CRO, but selecting the right one for your company is up to you. Make sure it reflects your business and is short, simple and easy to spell in order for your customers and clients to find your corner of the internet.
The process isn’t quite as simple when it comes to updating your website. First, you will need to update any mention of your old company name at every point on your website, including blogs, ‘About Us’ pages, FAQs, and so on. Although this may seem tedious, it must be done for consistency.
Logo Changes
Your logo represents your company and is at the centre of your branding. So it is essential that if you are changing your company name, you also consider updating your logo in line with the new name. Of course, the process for this will differ from business to business; however, here are a couple of general tips that could help you out:
- Consider keeping the same font. For example, if your logo contains your company name, consider swapping out the name and keeping the same typography. This will help old customers and clients recognise that it is you.
- Use imagery. If your logo does not include your name, choosing imagery that reflects the name and what your business is about is important. You need people to understand who you are and what you do immediately, so take some time to select a logo that does this.
Updating Business Documents and Informing the Right People About Your Name Change
Changing your company name in business documents is a legal requirement. So you must remember to change all your documents to include your new name as soon as possible to avoid a hefty fine. Our cosec management services can help you with this as they allow you to make business changes such as updates to important documents all in one place.
Additionally, you must inform the right people about your name change, such as:
- Banks
- HM Revenue & Customs
- Customers and clients
Notifying your bank and HM Revenue and Customs is entirely different from telling customers and clients. Ensure you let customers and clients know in advance about your official name change, so they don’t struggle to find your website or don’t recognise your logo when it’s too late.
If you need support changing your company’s name or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch, and we will be more than happy to point you in the right direction.
