New Fishing Shop In Exeter, Need Help With A Name??????

[Guest Steve Burke]

All very good advice indeed from Matt Shaw. He obviously knows his stuff. However, there's one point as a former business consultant I disagree with - the name of a business is indeed important. I suspect what Matt means is that there are other factors that are equally as crucial.

 

The one bit of advice I'd give anyone in naming a new business is don't use just initials - it doesn't tell customers anything about the business, except perhaps that the owner can't think of anything better! On the other hand, using initials as an abbreviation of the full name can work, especially if the initials form a pronounceable word such as DAM or ABU.

 

The best of luck with the new venture, you're certainly starting it at a difficult time!

 

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Wingham Fisheries

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/fisheries/wingham.htm

[Guest Kermit]

Thanks Matt,

 

Very good, sound advice there!!!!!!!!

 

I understand totaly there what you are saying but at the end of the day a good name helps as well, plus have a look at some of the names I have been offered.

Some are excellent ideas, some I would be embarresed to have put up. In other words the wrong name can give it a wrong impression.

Advertising as a whole is needed to push the business but the best form of advertising has to be "word of mouth".

Thanks the help is appreciated.

 

Dean

 

Email me at dean@hermitage.fsnet.co.uk

[Guest Kermit]

Thanks to Steve as well!

[Guest big al]

dean i no nothing about running an angling shop,but some thoughts on shops i have seen come and go.it seems to me when a new shop opens every rep in the world decends on them.offering lots of goodies.no need to pay this stuff will fly out pay us in say 30 days.then comes along some sort of crisis no sales now they want paying .shop goes broke end of story.i have seen at least 4 shops in 2 years follow this pattern.so be patient build up slow,don't be afraid to say i hav'nt got it but will order it for you,if you pay for it?.most people understand.oh and buy a kettle and make coffee great way to chat to people find out what they really want.will anglers net be able to help.perhaps an opening bash say 10% off ,just some thoughts cheers big al

[Guest iain.sweeny]

Well Kermit

Screaming Reels Of Exeter

[Guest matt_shaw]

Well guys, what can i say. Good brainstorming, but hold on, this guy Dean is serious. Could you imagine a shop named half the names you recommend. No really, business and reality does cross to a certain extent, but to some of the recommendations, im really dissapointed. Guys i want you to be serious, im a business man myself and how many shops do you go to with silly names? I guess none! Really, Dean is serious, i want you to be too. No messing around. To give you an idea, i live near tackle shops named The Angling Centre, Trinders and sportsmanslodge. These are real businesses. However with the e-mail address of Dean, i will be contacting him personally. Sweet dreams guys.

 

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Happy fishing

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Visit http://www.total-fishing.com

 

[This message has been edited by matt_shaw (edited 03 March 2001).]

 

[This message has been edited by matt_shaw (edited 03 March 2001).]

[Guest Elton]

Originally posted by matt_shaw:

Well guys, what can i say. Good brainstorming, but hold on, this guy Dean is serious. Could you imagine a shop named half the names you recommend. No really, business and reality does cross to a certain extent, but to some of the recommendations, im really dissapointed. Guys i want you to be serious, im a business man myself and how many shops do you go to with silly names? I guess none! Really, Dean is serious, i want you to be too. No messing around. To give you an idea, i live near tackle shops named The Angling Centre, Trinders and sportsmanslodge. These are real businesses. However with the e-mail address of Dean, i will be contacting him personally. Sweet dreams guys.

 

 

 

As a businessman, and applying the criteria above, explain the success of Sillybait, then I used to work in a pub called The Newt & Cucumber, part of a very successful chain - what about that one?

 

And Virgin? That'll never work, surely?

 

Elton

 

 

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Anglers' Net

Keeping It Virtual...

[Guest Elton]

To elaborate somewhat on my somewhat cynical questions above, I'll explain why I think the name of this shop is very important:

 

Tackle shops are usually staffed by the owners, and I'm assuming that Dean will be working within his establishment.

 

The role of a tackle dealer is very customer oriented. Forget your demographics and other textbook garbage (you're talking to someone with a business degree and aspirations to complete an MBA here, who reads this stuff all the time), Dean's business is:

 

a) already established

currently dependent upon existing local trade (I presume).

 

First advice, Dean - spend as much time in that shop as soon as possible and get to know those customers. Better than that, become their friend. Help them, go that extra yard for them and treat them like the mortgage-paying clients that they are! You look after them and they will do the same when the chips are down.

 

Then, ask them for suggestions. Sheesh, why not make a local competition out of it and get some press coverage? You're a local business, think locally for now - learn to walk before you can run. The leading Japanese business strategist (whose name escapes me right now), constantly emphasises that the key to global enterprises is to think globally, but act locally. Respond to your local environment - it will have slight differences to the rest of the world.

 

As for the name itself, it is very important. Every time you pick up that phone and say it, you need to say it enthusiastically and confidently. You want a name that you like and you know sounds good. A mate of mine runs a tackle shop and I'm amazed at how many calls he gets a day. If only for the phone alone, the name needs to be good.

 

Then you need a name that will look good on merchandise, carrier bags, etc. "Dean's Fishing Shop Of Exeter & Surrounding Towns" won't exactly do you any favours. However, one or two word names often lend themselves to graphical design (actually, they help on the phone, too). And yes, the Yellow Pages is important.

 

If you're thinking of expanding onto the internet at some point, then what about the url (site address)? How frustrating would it be to find your name had already been taken? Checking that out costs nothing. registering it costs just a few quid these days.

 

What if you choose a name and find that it's already protected by some kind of trademark? i.e. there could already be a Limited Company trading under that name, if you're going the sole trader route (which I doubt, but just in case...).

 

I could go on, but you'll see from the above that a name is important, in my very humble opinion.

 

And Dean, don't give a hoot about demographics and consumer profiles unless you plan to expand in a big way. respond to your environment and know your business. You can learn more by meeting your customers in one day than you'd learn in a year with a text book. If you want to know about C1 Males, Maslow's Hierarchy of needs and the different stages of the purchase decision, give me a call and I'll lend you some books by Philip Kotler - incredibly dull and totally unrealistic unless you work for a major organisation that praises you for knowing this week's buzz words and the fact that HR means Human Resource and not Hand Relief.

 

Yeah, I'd say a name is important.

 

Tight lines,

 

Elton...not brave enough to suggest a name!!

 

 

 

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Anglers' Net

Keeping It Virtual...

[Guest webmaster@qualitybaits]

Well Dean How about

"Anglers Tales" or " Fish Tails" with a picture of a guy indicating "it was this big"

or "hook line & sinker"

or "Scales N Tails"

or "Fisherman of England"

Your right Dean it is dificult.

PS you ain't seen me right !

[Guest FishingMad2001]

how about "Home Field and Stream"

 

 

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Tyrone

 

Happy angling