When is it Time to Change Your Business Name?

by Danny Summers

Perennial Favorites becomes Green Haven Garden Center

It is not often that business owners come to the decision to change the business name. Most of the time it happens after many years and it comes as an effort to modernize the company image (one example is International Business Machines becomes IBM or another is Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company becomes 3M). Sometimes, it is following the lead of customers that have created a shortened version themselves such as Kentucky Fried Chicken/KFC and Dunkin Donuts/Dunkin.

One of The Group's centers has just gone through a name change. For Carol Thomas at Perennial Favorites, it did not come after decades of business but just after a few years after founding her company. Carol recalls her journey to rename:

"It's funny, but Steve Bailey suggested it several years ago (has it been that long?) when he came here to consult. And then an employee mentioned that two or three customers had raised the question. And if two or three asked the question how many people were NOT raising the question and just driving by? One woman who stopped at the garden center for an unrelated reason this last fall actually told me "Oh, I've been driving by your place for years but I don't have any more room for perennials.

And it's not just customers. Right before we went in to the "Round Table" sessions at The Fall Event (in Vermont), where my question for the group was going to be, "Should I change the name?" one of the sponsoring vendors asked me how we were doing selling only perennials.... That clinched it. I went ahead and asked the group at the round table but it was pretty much a done deal at that point. It took longer than expected because we went pretty far into the process with Tom Kegley with a different name before I realized I wasn't enthusiastic enough about it and we had to start over. Worth the delay, but our timing was lousy. We meant to have it all done BEFORE re-opening this spring." Carol added, "Now I hope people don't think we only sell green things and no flowers."

There are a number of success stories with a name change. Just do a quick web search for famous business name changes and you will see changes such as these:

Google - originally

Once you come to the decision to re-name or re-brand, we all can agree it takes a lot of effort to do so, but The Group has one of the very best talents to help you, Tom Kegley. Whether it is a completely new name, like Perennial Favorites needed, or a re-branding project like we saw him create at America's Best Flowers (see before-after logo change below), Tom is a valuable talent for our centers.

We will be watching and listening for updates from Carol Thomas on the re-naming of her center and how customers react to the change. And, if you are considering either a re-naming or re-branding for your center, contact Tom Kegley. You will be very glad you did! Here is Tom's contact info:

[email protected]