Own name or company name for branding?

hulk2012

Senior Member
Hi. I would like to know your opinion about using own name as your photography brand vs company name? What are your thoughts perhaps experience on this?
 
Do you presently have a good reputation as a photographer using your name? If so keep using it. Are you an unknown in the area then you can go either way. A lot depends on what your name is. Simple name where there are many with the same name. Are there other photographers in the country with the same name? If you go with a business name don't make it to long or to cute. Should be descriptive and easy to remember.



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kevy73

Senior Member
I have this internal argument all the time. I started using my name... I have built that name and now it is pretty well known around my area... I wish I had used a company name to start with though.

Reasons for this:

It is saleable. If after 10, 15, 20 years you want to sell the business, you might be able to whereas you have no chance with it as your name imo.

You can employ others. At the moment, people know my business as Kevin McGinn Photographer - they expect to have Kevin McGinn. If I was Company ABC photography and employed 3 or 4 other shooters, not only could I shoot more weddings but peoples expectations of having just me wouldn't be there. At the moment if I have a wedding booked on a particular day, that is it. I can't be in 2 places at once - so only 1 wedding per day - having other shooters would mean multiple weddings could be shot on any given day.

On the plus side....

Having your name as your trading name means people can relate to you. They like talking to the owner of the business.

I have often thought about rebranding myself as CompanyABC photography... but have never taken the plunge...

I guess it comes down to what you want to get out of your business.
 
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SkvLTD

Senior Member
I'd avoid YOUR own name solely as general safety net. Say something goes south, YOU'll be losing all your assets and going to courts and your name forever tainted. Some company name and LLC registration bulletproofs you completely.
 
Verybig photographer here in late 90s John Wright Photography .......Not photographer..had 5 shops and 10 photographers employed ....whichever photographer turned up they got called John by the customer as they introduced themselves as Hello John Wright Photography ....sold the company for millions..shops and big big photo lab, when he saw digital on the horizon ...the ones he sold it to went bust 3 years later when digital struck.....Clever man.

Change your name to McGinn Photography Dont talk face to face to the customers then anyone can turn up .
 
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