Hi there, so I started a business doing window and gutter cleaning a couple months ago called Raindrop Window & Gutter Cleaning. The thing is that I do not like the heights aspect of the gutter cleaning, so I want to start to offer other services and not emphasize the gutter cleaning aspect. As such, I want to change my name to say Raindrop Exterior Cleaning, but I’m a bit concerned because there is an indoor residential and commercial cleaning company called Raindrop Cleaning that’s in the same city as me. Would changing my name be too confusing? It’s not like we offer the same services, but the names are of course quite similar and the industry is similar too. I am sort of wondering if it could make things hard for google searching either company if the other company got a really big SEO presence, or something like that? Anyway, I could also change it to something else entirely, but that would just take more work that I’d like to avoid if I can help it. Thank you for any help you can give!
That’s too close of a name. For one, when you submit an application with that name to the state they may deny that name because it’s too similar to an existing one. At least they do in Indiana.
I’m in agreement with Nick @mwpws. It’s a confusingly similar name. Which even if it were to be approved by your state, could cause hard feelings with a competitor and possible customer retention issues in the future. Time to start workshopping new names
You’d be surprised how many folks confuse my company with a certain cable internet service. We’re not even close to the same in presentation, marketing, etc. But Comcast has such a huge market presence that I’m often called “ex -finity maintenance” by even recurring customers. (I picked ∞ before comcast had really rolled out their new x-∞ service. Otherwise I would have picked a different name.)
Raindrop Window, but no Gutter Cleaning
Problem solved
I appreciate the responses, and that does make sense—those are ultimately quite similar names. Maybe I will change it to Raindrop Window Cleaning or Raindrop Pressure Washing, or just to something else entirely with “Exterior Cleaning” at the end. Thanks for the help!
This is tricky. I am still DC Brock Window Cleaning LLC, but when I took up PW I had to come up with something else that included it, so after hours and hours of wracking my brain I settled on DC Brock Exterior Cleaning.
Problem is, my long time customers and even some new ones were confused, thinking I just did outside window cleaning. I kinda regret the name but it’s too late now.
“Raindrop ProWash” - covers windows & power washing.
I still think having Raindrop in the name makes it so at least some customers are likely to confuse you with the other company. I appreciate that you’ve been using the name for a while and have an attachment to it. But this might be a good opportunity to rebrand and better differentiate yourself from other companies.
