Is my name professional enough?

[stevenf]

I went through 14 names last year and ended up getting Turf Trimmers. I figured with this one I could keep adding descriptions for services I added later such as "Lawn care" to "Landscape Management" to "Lawn and Landscape" and so on.
This year my customers were more based on personal encounters and noone really knows me as Turf Trimmers yet. I want my name to look good on an enclosed trailer or enclosed truck for advertising. The two big companys around here to compete with are Louisiana Landscapes and Corporate Green. The rest of the guys around here are Tiger lawn care, Angelos lawn care, Ricks lawn care and so on....
What do you guys think about my name? Am I to worried about things that dont matter :hammerhead:? Or should I consider a name change to something more professional?

[hiringus]

Have you filed for any DBA's? If not then I would stick to Steven's lawn care like the rest to prevent legal issues with advertising.

[GravyTrain]

I would be more concerned personally with your work being professional before your name. and like hiringus, i would check with your local government (I forget which office handles this stuff) and make sure the name is not already taken in your area for your line of business.

As for the actual name, if you like go with it, forget what other people say.

[stevenf]

I already legally own the name Turf Trimmers. Its not much to change it though. I was planning to switch my SP to an LLC anyway so a name change would be the same cost. With that in mind, re-read my original thread.

[Runner]

Ok. Here are some pluses and minuses. First, your name is ok. However, with your name, you have sort of limited your prospective customers' scopes of you to mowing grass. you want to open yourself to something more broad than that. Use something like Professional Grounds Maintenance, Landscape Management, or even Property Maintenance. Do NOT use "lawn care". First, it is widely overused, and even more so, it is even more widely MISused. Third, it ALSO limits your prospects' views and scopes of you to "lawn maintenance". This has been written before on here, and bares repeating. Even though there are literally thousands of lawn operations out there that use the term "lawn care", technically, it is a text term - meaning the scope of work involving weed, disease, and insect control. Any and every one on here who has acquired a degree in turf management can confirm this as well. Lawn MAINTENANCE is the actual proper term for mowing, trimming, edging, and other mechanical means of maintenance to turf areas. Myself, I use Landscape Management for our company, because that best describes just what we do. We do horticultural care to shrubbery, ornamentals, color care (flowers, both perennial and annual), bed care, tree care, turf, irrigation, as well as a host of several other aspects of the industry. Landscape management pretty much covers the whole realm of operations. Now, with a name like yours, since you have already put out the main idea of trimming turf, begs for help in opening up a broader prospective on the realm of work you intend to offer yourself to do.....That is, unless all you ever plan to do is "trim turf".
I hope this helps bring some insight on this for you.

[fiveoboy01]

I agree with Joe. Don't let your business name potentially limit what customers think you offer for services. I've had to "sell" many services that I offer and the current or potential customer has had no clue I offered the service.

[stevenf]

Are you saying I shouldn't use a name like turf trimmers or that I shouldn't use a limiting desciption like lawn care, I need something like landscape management instead...?

[larryinalabama]

Turf Trimmers sounds COOL

[bohiaa]

What's in a name ?

ya cant judge a book by its cover

[Tyler7692]

Quit worrying about the name...

who would have thought BRICKMAN had anything to do with landscaping, and look where they are at as a company.

[LawnTamer]

Dump Turf Trimmers like a bad habit. As has already been pointed out, the name limits you. You can't hear this too much. Mowing is one of the least profitable areas of landscape maintenance. The name Turf Trimmers will tend to exclude you from more lucrative work, like fertilization, weed and insect control, lighting, bed renovations and others. Name isn't really important, so long as it doesn't limit you. A name like "Stevens Landscape Solutions" may not be witty or cool, but it sounds professional, and will not limit you in the future.

[Green Finger]

You name is related to the green industry. Make sure you have signs on your truck and do good work stop worrying.:hammerhead:

There are other things to focus on. Your customers are going to ask you about the services you offer.

[davis45]

I've never cared about my name, never had a customer care either. Simply my last name plus lawn care. Davis Lawn Care. We also do Landscaping but it is not in our name. We advertise it though.

[Horsepower Lawns]

Just do a great job & people will call.
I get calls & look at my name. People are not thinking I will show up with horses to do the work. :)
One nice thing about not using your name is if you ever want to sell, someone is not using your name for their company.

[DA Quality Lawn & YS]

Use your own name as your business name if you are a solo op.
People need to know you by your name and that your name stands for top quality work.
Forget about dba's unless you are a big company with crews.

[dave k]

Your name is fine, when I was in Fl. I used "Pro Cut lawns and Landscaping" When I moved to Ga. I use " Professional Services" for my part time lawn service and use that name with my installation side of my other business. Saves $ on the business license.

[DLAWNS]

I think it sounds fine. Use whatever name sounds best to you.

[Ramairfreak98ss]

Ok. Here are some pluses and minuses. First, your name is ok. However, with your name, you have sort of limited your prospective customers' scopes of you to mowing grass.
I agree, i have a similar problem for a while now.

you want to open yourself to something more broad than that. Use something like Professional Grounds Maintenance, Landscape Management, or even Property Maintenance. I agree too, but all of these name designations in NJ at least are widely used, every company has this built into their name already :/

Do NOT use "lawn care". First, it is widely overused, and even more so, it is even more widely MISused. Your right, we started our company as "lawn care" , it still is, mainly because thats what our clientelle views us as residentially and we have several trucks, equipment and trailers with a lot of vinyl on them that would cost a lot to change, remove etc.

Third, it ALSO limits your prospects' views and scopes of you to "lawn maintenance". This has been written before on here, and bares repeating. Even though there are literally thousands of lawn operations out there that use the term "lawn care", technically, it is a text term - meaning the scope of work involving weed, disease, and insect control. Any and every one on here who has acquired a degree in turf management can confirm this as well.

It really does, because SCOTTS has their own company name and so does lawn doctor as "lawn care". The problem we get, is most times BIG accounts not considering us a major player in the landscape maintenance, snow removal or any other related high end work.

We've had unhappy customers in the past, get all pissed off at any work such as basic lawn cuts to high end landscapes, email us and state "go back to cutting lawns" lol. Like theyre hurting my ego because they think thats all we do or something? When we are driving, we 95% get calls by people that see our trailers calling "for lawn cutting". Although our name has "landscaping & snow removal services, they see "LAWN CARE" and thats it. I have a few good connections with some big commercial maintenance accounts, we have been given the run around several times. I gave the SAME leads to a property management company i know that SUBS all of the related landscape work back out to us, and guess what? The company calls them back, sets up meetings and talks numbers. Why? property maintenance vs lawn care. Every joe smoe has so and sos lawn care, trust me, i hate it and thats what my company is called. I have to be one of the highest end "lawn care" companies out there though lol. Since 2007, we have primarily been everything OTHER than lawn care or cutting lawns, one crew for a day or two per week at most. We do irrigation installs, high end lv lighting, grading, lot renovations, tree work, have high end snow accounts and so on. Since we have had this name for a few years now, at least on the trailers, i will probably be registering a "new" company property management name for the comming 09 season. All of the work will be done by my "lawn care" company or on paper "subbed" out to it anyway.

Lawn MAINTENANCE is the actual proper term for mowing, trimming, edging, and other mechanical means of maintenance to turf areas. Myself, I use Landscape Management for our company, because that best describes just what we do. .

Landscape management pretty much covers the whole realm of operations. Now, with a name like yours, since you have already put out the main idea of trimming turf, begs for help in opening up a broader prospective on the realm of work you intend to offer yourself to do.....That is, unless all you ever plan to do is "trim turf".

Yeah, i know theres a lot of cool/interesting and well thought out names, like lawn sharks, turf tigers, i myself wanted to call it "lighting lawn care" or service because i was gonna get a ford lighting pickup, but being 2wd and not ideal for landscaping and expensive sport race trucks... wasnt too hot of an idea anyway. But you get the idea, anything that insinuates ONE type of work, gets those type of calls, we personally DO NOT want the lawn cutting calls, unless its 2+ acres in jersey. I hate them with a passion because i get bogus lots for $28 and then some joe comes in for $25 a cut and i loose the account. If you are so and so Irrigation, thats mostly the type of calls you'll get, if your so and so landscape lighting, guess what, all related calls. I think most successful big companies that do it all are either maintenance or landscaping.

[HOOLIE]

Don't overthink it. My buddy owns Turfmasters which would be along the same lines as your name, and has a whole hardscapes division going full blast. If you take on some name like someone suggested, like "Total Landscape Solutions" that's going to deter a lot of people from calling. Like it or not, you get your foot in the door with the mowing.

[Turf Commando]

Call yourself Under Cutters lets people know you cut the competition ....:laugh:
Seriously a unique name means alot, but doing fine service gets noticed more...

[Superior L & L]

How about Steven's mow and blow !!!

[barefootlawnsandlandscape]

Professionalism is not a name, its an attitude and way of doing business. If you present yourself and your company in a professional manner you will be looked upon by clients as "professional." You have to feel that you are professional before the client will ever believe you.

You could have a professional sounding name all day long. When you meet a customer or perform a service, they will either confirm or reject your professionalism, regardless of the name of your company.

[MileHigh]

I already legally own the name Turf Trimmers. Its not much to change it though. I was planning to switch my SP to an LLC anyway so a name change would be the same cost. With that in mind, re-read my original thread.

Thats Nuts....

When I was deciding my business name it was between Turf Trimmers, Yard By Yards, and BladeScape.

I think that Turf Trimmers Is an AWESOME name and I think you should use it.

I can see it on the side of a truck, with a sweet logo right now.

[Superior L & L]

Thats Nuts....

When I was deciding my business name it was between Turf Trimmers, Yard By Yards, and BladeScape.

I think that Turf Trimmers Is an AWESOME name and I think you should use it.

I can see it on the side of a truck, with a sweet logo right now.

I like my idea for a name better

How about Steven's mow and blow !!!

[MileHigh]

I like my idea for a name better

Steven's mow n blow is horrible....

Sounds like a cheap sercice, not original, and way to limiting.

[grassaholic]

Your name sounds good to me. I don't think the name is as important as the work you do. Most of my buisness comes from referrals from my existing customers, not the name of my business. I'm sure it doesn't matter much to you but, there is a company here in Cincinnati named Turf Trimmers.