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If thats a sign shop. . .it doesn't work for me. I find that customers look for some name with "signs" in it. My first 16 years I went by AUTOGRAPHICS. . . .not many called for regular "signs".
-------------------- John Arnott El Cajon CA 619 596-9989 signgraphics1@aol.com http://www.signgraphics1.com Posts: 1443 | From: El Cajon CA usa | Registered: Dec 1998
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Aesthletics- Is that a foot disorder ? Tells me nothing about your business. Have to agree with John you should have Signs or at least a word to described what you are about.
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My tongue gets in the way just trying to say it. It sure doesn't sound like anything to do with signs...sound like an aesthetic athlete, or the art of competing in aesthetic surroundings. I don't get the sign connection, so I promise not to steal it.
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
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As of now, my business is a freelance graphic designer and a one man (my Dad helps on installs & some production), home based sign company specializing in high-end architectural stuff like sanblasted redwood & HDU, hand-carved demensional signage, and some upper end vinyl stuff. I sub-out all small temp. stuff like mags, coro & banners (I haven't sold much of anything yet). I also do some consulting type work for customers of a building maintenance company that need sign work done.
I could always ad a tag line like "signs & graphics" if I ever need to I suppose. Like if I ever go storefront, which one day I hope to do.
-------------------- Glenn S. Harris
....back in the sign trade full time. Posts: 293 | From: Baton Rouge, LA, USA | Registered: Jul 2001
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some good points. A bizz name must give some idea what it does....
for example... My biz name is lacking in what we do... my bizz name is Kais letters ..etc people think i write just letters (which i do) and make graphics. The name says it all and people dont know i make signs too..
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5278 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Jeff Ogden: ......the art of competing in aesthetic surroundings.....
Exactly!
Well, it is kind of a tongue twister. I know, it's wierd.... but I'm wierd.
I got the idea from a science fiction story I read recently where the main character who was trying to become an artist referred to himself as an "aesthlete". It seem out of place at all in the story. I can see how it would here though.
My second choice is "New Richmond Designs". That should be conservative enough for everyone, plus it has a historical significance to my locality.
I plan on doing lots of non-signage business, so I don;t know if I really need the word "sign" to be in the name.
?
hmmm
-------------------- Glenn S. Harris
....back in the sign trade full time. Posts: 293 | From: Baton Rouge, LA, USA | Registered: Jul 2001
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-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5278 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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I get the point on having the name describe what you do in some way. I can see how it would be an advantage for a small business. I guess I don't feel it's THAT important, but then again, I'm not the experienced business owner here. I mean XEROX doesn't have "copiers" in the name. Amazon.com doesn't say anything to me about books. Are these bad examples? In hindsight do some of you who don't have "sign" anywhere in the name feel your business would be more successful today if you'd started out with it? I used to think "Sign-Design"... but now I just think that's so lame. I wan't a unique name. Here are some names of sign companies in my town: FASTSIGNS, SignExpress, Signs-in-a-Day, Signs-n-a-Day by IDP, Davis Sign, Lorio Design, QuickSigns, Next-Day-Signs, Thompson Electric Signs, Jones Electric Signs, Hoffco Signs & Industrial Markings, SignsNow.... it just seems a bit redundent. I love making signs, but that's not all I do. The guy I've been working for Lorio Design doesn't even have a sign! He seems to be doing fine. I think I could do better than everyone in town, including him, just by making good designs & providing decent & timely service.
-------------------- Glenn S. Harris
....back in the sign trade full time. Posts: 293 | From: Baton Rouge, LA, USA | Registered: Jul 2001
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Ya know what.. pick whatever name you want, as long as it's easy to pronounce and remember.. then let your portfolio and advertising explain exactly what kind of work you do.
If you're like me, you like to do several different things.. or you get bored with something and move on to something else. If your biz name is too descriptive (ie: you put "signs" or "graphic design" or "plumbing" or "pool care" in the name) when it's time for you to venture into something else, you need a whole new identity so you're basically starting from scratch.
If you use a name you can recycle, at least when people know the name they can relate it to quality work and service no matter what type of business it is. I'm going through this right now with my own business, because I'm starting a new biz identity that I cannot piggy-back on what I already have established because the first business identity is too descriptive - thus it makes no sense for a graphics company to be fabricating custom automotive accessories. They kinda go hand-in-hand because I do automotive graphics but the other products dont fit the name.
Had I used "Michael Pipes Design" it would be vague as far as products offered, but it also doesn't limit what you can do. Customers get used to the name and learn where to go for quality (branding) so no matter what product I happen to produce they know it's good. It's then not about "What", it's about "Who", and "who" is what we all should be selling.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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I work at a place called Andesign. The company was formed over 25 years ago by a guy named Andy. He thought the name was great. Today, I find it awful to deal with. It isn't a real word so people can't relate to it. It just doesn't compute in their heads.
It's difficult to use over the phone. "And what?", "Andersign?", "And signs?". I hate it. But the company has been around town for a very long time, and the current owner won't change it. I've always felt a better name would benefit the company. I have over the last few years been using "Signs and Graphics" with the name so people have an idea of what we do.
I'd really advise against the name you've chosen for exactly the reasons I've stated above. I deal with it every day, and every day I wish we had a better name.
If they can't pronounce it (like I can't) it won't work. But something that has nothing to do with signs shouldn't be a big deal. It seems a lot of the places that make some really nice signs have names that don't directly relate to the signage or graphics industries.
I actually named my company Ambo Design because we always called my daughter, Amber "Ambo". Well everyone thinks I named it after myself, Amy Brown and they always add an "R" calling it AmBro. UUGGHH!!
Good luck with whatever you decide.
-------------------- Amy Brown Life Skills 101 Private Address Posts: 3502 | From: Lake Helen, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2001
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Answering the phone. Are you gonna be ok with saying it constantly and how it's pronounced? I really liked my shop's name (Sign-A-Saurus) looked fun on the cards, had a little dinosaur guy I put in the corner of every sign, fun for people to remember... but I answered the phone "Sign Shop".
Why? Because saying it out loud sounded like a nasal disease (try it!).
The other thing you will run into is having to spell it CONSTANTLY for everyone. Just ask someone who works for a place on ENSMINGER road!! Every person asking for our location, directions, address... EVERY person... asks for us to spell it. Yippee... I can spell that stupid street name in my sleep with both hands tied behind my back!!
-------------------- Dana Ferry St Cloud, MN Posts: 1556 | From: St Cloud, MN | Registered: May 1999
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If you choose to go ahead with "Aesthletic" be prepare to spell it everytime you speak to customer. glenn@aesthletic.hard to remember Ask me how I know... my biz is called Scripsit wich is a latin word that calligrapher used with their signature...Thaught it was cool...somehow it is but...i spell it alot.
First thing I thaught seeing "Aesthletic" was more like Athletic and aesthetic...sport apparel?
G'luck in your choice You'll find something special
É
-------------------- Élaine Beauchemin scrip Lettrage Scripsit inc. St-Hubert, Quebec, Canada www.scripsit.net Posts: 1096 | From: Saint-Hubert, Québec, Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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You may wish to read a book by michael gerber "The E-Myth". Its about building a bizz model. It talks about the technician thinking, "hey i can do better than my boss". So, he goes out to open his own place. His work is excellent. But his bizz sence is in kindergarten. So he finds himself working another job making some money.. Rather than running a bizz.
Also for Xerox and.... You cannot mix birds and dogs to get birdogs.. Two different animals. Same with corp name recognition v/s local bizz name recognition.
Xerox, IBM and Coke spent millions of dollars to get you to know what the names mean. That is institutional name recognition. The name is so well known they are almost public domain..
A small bizz don't have those resources. So small bizz must use specific name advertizing. In other words the public must know you at a glance. There is simply to much competition from all the other bizz names around..
Try this name
Olive garden v/s Macaroni grill.
Which one brings a vision of food even tho you know olive garden most likely is a resteraunt
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5278 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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"Aesthlectic", sounds like maybe some type of nervous system disfunction or muscular disorder. Or was that the name for the thong type thing boys have to wear for athletics.
-------------------- Frisby Signs, Inc. El Dorado, Arkansas Posts: 902 | From: El Dorado, Arkansas, USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Sounds ass-a-nine to me. Keep the name short and easy for people with lisps to say.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3959 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Curtis hammond: Olive garden v/s Macaroni grill.
Which one brings a vision of food even tho you know olive garden most likely is a resteraunt
Macaroni Grill gives me a vision of a huge macaroni noodle on a BBQ pit but I know they both suck as far as food quality so I'm glad we don't have any of them around here.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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It's sort of like telling an inside joke where only a few people get the punchline. It's a riot to you, but everyone else is left wondering.
I'm dealing with this very dilema myself. I'd really like to use "Sign Arts by Jim", but it seems too much like the supply company that advertises here. The name I use now is from times I've heard people say "He's our sign guy". But "Donahue the sign man" is difficult because people go looking in the phone book for "The sign man", and I try to compensate by making the "Donahue" part of the name more "foreground", by whatever means.
I've got what I think is a really slick new name, I guess I'm going to use it, even though it seems a bit modern for the likes of my operation.
If I could think of something else that denotes unique signage right in the name, I'd use it. I thought of "Art of Signs" or "Art in Signs", but they're kind of clunky compared to the other name. I also thought of "Sign Craft" but I've heard that somewhere before.
The plan now is to get the new name while renewing the biz lic, get the phone book listing changed and join Letterville with the new name all at the same time, it is hoped.
I'm open to suggestions, I even thought of "Sign Works", please omit anything that contains: "dorky", "idiot", or "Radar", thank you.
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Thanks for the suggestion. I'll have to check that one out. I realize I'm in need of education when it comes to running a business. If you knew my boss you'd agree I'm already ahead of the game just for that reason. I don't think I really qualify as the "technician". I'm more of a "jack of all trades". Do I have what it takes to run a business? Well, if not, I better get it. I simply don't see myself as having any other option. I'm overqualified for any available sign position. By "overqualified", I mean that no-one around here can afford what I feel I'm worth. Graphic Designers in other industries seem to be keeping the pay scale too low for my taste. When everyone will work for nothing just to be doing what they wan't, it kind of effects the job market negetively that way. Plus, I can't stay behind this damn machine pointing & clicking for eight to ten hours a day. I need variety. I may not make a fortune & I may not do as well as some of the more "business" oriented folks, but I KNOW I can do better than I am now. Can I do better than my boss? Not right off the bat for sure. He's got a 30 year reputation in the business. He gets jobs with no advertising. He can sell a job, take twice as long as he said it would take, charge more than anyone else in town and still retain the customer. I think in the long haul, I can improve upon that situation.
-------------------- Glenn S. Harris
....back in the sign trade full time. Posts: 293 | From: Baton Rouge, LA, USA | Registered: Jul 2001
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all i can tell you is what ive done....when i 1st started into this....i wanted a name people could remember and not think about. so i took the word ASSIGNMENT: task or something to be done. and from that i took it apart A SIGN MINT, now this put me in the A column in the phone book, said i had something to do with signs, and most people thought i liked mint green. well...i like green hence the word MINT, these are places that the govt makes money......so my name says ASSIGNMENT, I do a task, and the SIGN speaks for itself, and MINT, i make money.....hehehehehehe. my mobile sign shop is more to the point....SIGNS HERE & NOW, next line is SIGN SHOP ON WHEELS!!! for the mobile unit it was the only thing i could do....SIGNS NOW is a franchise, MOBILE SIGNS, wouldnt work as iam 50 miles from mobile, al. and people woulda thought i was sign person from there. SIGNS HERE sounded good but needed a something..so i added AND NOW!!! plain and simple. when i pull up to your door iam there to do your signs NOW!!! as for si-fi which iam a great fan of, the step fan got name vinyl even before i lettered it....its the MILLENIUM FALCON....people ask if i liked hans solo, i say nooooo.....iam the WOOKIE!!!!!!!!
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Glenn, I've been calling the business "Brushwood Studios", based on my street address, mostly because it was the first time I was a property owner and not renting a place to work. I figured it would also help people remember my location when I originally planned to do freelance art and prepress work. Since then, the business migrated to signs and vehicle painting, and I've considered changing the name, but after 15 years, it has gotten out there and I think it would be more damaging at this point. I still do the occasional pencil portraits, charicatures, t-shirt designs, etc, and I think leaving the name associated with it's roots as an art studio has left doors open for projects other than signs.
Maybe something like "GH Graphics" would work better for you. Something like that would be a lot easier to remember, especially when potential customers want to look you up in the phone book. Word of mouth would also be more effective, too. Fewer cutomers would mispell your biz name when recommending you.
Just a few thoughts Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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well you're talking to someone who's business is named simply not ordinary signs....and my logo is even more complicated because i incorporate the word not with the 'n' in ordinary. i've heard them all...simply signs, simple and ordinary signs, not simple signs, simply ordinotary signs...i could go on...but i won't...hey we're freaks of nature..that's why we do this stuff...if you can handle it so will the public....your name would be different for sure...gotta admit it was above my head...i thought...oh sign jock...he's athletic. bottom line it's your business and you have to live with the choice...make sure you really like it.
-------------------- Karyn Bush Simply Not Ordinary, LLC Bartlett, NH 603-383-9955 www.snosigns.com info@snosigns.com Posts: 3516 | From: Bartlett, NH USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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You are selling brand awareness , recognitition, impact and information - you are catering for an upmarket segment thus your name has to reflect that. New Richmond Designs is great - It rolls off the tongue , it inspires confidence - It encompases all you do without "in your face" advertising , it doesnt limit you to signage either and it can be shortened to NRD which also rolls off the tounge with ease and still sounds sort of "corporate" Actually , you should think Corporate and Image - thats what YOU are selling (apart from your talents). Your first contact with customers is either the phone or bus card/yourself Phone technique is important - "New Richmond designs - How may we help you" or "NRD - How may we help" both sound pretty good. (Get a land line - never list just a celphone - you can divert to a cel - but a cel no alone is not a confidence inspiring thing) Your business card should reflect what you do without being busy and should LOOK the part - as should your logo and letterhead - spend your major efforts on these , they showcase your talent- dress smart and have either a stunning showroom or a stunningly presented portfolio. At the end of it all , you want your client to have the impression they are dealing with a professional and are happy to pay.
I had a "graphic designer" come see me about some digital printing he required - and I actually had it in mind to refuse to deal with him after he presented me a cheap inkjet laminated card with 4 spelling mistakes on it (apart from his looks , lank greasy hair , long uncleaned fingernails , scruffy and the fact that he wanted the first job on the house to se "how we worked") I cannot stress enough : Impressions are extremely important in the market you are in.
-------------------- Rodney Gold Toker Bros Posts: 57 | From: South Africa | Registered: Aug 2003
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Being Creative is part of all of us, and choosing a name for our businesses we want to reflect that, Like most of our own lettering and logo's they are creative but sometimes a bit over the heads of our prospective customers.
I went through this years ago myself, I had a name that didnt grow with me and nobody but mt regular customers knew what I did.
I had a long list of creative names written down and was making myself crazy over it.
Finally in frustration I turned to my wife and said" all I want people to know is that we do creative signwork, she looked at me and said " there ya go".
Now I know its not original or unique or creative, but it is palletable by the public and it change my business big time, I get the work I want and they know what I do right off the bat.
-------------------- Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA 508-865-7330
"Life is Like an Echo, what you put out, comes back to you." Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Glenn, and Jim D- some people have come close to the mark with their ideas, and some have taken other tangents. The best bit of advice I can give (that means I wish I'd been given it before I picked our business name) is to give it a name beginning with the letter "A". That way, you're automatically at the top of any phone book/yellow pages listing. I spent five years on the fourth page of signwriters in our phone book, ("T" is at the 'wrong' end of the alphabet)barely making enough specifically from Yellow Pages sourced work, to pay for the ad itself.I know there is more to work than Yellow Pages, but my comment about "A....." is still relevant. We got around our 'problem' with some lateral thinking many years ago, but that's another story. And yes, it must be easy to remember and spell. Once you're established, like Coke or Xerox, THEN you can forget the appended signs 'tag'. Given my time again, I'd start our name at the top of the alphabet. Only we're suddenly doing fine with it as it is! Best wishes
[ September 23, 2003, 08:25 AM: Message edited by: Ian Stewart-Koster ]
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7017 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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Be careful using the word "THE" in your title.
I started out wanting The Graphics Edge, but couldn't get a web address with that name, so I decided on The Edge Graphics. Since we use the Gerber Edge, I thought it was kinda catchy. But lay people that want a sign don't have the slightest idea what a Gerber Edge is. We told the phone book to put us under "E" and list us as Edge Graphics,The. but does the phone company ever listen???? I get people all the time that come in and say they can't find us in the phone book.I have to tell them to look under "T".
Now that we've gotten known around the community, I find that people just call us "The Edge" I'm thinking of adding signs at the end. The Edge Graphics & Signs.
-------------------- Sunny Holtzlander The Edge Graphics 67 S. Broadway Peru, IN 46970 765-473-3828 Posts: 40 | From: Peru, Indiana | Registered: Jul 2003
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My name is all wrong but it works for my situation. Indocil art and design. I get all of my customers from word of mouth and have never gotten work from the yellow pages because no one knew what I did so I dropped my ad. I do alot, signs, fleet graphics, buisness cards, screen printing and embroider,custom paint and so on. I tell my customers it is like having an in house artist working for you. If it is some sort of display or it has your logo on it I can handle it for you. I have low overhead due to the fact that I own my shop and I am out of town so this works for me.Now if I had a walk in shop in town it would be different. It would be Indocil signs and graphics with some sort of tag line so why could you not do that. I dont mind explaining what Indocil means. There is no way someone will confuse it for another shop in the US and I like that. There are two shops in town that make me laugh Quick Signs and Kwik signs. How stupid is that.by the way Indocil is a spanish word that mean headstrong unconventional does not follow restrictive contemporary guidelines. Now ya Know.
-------------------- Ryan Young Indocil Art & Design indocil@comporium.net 803-980-6765
I highjacked Letterville!! Winter Muster 2004 Posts: 904 | From: Rock Hill, SC | Registered: Sep 2001
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Wow... thanks for all the input guys. I have to admit, I'm surprised NO-one liked the name. I knew it would be unpopular here, but not THAT unpopular. I still kind of like it. It does start with an A. Maybe I'll just drop the L. I'm aware that "New Richmond Designs" would most likely be more liked within my community, but I'd really like to have a one word name. I could just use my own name for now, since I'm mostly just a freelancer, but I'd really like to have a name before I get known. Anyways, I'm going to take my time with it. ... some really great info here, I'll be rereading it for sure. Thanx again.
-------------------- Glenn S. Harris
....back in the sign trade full time. Posts: 293 | From: Baton Rouge, LA, USA | Registered: Jul 2001
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-------------------- Tony Vickio The World Famous Vickio Signs 3364 Rt.329 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 t30v@vickiosigns.com 607-535-6241 http://www.vickiosigns.com Posts: 1063 | From: Watkins Glen, New York | Registered: Sep 2001
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I could pronounce it AND I could spell it... unlike most words in the dictionery. I wasn't sure exactly what it meant, BUT if you are putting it under "signs" in the Yellow Book, well then you probably DON'T NEED the idiots that CAN'T figure out WHAT you do.
You asked what we thought so I give you- I like it.
Suggestions: You can put the e-mail address IN a link on your website AND eliminate THAT problem. And No One can SPELL ANYthing these days so THAT really doesn't matter... try being named S-t-e-f-e-n-i-e. No "ph", No "a", buuuuuut EVERYONE spells with them! So... I "deal" with it. In fact I make jokes about it with EVERYONE that does mispell it, AND... it STARTS a conversation! Hey, what a great tool to SELL a sign! Oooooo!
Ok, so I am the Sarcastic side of the Moon tonight... But. I am HAPPY!
...and Moonlight Designs is juuuuuust "elusive" enough for me. I can add ANY artsy fartsy thing to my business and I'm in good shape.
...and you were dead on to "get responses" by just asking us our opinion. Ha ha ha ha Lord KNOWS we love to give our opinion here. (Now now, don't ya all get yer panties in a bunch... I meant that in a NICE way)
-------------------- The Moon aka: Stefenie Harris Moonlight Designs Pollock Pines, CA learnin' somethin' new every day! stefenie@comcast.net Posts: 550 | From: Pollock Pines, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I hate it. But the company has been around town for a very long time, and the current owner won't change it. I've always felt a better name would benefit the company. I have over the last few years been using "Signs and Graphics" with the name so people have an idea of what we do.
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