Naming your practice is a big deal. Before using this workbook, read our disclaimer here. 1. Consider The Three Types of Acupuncture Practice Names: 1. Based on your practice s location 2. Using your last name 3. Using a descriptive word or phrase Any name you choose will probably fall into one of these categories, and there are pros and cons of each type of name. (Such as search engine rank, whether you plan to open practices in other cities later on, whether you might open a franchise, etc.) If you missed this post on Modern Acupuncture Marketing, read the details here before getting started. You don t have to decide on a name type yet, but keep the pros and cons of each type of name in mind when you re brainstorming on the next page. 2. Consider Avoiding the Following: 1. Chinese words or symbols 2. References to needles 3. Your full name as your business name 4. Anything hard to pronounce or spell 5. Anything confusing 6. Names that don t make it clear what service you provide 7. Names already used by others (or that are very similar to others) These are the seven mistakes I recommend avoiding when choosing a name for your acupuncture practice. If you missed the article on Modern Acupuncture Marketing, definitely read it here. There are solid justifications for why each should be avoided. Keep these in mind while brainstorming on the next page.
Now for the fun part! Write down any and every name for your practice that you ve ever considered. No matter how lame or silly (or whatever), write them ALL down: Use a thesaurus and ask friends to write down any names they can think of as well. (And yes, we talked about name types to avoid on the previous page, but if one of those is in your head, no worries. There are pros and cons to every name. Just write it down.)
1. What is most important to you in a practice name? Circle one: That it has good SEO/helps you be found online That it evokes a feeling That it could be used to franchise D. That it represents you personally E. That it is neutral enough to sell later on If you chose A: You ll probably want to focus on a geographic name, because that s how many patients search Google for an acupuncturist. (Again, check out the article here if you missed it.) If you chose B or C: Descriptive word If you chose D: Your last name If you chose E: Geographic name or descriptive word 1. Now that you know what you want your name to focus on, go back to the previous brainstorming page and pick your three favorite names: 2. Pick a trusted friend or family member to pick their three favorite names from page 2:
1. Pick someone who doesn t know anything about acupuncture, and ask them to chose their three favorite names from page two: 2. Pick one more person maybe someone with totally different taste from you, or someone who always plays devil s advocate in your conversations, or a professor, or your hair dresser. Anybody. Ask them the same thing - to pick their favorite three: For Step Four, you can obviously ask the opinions of as many people as you d like. I always feel that getting a diverse array of opinions is the best way to go, to make sure that whatever name you choose is easily understood by people of a wide variety of backgrounds, education, and familiarity (or lack thereof) with acupuncture. Remember: The patients you ll be treating will (probably) not be acupuncturists, and may not be at all familiar with acupuncture. You want to chose a name that makes sense to your potential patients and implies professionalism and trust.
1. Now that you have some perspective from other people s opinions, it s time to decide. Remember: just because other people like a name doesn t mean you have to use it. You still have to feel comfortable with it and feel like it represents you & your brand. Chose a name that you would be proud to tell people when they ask you, Where do you work? Right now, what is your favorite name for your practice? 2. Make sure this name is available for use. Is anyone else already using it? Or using something very similar? Check on a state and national level to see if the name is copyrighted. If it is, time to pick a different name. If it s not copyrighted but it s frequently used, consider another name. You don t want confusion when patients try to Google your practice and the name pops up in seven different states. 3. Pop Quiz: This name makes me feel: (Circle all that apply) Confident Comfortable Like I would be happy to tell lots of people about it D. Like I can make it my own E. Like it has longevity (I ll still feel confident about it ten years from now) Hopefully you said yes to all or most of these! Now that you ve chosen a name, try it out! 1. Test the name out on as many people as you can. Ask them what they think. Ask them to be specific. Remember, asking a diverse audience is always helpful. 2. Try designing your business card and brochure with your new practice name. 3. Brainstorm your logo using this name. Ask graphic design friends for (free) help. Do you feel like you can develop branding around this name? Or that the branding/image you have in mind for your practice will mesh well with this name?
If you don t need to choose a name immediately, consider repeating this worksheet at intervals in the future. For example, if you re a, maybe do this worksheet every six months or once a year until you graduate. The way you view yourself and your future practice may change as you go through acupuncture school. You may want to change your practice name accordingly. The more often you check in with how well your practice name aligns with the vision you have for your practice, the more confident you ll be with the name you ve chosen. If you re your practice and choosing a new name, you may want to do this worksheet a few times to make sure that you only have to rebrand once. Take your time. Get lots of opinions. Rebranding can be expensive! It s totally up to you how to use this workbook. However you use it, I d love to hear what name you choose!