In the digital age, there has never been a better time to make your dreams of owning your own small business come true. However, this is your livelihood. You want to choose a buildable idea with the potential to blossom into a thriving small business one day.

That means planning your concept thoroughly before moving forward with your plans. If you’re looking for inspiration regarding great small business name ideas, consider checking out a few databases online. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you figure out what your future business will look like and eventually bring to the rest of the world. The more of them you can check off your list, the better.

1. Consider what wants and needs your business will address

Successful entrepreneurs understand that booming businesses and must-have products improve lives. There are a few ways your future small business can seek to do this.

• You can solve a problem for millions of people. You can invent a game-changing product or develop a service that allows folks to avoid a lot of hassle.
• You can fill a common need all (or most) of society has, but in a way that’s better, more efficient, or more affordable than the current solutions.
• You can give people something they don’t necessarily need, but want. You get bonus points for identifying wants no one knows they have yet.

If you can put something out there that will make people’s lives easier or otherwise closer to what they want them to be, you’ve got a surefire winner on your hands.

2. Build a niche and move right in

Successful businesses don’t necessarily need to reinvent the wheel, especially in regards to small businesses. However, they do need to figure out where they fit into the bigger picture. You’re unlikely to succeed by copying precisely what someone else is already doing, hoping to duplicate their success.

Look at key players in your chosen niche and consider what they might not be doing. Successful businesses address what’s missing and fill in gaps. They can do this on a local level or globally. What can your small business bring to the table that isn’t already there?

3. Pay attention to all the details

Great brands are about more than stellar products and must-have services. Successful brand-building is also about turning your company into a household name, at least potentially. An excellent place to start is with the name of your future small business. Don’t just choose something off the top of your head. Good business names have all of the following characteristics.

• They roll off the tongue nicely, as they’re easy and fun to say.
• They’re unique, but they’re also simple to remember. You want your potential customers to recall it instantly if they hear it again or decide to do a Google search for your business.
• They make it clear what the purpose of the business is.
• They give your business room to evolve and grow over time. For instance, they don’t unintentionally limit your business to one specific type of product or one location.
• They’re available for trademarking, for inclusion in a domain name, and so forth.

4. Get feedback on your ideas before moving forward

Eventually, you’ll feel like you’ve got everything figured out when it comes to your future small business. You’ve identified a need to fill and the perfect catalog of products to move ahead with. It might feel like it’s time to think about launching, but this is really the time to get valuable feedback on your ideas to make sure they’ll land the way you hope they will.

Start by running your ideas by friends, family, or colleagues whose opinions you trust. Make sure to include information like possible names for your company, product concepts, and advertising slogans. Test your ideas with members of your target demographic, as well. It’s a great way to get a read on which ideas are especially good (or bad) before things get critical.

The key to making the launch of any small business great is plenty of thought and planning beforehand. It ensures every detail is correct, and every possibility is planned for. Get started today! You’ll be glad you did.