I spent a large chunk of 2016 waiting for inspiration.
I wanted a thunderbolt, the full-on lightbulb, the air punch. I longed to shout eureka!
What I got was a gradually longer and longer list of domain names that I’d bought, got excited about and which then led me to a “what was I thinking?” bubble-burst.
Lucidity Writing is my second sole trader venture. I used to run a pet-sitting business called Furry Feet. A name that came to me in the night, a few days after I’d decided to take the plunge. I knew straight away it was The One. I was in love.
Second time round took flipping ages.
I started pondering the Great Domain Name Dilemma early in the year. I’d just started studying after a year’s maternity leave and knew I’d feel inspired with a shiny new name for my future copywriting and proofreading business in place.
Nothing immediately sprang to mind. That was OK, I still had major baby brain. It would come.
A few months of procrastination later, I decided on www.crispcopywriting.co.uk and paid my £16.78 to 123-Reg in May.
In between helping my small, smiley boy get to grips with walking, I turned my thoughts to a Crisp logo. Straight away, I thought of an apple with a bite taken out of it … Told you I had baby brain.
I fell out of love with Crisp soon after. Not sure it was ever more than a moderate like anyway.
A friend suggested using a word completely unconnected with my writing business. I immediately thought of Orange and how baffling their first ads were. I soon realised that there’s hardly a fruit or vegetable that hasn’t been claimed. Pineapple Proofreading anyone?
The summer stole my creativity. In September, it was back. Kind of. I have a funny foreign surname, thanks to my funny foreign husband. So I started playing with van Biljon.
The result was another £16.78 handed over for www.veebeecopy.co.uk. I asked for friends’ feedback afterwards …
“Sounds like a photocopying place.”
“Are you making knock-off Victoria Beckham frocks?”
I’d thought of a lovely bee logo as well. Pffft.
By now, I’d gone off the idea of using “copy” or “copywriting” in my business name. But you’re a copywriter, Lucy! Yes, but I’m also a proofreader, so “copy” had to go.
Next, I resorted to flicking through the index of my Blue Book of Grammar. I registered www.clauseandeffect.co.uk but after insisting in my draft website content that I’m not pretentious, cursed that wasted £16.78 once again.
Serious excitement abounded when I discovered that www.goodwithwords.co.uk was available – this time for £21.38. I won’t go into the reasons why I didn’t use it in the end, but I did sell the domain on.
Finally – finally! – I landed on what had been staring me in the chops all along. I’d been so focussed on my surname that I forgot I had a first name. In November, I called my husband and squealed “eureka!” www.luciditywriting.co.uk was born.
The Collins Dictionary definition is: “Readily understood, clear, shining or glowing.” A Lucy lightbulb ping!
After reading about my domain name journey, you may think I’m the most inappropriate person to offer advice about this, but here goes:
My Top Tips for Choosing a Domain Name
Start simple: if you want to use your name and/or what you do and where you do it, go for it. My surname and an abundance of Manchester writers put me off doing this
If you’re after something quirkier, start with what you do and the words associated with it, along with your name
Make lists of relevant words and idioms, then play with different combinations
Ask yourself what you’re good at and what specific skills are valued in your industry
Don’t be afraid of alliteration, it can be absolutely amazing
Avoid puns unless you’re a stand-up comic or children’s entertainer
Stick with a .co.uk or .com address if you can. www.luciditywriting.global might sound a little grand for a start-up
Try to avoid hyphens, it slows down your name
Consider how the name will tie in with a logo and other branding imagery
Once you’ve decided, say it out loud. Make sure it trips off the tongue, you’ll be saying it a lot