You only get one chance to make a good first impression. That’s why the topic of this month’s Pumper Interview (“The Name Game”) is so important. Writer Ken Wysocky tracked down national branding expert Christopher Johnson, aka The Name Inspector, and asked him how septic service companies could alter their company names to capture more customers and boost revenue.
Maybe your company is named after the original owner four decades removed, and that name no longer means as much to the residents of your growing community. Maybe you have a name like Stinky’s Cesspool Cleaners, which may not convey the professional image you’re seeking today and no longer reflects the work you do as cesspools are replaced by more modern onsite systems.
Whatever the case, many business owners in the industry could benefit from an evaluation of the company name or brand to fit the realities of 2011. Johnson, who worked for a company that developed such lofty branding efforts as BlackBerry, Febreze, OnStar and Pentium, shares his advice specifically for the pumping community. His insights prompted me to think of several reasons a veteran pumper might want to consider tweaking the company name:
Broaden your message.
Does your name include the word “septic’’ or “pumping,” but you’ve expanded to offer system installation, grease trap service or industrial cleaning? Perhaps your name no longer adequately portrays your varied menu of services, thus discouraging new customers from calling your number. It might be time to rename your business to let people know the scope of your services.
Focus your message.
A name like Smith Enterprises or Jones Services was chosen years ago when you were throwing out all sorts of service offerings to see which ones would stick and help build your company. But now you’ve honed in on the two services that seem to drive your business, say septic maintenance and restaurant grease trap service. It might be time to develop a new name and a support tagline that describe precisely what you do and hook you up with the customers who most need those services.
Green it up.
An effort to appeal to an environmentally sensitive segment of the general public seems like a win-win proposition. By choosing a new name or slogan that taps into an environmental message, you may gain a few more customers, and you’re certainly not going to lose any customers who have no strong feelings one way or the other. You can’t go wrong with a message of cleanliness or protecting the natural resource of freshwater.
Build the professionalism.
As Johnson explains, the use of humor in a septic service company name has a limited upside and a big potential downside. Yes, he allows, some uses of humor can help customers remember your name. But if you emblazon your tanks with a slogan like “No. 1 in the No. 2 Business,’’ know that your marketing efforts are not unique and might not make your company stand out in a good way. Now might be the time to consider removing references to skunks or odors associated with the work you perform, and choose a less jokey name or slogan.
A GREAT NAME
You may read Johnson’s thoughts on choosing a company name and decide your current approach is perfect for your business. That’s great. But it never hurts to review how you market your services in an ever-changing world.
