Tips on Naming and Branding an Appraisal Business

[TonyB]

The best marketing tool I have ever used is Post-It notes. My company name and logo are vey unique and they look good across the top of Post-It notes. EVERYONE USES POST-IT NOTES.

 

[Marcia Langley]

For myself, my name is my brand and what I want people to remember.

But I am also partial to dignified solid sounding names like Abercrombie, Chase, Notre Dame, etc.

I'd avoid any cutesy names and of course the Ethics Rule warns against false advertizing.

If your name indicates a promise you will catch heck when someone thinks you have not followed through.

If it's political you'll run some people off or give them fuel when they are angry.

 

[David Sawyer]

Mr. Metamorphic,
I was once in your situation and I can relate. With a last name beginning with S, I was always towards the last in many things. So, I decided something in the beginning of the alphabet...Appraisal. Now, what else would be catchee? Well, my service area is Southwest Florida.......paradise as the marketing folks down here claim. Bingo, how about... Appraisals in Paradise, Inc. My logo is the bird on my posting! I receive many compliments from people the first time they heard it and they make a point to express their approval.

So, what in Calif. is noted nationally that is catchee?

 

[Metamorphic]

The more I think about it the less I like the idea of John Doe Appraisals. It just doesnt sound consistent to me. I picture the person going down a list of appraisers thinking to themselves "If John gets sick, breaks his leg, or has a bad day I'm screwed. I cant trust this deal to one guy with no support or back up." I also dont like the AAA appraisal thing. When I'm looking in the phone book I avoid those guys because if the best thing they can think of to recommend themselves is their position in the phone book they must really suck.

Ideally I want to get into a position where I'm doing very little mortgage work headed for the GSE (the private money appraising seems like good work though), although I'm sure I'll have to do plenty along the way. As I'm training, I'm trying to develop a skill set that will help me excell at legal work and consulting for investors; developing better methods for analyzing market data and describing same. If at some point I decide to persue commercial I'd like for the name to transfer well. So I'd like to give off some sense of a higher level of skill and professionalism. I've got a friend that's a graphic artist so at some point I'll have him put together a logo for me.

 

[Kevin A. Spellman]

LTV Appraisal Services, you get some attention with this name.

 

[Mr Rex]

The Go To Guy Appraisals. We Meet the Need Appraisals. Guaranteed Appraisals. Top Value Appraisals. Feel free to use any of the above, and keep your real name out of the picture. The MBs will love you, up until 1/1/09.

 

[Bama Bayou]

You forgot Skippy Appraisals. With THAT name it would "spread" faster.

 

[Metamorphic]

You forgot Skippy Appraisals. With THAT name it would "spread" faster.

How about KY Valuations?

 

[Metamorphic]

Or "Drunk Cheerleader Appraisals".

 

[Mr Rex]

No Peer Values.