How to Start a Bookkeeping Business - Tips to Choose Your Business Name

It is important to have a positive feeling in thethen free to market other services which can be
business name. It is not essential to haverun through the Company but via a different
bookkeeping in the title, but many people use ittrading name, such as Julias Bookkeeping Training.
and it makes it clear what people are getting. It isThis way you can have multiple business threads
good to keep it relatively short, to make it easyvia one company which minimizes cost and does
to remember. Words which are synonymous withnot lock the company name into one business
bookkeeping can be a good start, like balanced,stream.
bottom line, in the black or BASic.To operate in the above manner, you need to
It is also important to research what people arecomplete the registration of a company form
searching for when looking for a bookkeeper.(form 201) which can be downloaded from the
Often people will look on line for a bookkeeper. ItASIC web site. It is then sent off with payment
is import to understand that many people searchand once processed; you are sent your
online for services and if you can have a nameregistration details. You can then register any
which contains some of the key words thatapplicable business names you wish to operate as
people use when looking for a bookkeeper, youtrading as names. You will then need to open any
will be easy to find. We will go into detail laterbank accounts and register with the ATO for an
about marketing and internet search engines, butABN and register for GST if applicable.
at this stage it is important to consider the wordsIf you are registering the company under the
people may be using to find you. The closer youchosen name, such as Better Bookkeeping
are to the top of the page in the search engineServices Pty Ltd, you can just complete the form
the more chance you have to be found and201 from ASIC and send it with the applicable fee.
promote your services.Once processed and your company registration
Spend some time looking at other business namescertificate is issued, you can arrange your bank
in the bookkeeping industry, what do you like?accounts, ABN and register for GST if you are
What would you look for if you wanted agoing to do so.
bookkeeper? Do some research using online toolsIf you are operating as a sole trader, you can
such as google niche finder.This tool will show youapply for your business name in the State in
what people are searching for in relation towhich you are trading. You do not need to obtain
bookkeeping and it will give you the volume ofyour registration certificate before obtaining your
people searching and it will give you an indicationABN as it is issued in your name as a sole trader.
of the advertising volume for those key words.This means you can obtain your ABN and register
Ideally it is good to fins a high search volume withfor GST if applicable whilst you are thinking about
low advertising as this equates to low competition.your business name. Once you have registered
Once you have thought of your business name,your business name you can open any accounts
depending on the structure you have chosen, itrequired in your business name.
will determine how you proceed.On another note, your business name will become
If you have chosen a company structure, youimportant at a later date if you ever want to sell
have the option of registering a general companyyour business. It its important to understand what
name and use trading as names for youryour long term goals are to see if this will have an
bookkeeping business. This may be of value ifimpact on your business name choice and or
you are planning on doing a few different arms ofstructure. You can think about this later and you
your business. For example you might registercan always change your name and structure later,
XYZ Pty Ltd and then register a trading namebut it is important to think about how transferable
such as Julias Basic Bookkeeping. You are alsoyour business name is.