Business name and website

[hectors house]

Hi

I posted on here a while ago that I was considering having a business name for my setting which would hopefully make me more memorable for advertising than using my own name. Sorry if I ask similar questions, I just need to get it all straight in my mind to what extent I need to change things.

Firstly - Would I need to notify Ofsted and Insurance Company - would I be s -------- registered childminder trading as HH , or would certificates stay in my own name. And what about Inland Revenue?

Would I need to open a business bank account in my trading name, or can I just keep current account - obviously people writing cheques would have to make sure they wrote them out to me not HH?

Do I need to tell Food Standards Agency? Have I forgotten anyone?

How do I set up a website, is there a simple (it's going to need to be very simple) template for creating websites - how much does it cost and do I need to pay to buy my trading name, so no one else pinches it?

Obviously I need to tell my development officer, so she can pass on enquiries and I suppose I will need a new e-mail address.

Do people with a trading name, answer their home phone with their setting name? I have started to do it to confuse the foreign cold callers!

Oh god this has started to put me off now - spend all day yesterday rewording policies but probably need to hold off e-mailing copies to parents until I have decided when I am going to launch new name, so I can add trading name to them!

At the moment all I have free from Vistaprint - is a mug, a car sticker and a banner with my new name on - can I use the logo from Vistaprint on my advertising and stationery or has it got a copyright on - and is that the same with all images on google?

[cathtee]

And breathe! simple answer to all your questions is I don't know but didn't want to read and run.

I can't answer the phone with a business name as both me and hubby are self employed and if I answer with his business name I would confuse people wanting me.

Hope you get some answers soon

[hectors house]

Maybe I asked too many questions!

Can anyone who has a website advise me how to go about creating one and the company they used - have justed looked up 1 & 1 which has been advertising on TV, yes you can create it and try for free for 30 days and then it is £9.99 per month. Don't want to pay monthly fee - any suggestions?

[loocyloo]

Maybe I asked too many questions!

Can anyone who has a website advise me how to go about creating one and the company they used - have justed looked up 1 & 1 which has been advertising on TV, yes you can create it and try for free for 30 days and then it is £9.99 per month. Don't want to pay monthly fee - any suggestions?

pauline who used to own the forum did my website and its great. i sent her all my bits, we chatted about what i wanted and she did it. if i want to update anything, i send her an email. ( which i must do! ) click on the 'childminding help' tab at the very top of the page, and then on the left hand side of the page is a button saying ' do you want a website ' ( or something similar! ) i paid pauline £35 to set up and host the website for the year.

and to your other questions. i think for ofsted/tax etc you still use your own name. not sure about food standards, again, i think its your own name maybe 'trading as ...' give them a call and ask.

up to you about business account. i don't have one, so don't know,but i would assume that you can ask people to make payments to your real name!

good luck. i thought about 'rebranding' myself when i moved, but decided to stick to my real name!

[cas2805]

As per above, luckily my Husband did my website, though we use 1&1 for the domain name which costs £7 a year (i think) I use my business name for my website and for advertising but use my own name for my bank account, so no need to inform anyone else. Good luck with the branding and website is well worth it, I always ask if parents have seen my site before coming to me. Last week a parent said that they knew they had found the right person from my website! And yes they want to sign, even after meeting me!

[freckleonear]

You can get a free domain and basic hosting through Getting British Business Online with Yola. They have lots of templates and it's really easy to just add whatever content you want.

http://www.gbbo.co.uk/getstarted