Option 1: Leave it as is, with a few tweaks.

Let’s say you didn’t start as a husband & wife photography team, but you’ve evolved.  The easiest one is to pull a Jasmine Star.  Though the business bears only her name, she’s very clear about the fact that her husband JD second shoots with her, pointing out which shots are hers and which shots are his.  Simple, effective, and lawyer-free.

Option 2: Tweak the name.

If you were Holly Hockenberry Photography, getting clients to accept Holly & Peter Hockenberry Photography as a name isn’t too much of a jump.  A gradual branding transition with the understand that ‘Holly Hockenberry Photography’ is going to show up on credit card statements, etc…isn’t too big a deal.

Option 3: Add a branch.

You’ll most likely need to talk to your lawyer about logistics for this one!  If you’d like to, say, add a boudoir branch to your business called Big Busted Babes, buy the domain name.  Build a brand, and leave your other brand AS IS.  Yes, as is.  This is like creating an entirely new business, but its niche quality prevents you from having to re-educate clients about your identity.  It’s not a rebrand, it’s a NEW brand!

Option 4: Tank it and build anew.

You’re over it, and you never want to see Teenytoodles Photography on anything, ever again.  This is going to be a process, but the very first thing you need to do is SPEAK WITH A LAWYER.  Don’t google it, don’t look for the cheap ‘legal consultant’ on Craigslist, just hire a lawyer for a consultation.  Talk really fast, if you have to, but do it.

The branding part of a name change is going to require a new website domain name with a redirect in place from the old website, and some pretty hardy client education.  E-mail blasts, Facebook announcements, blog posts, and/or a ‘name change party’ at your studio may all be in order.  Make it a celebration, not a chore, and your clients will celebrate with you.

Want to read it on the blog? NAMES, AGAIN.