Wow! I am VERY impressed with the creativity here! Wouldn't it be fun to brainstorm in person?! I am starting a errand/delivery/concierge business, and need some ideas for a name. I would like some ideas for targeting business professionals/executives, and some ideas for targeting the general public. I have considered "out and about" for a fun, simple sound...but that would not be good for a professional business proposal. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Great - welcome to the WL train...
Is this service going to come from you individually or is the business going to provide a number of individual concierges? What region will you be covering?

My Concierge
The Concierge Consortium (possible name or tagline)
Your Personal Concierge Consortium (tagline)
The Concierge Network
Let Me Get That (name or tagline)
Let Us Take Care of That (tagline)
Your Pesonal Concierge Network

Conciergency: Your Pesonal Concierge Network (clever but arduous)
Concert Concierge
PAN Inc. Personal Assistant Network

...Chris and/or Sneeze@ can comment on targeting your customer base. Good luck!

Your Time is Our Business
Saving You Time is Our Business

Time is money. Saving you time is why were in business.
Time is money - Access your personal concierge and save on both.

quark, Thanks for the quick response! This is a great site...I will start out a "one-woman show", gradually adding staff as needed...I am in Michigan in the southwest region. Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Grand Rapids area. I am going to target businesses with the idea of using my company as a work/life benefit for their employees. Thanks for the help and the advice!

Serge
Wit Serge
Sir Charge
Strapping Serge
Shopping Serge
Conski
Personal Savior
Dutch Errand Boy
Take Me Home
Pocket Watch Protector
Errand Harem
Span Time
Wind Up Robot
Robot Key
Red Fez
Battle Geek in Battle Creek
Lama Call in Kalamazoo
Grand Dame in Grand Rapids
Grand Dame Rapid
Rapid Grand Dame
Your Walking Shoes
Walking Talking Bear
Bicycle Basket
Walking Talking Shopping Cart
Top Swan
Big Hands
At Your Feet

Good Luck, Schweleita!
Sounds like your are trying to sell the benefits of a balanced lifestyle to employees/employers and that is great!
So what about things around that concept...

-Balancing Act...Helping You Make Your Lives Easier.
-Equilibrium...Balancing Your Needs at Work & At Home
-Detail Service...Let Us Worry About them so you don't have to!
-Focus Pocus...See How We Can Magically Perform Tasks and Save You Time!
-Service With A Smile...Professional Concierge Services
-Adroit Services...Helping you juggle the demands on your time
Ringmaster Services...Helping you with the demands on your time.

Nosila, Ooohhh! I like that! I was hoping to hear from you! Some very good ideas! I will be thinking on all of these...getting ready for my own brainstorming session with some area "creatives"! I will bring your ideas to that meeting...any more that come to you all...type them down! I'll let you know what I choose!

Sorry to ask dumb questions again - what is a 'concierge service'in this context?

chris, My mom says there is no such thing as a dumb question...:). It's sort of like the concierge in the hotel, only more practical...I will go to the bank, the post office, the dry cleaners, deliver something, pick something up, plan something, call someone, go grocery shopping, clothes shopping, car shopping (that would be fun!) do you get the idea? I'm the "do anything you hate to do or don't have time to do while you work" kind of girl. So let me know your thoughts!

Thanks, Schweleita - I think we call that sort of thing a 'Girl Friday' service over here....

When you go to work, we really get to work
Got a 'To Do' list? The only thing you got to do is call us!

In terms of targeting your different customers, the key piece of advice I would offer is that you need to think about what your customers are buying rather than what you are selling. Ask what it is that trips their trigger and makes them hire you (and I mean literally ask them as you win business). Then use what you learn to tweak your proposition. And if the answers are different for different types of people, than that is where market segmentation begins.

What I mean is that business people will probably look at things in a more value-oriented, rational way; they go out and earn money and then want to spend their hard-earned leisure time doing something other than the chores, and are happy to pay someone else to do them - their time is, literally, more valuable to them than your cost.

The general public will probably buy on a the basis of a more emotional rationale. What I mean is that while the business community may say 'I don't have TIME to do these things', the public is saying 'I don't WANT to do these things'. It is a small but significant difference in terms of the pitch that you are making.

The trick is to get your customers to feel that you identify with their problem. To the business world you say (for example)'you are busy; life is pressured; leisure time is precious; you want to to spend it with friends/family/skiiing or whatever - I can give you more time to do the things you want to do by doing the things you resent having to do - and I bring to those tasks the same professionalism, commitment and attention to detail that you do to your job'.
For the public it's a lighter tone; for example, 'hey, aren't all those chores just a bore? Wouldn't it be nice if someone else did them? There is - me. Run your life - don't let life run you'.

I appreciate that none of the above is terribly profound, but I hope its makes some kind of sense - it's been a long week and it's getting late here! And be honest - if this is of little interest and what you want is just some neat slogans, say so. Will save us all time and effort and I'm happy trying to do the slogans bit too!

One last thought: if you have competitors, find out why your customers selected YOU rather than anyone else. Finding out what makes you different, and what it is about the service that your customers really value, is the key to growing your business and getting really effective messages.

One final last thought - I wonder if you can take this to HR departments of companies and try and get them on your side as a sort of in-house advocate; on the basis that they can get more out of their staff and have more focused and less hassled people if those people have access to a resource to do some of the things that might otherwise be preying on their minds during the day. Maybe they would even offer to subsidize the rate as an employee benefit........

Galamazoo

www.galamazoo.com is available for just a couple of bucks. Internet presence is essential for the successful launch and operation of a personal service business. The Internet is the most cost effective communications medium to build a brand for a new business. A successful personal service business today must have an online customer relationship management system. Plan to be successful, from the get go and in the long haul.

Galamazoo has a local business flavor, with a personalization of your location in or near Kalamazoo, MI. People trust local people. Real people.

"Gal of my zoo!" is the inspiration. You need a memorable "brand" name: not some generic, nameless, faceless, corporate lingo like The Concierge Network. Anyway, you can see how well that concept is workin' here: http://www.conciergenetwork.com/ Show your clients that you are focused on their needs, not that you take yourself too seriously.

Forget the "concierge" analogy because you don't want to spend time explaining that your services are not exactly as described to folks who didn't even know what a concierge was in the first place.

This brand also implies a feminine touch. Both male and female clients are more likely to hire a female for their personal shopper or personal assistant. This brand gets the concept across subtly and is not politically incorrect like Girl Friday.

Galamazoo shows a sense of humor. People want "hired help" who has a sense of humor, especially when the work is mundane.

Galamazoo shows that you understand that your clients see their current organizational structure as a zoo. Let your customers know that you understand that they need your help because of the zoo, not because they are incompetent.

Let your clients know that it will be fun for them to have Galamazoo making their lives more enjoyable, freeing them up to do the things that are most fun for them. Don't sell the services ... sell the benefits.

I usually charge for branding advice. ;)

Galamazoo

www.galamazoo.com is available for just a couple of bucks. Internet presence is essential for the successful launch and operation of a personal service business. The Internet is the most cost effective communications medium to build a brand for a new business. A successful personal service business today must have an online customer relationship management system. Plan to be successful, from the get go and in the long haul.

Galamazoo has a local business flavor, with a personalization of your location in or near Kalamazoo, MI. People trust local people. Real people.

"Gal of my zoo!" is the inspiration. You need a memorable "brand" name: not some generic, nameless, faceless, corporate lingo like The Concierge Network. Anyway, you can see how well that concept is workin' here: http://www.conciergenetwork.com/ Show your clients that you are focused on their needs, not that you take yourself too seriously.

Forget the "concierge" analogy because you don't want to spend time explaining that your services are not exactly as described to folks who didn't even know what a concierge was in the first place.

This brand also implies a feminine touch. Both male and female clients are more likely to hire a female for their personal shopper or personal assistant. This brand gets the concept across subtly and is not politically incorrect like Girl Friday.

Galamazoo shows a sense of humor. People want "hired help" who has a sense of humor, especially when the work is mundane.

Galamazoo shows that you understand that your clients see their current organizational structure as a zoo. Let your customers know that you understand that they need your help because of the zoo, not because they are incompetent.

Let your clients know that it will be fun for them to have Galamazoo making their lives more enjoyable, freeing them up to do the things that are most fun for them. Don't sell the services ... sell the benefits.

I usually charge for branding advice. ;)

Dear Schweleita-
As you may have perceived, you will get lots of free and not free advice!
I am touched you liked some of my humble ideas...I am not an advertising guru, just a creative person, but I am also even better...I am the the end-result client for whom all of us toll.
I am "The Buyer", The "Consumer" and I am excellent at what I like and do not like, in Brand Advertising. I am the one who bothers to write to Companies and tell them what I like or do not like about their ads or products!(Heaven Knows I have had many years of practice!)
My Advice is to go with your heart...YOU have to live this and make it work and you can and will. What fits you and your situation best?
Just don't reach above(or below) those you hope to serve and be fresh, honest and have integrity and you will survive and succeed!
Good Luck, My Dear...there are many sharks in the Ocean, but there are even more of us GoldFish!!

"...there are many sharks in the Ocean, but there are even more of us GoldFish!! "

Yes, you've all come to the right place - and I am the end result for whom all of us goldfish troll...

Nosila a pro - don't believe everything you read. She's charging you right now!

Big Boy

Great ideas from all...and the advice even better and on the same wave length as I...but I am a little confused...will I be charged if I decide to use any of these names or slogans for my new business? I thought all ideas were free?!

You can drop off your Karma Check on the way out.

...I meant she's charging you, as in battery. It was late at the time...

As the motto goes, The Best in Life Is Free!

Time and Again

would seem to work well in both contexts, with a nice flavor of chores and repeat business.

For professional help creating company names & product names, contact Igor.

Building the Perfect Beast: The Igor Naming Guide to Creating Product and Company Names (free PDF)