Made a bad business error....

[TTlover]

Hi all.

I am messaging to ask for your advice.

I am considering setting up my own business

I made an Instagram account and a Facebook account with the business name.

When I looked at an online handbook for ‘getting your name out there’ it said about typing similar businesses in the search bar and ‘following’ clients from there. So that’s what I did.

This evening, I’ve had one of these local business’ message me saying that I’m terrible for trying to poach clients and that their clients are disappointed with me.

I do feel terrible, but I just really wanted to get my business name out there.

Shall I change my business name based on this experience? I get frightened that local people will now know me as ‘the business who pinches other people’s clients’.

I know it was a sneaky move - but I’m desperate to get out of the job I’m currently in.

Thank you.

You haven’t pinched anything and I very much doubt it’s the clients who are disappointed.
Obviously don’t do anything unethical but it doesn’t sound like you’ve done anything wrong to me

So all you've done is followed people on FB?

Nah, ignore them. Why would their clients complain to them anyway?

Don’t be desperate. Unless you have a one in a million groundbreaking product, businesses take time to build.

I don’t think you need to change the name.

But you do need to find a way to let prospects know how you can make their lives better.

Good luck!

The clients are disappointed in you? Then they don't have to use you. Having a similar name to a local business would be weird, but there's room for more than one garage/nail bar/ personal trainer in each town.

Follow who you like on Instagram.