Is a name change worth starting over?

[glitchfool]

Hello! So I’ve been getting serious about my time here in the past 4-5 months and I’ve been struggling with if I should have this account deleted for a new one. The thing is, my name is quite unprofessional, not to mention it doesn’t really inspire confidence or trust.

I’m thinking about long term here, and I worry that my name will negatively affect my overall ability to be effective. I am, as many buyers here, always friendly and professional with each client I work with. I’ve never had any complaints, but appearance is everything, especially with first impressions. A name like Glitchfool could easily cost me many sales. Or maybe not.

I don’t have many reviews (39), so it may be wise to do it sooner rather than later. I also don’t have any active business (aside from fund transferring) or many long-term customers.

I’d like to know the opinions of other sellers here. Like I said, I’ve really been struggling with this for a while, and I plan to build long-term.

Thank you!
Nick

[theratypist]

Nick, your work is cool! It would be sad to see your old profile go, especially the fact that you are a level 2 seller! I don’t think it would be easy to get that status back again once you start from zero, especially with the new changes around Fiverr since the time you’ve started last Feb 2015.

The category you are in isn’t really those “I will be your consultant on…” or “I will edit your resume” kind of gigs. It’s more on the playful or creative side, which is illustrating characters. I would even order from you now if I needed something like that done.

I’ll put it this way. If I searched for character illustration and your gig came up, I would not mind your username and I would base it on your gig portfolio and reviews.

Then again, it’s all up to you! Weigh your decision as you hear more opinions from other sellers. I hope you will come up with a conclusion soon. Keep doing great work!! 😃

[misscrystal]

Not if you have positive feedback. Keep it and do great work. That’s the main thing people care about.

[renflowergrapx]

I don’t know if you mind about my opinion, but i think that your nickname is really cool. Maybe “unprofessional” ? Who know. What i’m sure about is that professional should be your work not your name. There are a lot of “polite” nickname that does not inspire me at all. Trust me. I think that a nickname as yours can just bring you luck and makes you more easy to remember or notice. I would Encourage you to keep it, if the reason is the one you told. Because i do not honestly see any connection =) Do great work and be proud of it! And you will see that the name is something more, not less!

Good luck!

[glitchfool]

What kind words, thera. I really appreciate it.

Could you elaborate on the changes you mentioned? I’ve never heard of this.

[glitchfool]

Very sweet. Thank you, Ren.

[theratypist]

Gig packages! I’ve read somewhere that those with gig packages are prioritized more in the search, but I don’t really have any full proof that is true. And new users join the site each month, so there must be more people in your category so the competition will get a little more intense! 🙂

[palabara]

Your name is what you make off it. Its cleaver enough to be your brand. You just need to continue building it up, it’s what sets you apart, makes you unique.

[rachelbostwick]

It’s a really good question, and of course you have just enough reviews to make it complicated. If you weren’t an artist of some kind, I think I definitely would start over, with my proper name, or something specific to your gigs. Since you’re an artist, Glitch Fool would work fine as a brand, but I would say if you’re going to use it, commit to it. Go all the way. Design a logo for yourself incorporating the name and showing off your style. Use it as a small corner overlay for all of your gigs, to highlight the fact that you are a professional brand.

On the other hand, if you are thinking that you’d like to make your real name be your brand and you really don’t like glitchfool, you could just pretend your username doesn’t exist. I would put the friendly artist logo you made on all of your gigs, take GlitchFool out of your profile biography, and sign your name with your tagline on all of your correspondence.

I thought about it a lot and I don’t think I would throw the 40 reviews away. That’s your bedrock. Starting over from zero after that would not be fun.

[jamesbulls]

Your Fiverr handle doesn’t mean squat. I know lots of TRS’s on Fiverr whose handles don’t match their real names. The biggest reason your handle doesn’t matter? Not only does it not play any part in your Fiverr search ranking, buyers don’t care. A unique handle can contribute to the impression you make on buyers and can potentially be a turn-off if the handle is vastly different from your services (hande such as “poopypants” for services such as, well… anything), but speaking from experience as a buyer I can testify that the seller’s handle is usually the last thing I notice - and even then, I don’t go looking for it because I care more about the price, portfolio, and delivery time.

[glitchfool]

Having read over all of the very helpful posts, I’ve decided to keep my name. I really appreciate all of the well thought out answers that you lovely people wrote.

Thanks so much for your advice!

[writer99025]

Of course you should.

[writer99025]

I mean, keep the name.

[zoranfiver]

You should totally keep your name! Most buyers won’t care about your name, as long as you deliver quality work (which I’ve seen you do) and provide excellent customer support, your name won’t set you back.

Keep up the good work!

P.S. I find it easy to remember, and that’s a great thing!

[lutfia1313]

Is it possible for me to change the username? Anyway thank you for sharing your experience…

[jamesbulls]

No, you can’t change your handle. You can only close your account and start over again from zero.