I was attending a morning meeting in Sydney earlier this week and, as always given where I am based, by the time the second coffee had arrived the conversation had shifted to the China market.

It's the billion dollar question of course (gambling - or more correctly - the patient waiting game for its legalization - remaining the key issue), but for those people starting to market their services to buyers in China then you have some more fundamental things to tackle apart from counting the potential dollars (horse before the cart stuff rather than vice versa).

Your company name and how it's perceived for starters. Did you know, for example that the (very non thoroughbred) brand Coca Cola, was reportedly given the Chinese equivalent name of "bite the wax tadpole"?

A somewhat unfortunate state of affairs one could say.

Doris Ho from Brand Channel has written an excellent article titled "Naming: Entering the Chinese Market".

"As the Chinese saying goes, a badly chosen name or vision will hinder all subsequent efforts to success. This may sound overly dramatic, but not if you understand the significance of names in the Chinese context

"...In the same way, your Chinese brand name is an embodiment of your brand's culture, values, personality and vision. Care should be applied in transferring valuable equity over from the English brand name."

The article provides a user-friendly guide to finding a good Chinese brand name, choice of Chinese characters, what works best in individual markets, and finding the "right fit". They are things we have to think of daily living and working in Asia but it's surprising how often non-Chinese companies don't even give it a second thought. (Remember: "When in Rome ...")

What the article does not canvass is the need for you to register your name/trademarks in China. The protection of Intellectual Property is vital in all markets but particularly in China where IP theft remains rampant and you are also competing with a huge number of companies entering the market. A good IP lawyer (I would not recommend using one without direct experience of the China market) will be able to assist you with these matters.

Remember - in the rush to enter a market we can often forget the things that will protect our brand longer term. Taking the time to ensure your name is protected and enhanced by a new language - and is legally protected from misuse - provides a good foundation to any future marketing campaign.