Five Tips to Use When Selecting a Trademark

Selecting a trademark is no laughing matter. A trademark is the slogan, symbol, or name customers associate with your business, so it needs to be simple, memorable, and purposeful.

Selecting a trademark can be a long and difficult process, but if you consider these five tips, you may just have an easier time.

Know your Purpose
The U.S. currently ranks just ninth per capita in patents and trademarks, and for good reason. The market is competitive, and without a purpose, your trademark may flounder. Trademark law affords different levels of protection (and in some cases no protection at all) depending on the nature of the term (or terms) you choose as your trademark.

Be Unique
In the last two decades, patent and trademark lawsuits have increased from just under 500 to over 3,000 annually. For this reason, you need to ensure that your trademark is unique enough to warrant adequate protection.

Know What You Sell
Just like a patent attorney sells services regarding intellectual property law, your business provides a product or service to customers. Your trademark decision should take those services into consideration. For the average business, trademark protection is limited within the market for the goods or services that it sells.

Know Your Goals
No matter what your goals are in business, it’s essential to know what pre-existing trademark rights are out there. If a business owner has possession of unregistered “common law” trademark rights, they might prevent you from entering key markets even after you obtain registration.

Hire Trademark Attorney Services
Although countless people will say they’ve successfully registered a trademark on their own, it’s absolutely crucial to have the help of someone who is experienced in trademark attorney services. Through them, you will gain a better understanding of the legal proceedings, as well as gain an advantage in the selection of your trademark.

In 1790, the cost of a patent was below five dollars. The process has gotten more complicated since then, and in order to achieve maximum understanding and success, you need to be aware of the inner workings of trademark law, as well as use these five tips to your advantage.