One ofÌýtheÌýfirst steps many entrepreneurs take when starting aÌýbusiness (or thinking about starting aÌýbusiness) isÌýcrafting anÌýoriginal, creative, andÌýdistinctive business name orÌýlogo.
Having theÌýperfect business name orÌýlogo can help set you apart from your competition andÌýdevelop aÌýbrand forÌýyour business. Building aÌýstrong brand isÌýone ofÌýtheÌýbest ways toÌýcreate buzz about your business andÌýkeep customers coming back forÌýmore.
Once you have created aÌýbusiness name orÌýlogo that you love, it’s important that you protect itÌýandÌýprevent other businesses from using your mark. Without aÌýtrademark, competitors andÌýeven something outside theÌýscope ofÌýyour industry can dilute theÌývalue ofÌýyour brand andÌýyour business. That’s where trademarks come in.
What isÌýtrademark?
AÌýtrademark isÌýaÌýlegal, proprietary right you have over aÌýword, phrase, design, orÌýsymbol that prevents others from using itÌýinÌýaÌýway that could cause confusion amongst theÌýgeneral public andÌýyour potential customer base.
±õ´ÚÌý²â´Ç³Ü create aÌýunique logo forÌýyour business, you already have aÌýtrademark over that logo under common law even ifÌýyou never formally register theÌýtrademark. ±õ´ÚÌý²â´Ç³Ü find that somebody else isÌýusing your logo, you can enforce your common law trademark rights toÌýstop that person from infringing onÌýyour trademark.
But despite having aÌýcommon law trademark, enforcing those rights can beÌýaÌýdifficult battle. That’s why most businesses choose toÌýregister their trademarks with theÌýUnited States Patent andÌýTrademark Office (or “USPTO”). Having aÌýregistered trademark creates aÌýpresumption that you have theÌýpreemptive rights over theÌýlogo, andÌýmakes theÌýprocess ofÌýenforcing those rights much easier.
±õ´ÚÌý²â´Ç³Ü are not quite ready toÌýtake theÌýleap andÌýregister your business’s trademark, you can let theÌýgeneral public know that you are asserting your
Reasons ToÌýGet Trademarks
- toÌýprotect your business name, logo, slogan, orÌýother proprietary information andÌýprevent copycats
- registered trademarks andÌýother intellectual property may increase theÌývalue ofÌýyour business ifÌýyou ever sell theÌýbusiness
- aÌýunique business name orÌýlogo can help make your business more memorable andÌýrecognizable.
How toÌýget aÌýtrademark?
The process ofÌýobtaining aÌýregistered trademark ranges from being pretty easy toÌýreally difficult. You need toÌýfile anÌýapplication with theÌýUSPTO andÌýpay anÌýapplication fee (the fee starts atÌý$225). ±õ´ÚÌý²â´Ç³Ü want toÌýtrademark your business name andÌýyour logo, you will need toÌýfile aÌýseparate application forÌýeach.
The application will require that you provide information about theÌýbusiness name orÌýlogoÌý— more commonly known asÌýtheÌý“mark”. BeÌýprepared toÌýgive aÌýdescription ofÌýyour mark asÌýwell asÌýwhere theÌýmark will beÌýused andÌýinÌýwhat capacity.
You’ll also have toÌýsubmit aÌýspecimen ofÌýtheÌýmark. This isÌýnot merely anÌýimage ofÌýyour logo orÌýaÌýpicture showing your business name. The specimen needs toÌýshow that theÌýmark isÌýactively being used inÌýcommerce inÌýconnection with aÌýclass ofÌýgoods/services. For example, aÌýproduct label orÌýaÌýscreenshot ofÌýyour website could serve asÌýanÌýacceptable specimen.
The trademark application will also require you toÌýspecify aÌýclass ofÌýgoods orÌýservices forÌýtheÌýmark. The class should describe theÌýgoods that are being sold orÌýtheÌýtypes ofÌýservices being provided. Some classes are broad while others are very narrow. Choosing aÌýbroad class would give you aÌýbroader range ofÌýprotection, but itÌýmay create more difficulty inÌýregistering theÌýtrademark.
Choosing aÌýnarrow class, onÌýtheÌýother hand, will give you aÌýsmaller range ofÌýprotection, but aÌýbetter likelihood ofÌýregistration. You can select multiple classes, but you need toÌýbeÌýable toÌýshow theÌýmark being used inÌýconnection with each ofÌýtheÌýdifferent classes. Take note, trying toÌýregister your trademark inÌýmultiple classes may make itÌýmore difficult toÌýget theÌýregistration accepted.
After submitting theÌýapplication, many applicants will receive anÌýOffice Action from theÌýUSPTO. AnÌýOffice Action isÌýessentially aÌýpreliminary denial ofÌýyour registration. IfÌýtheÌýUSPTO thinks your mark isÌýtoo similar toÌýanother mark, forÌýexample, theÌýOffice Action will describe that andÌýwill offer different reasons andÌýlegal precedent forÌýwhy your mark should not beÌýregistered.
You may think you’re out ofÌýluck atÌýthat point, but you’re not! Since we’re talking about theÌýlegal system here, you have theÌýchance toÌýcounter.
You can write aÌýresponse toÌýtheÌýOffice Action andÌýgive theÌýUSPTO reasons why your registration should not beÌýdenied. ItÌýisÌýstrongly advised that you seek theÌýassistance ofÌýanÌýattorney with this, ifÌýyou haven’t already. Office Actions can beÌýdetailed andÌýcomplicated, andÌýyour response may need toÌýaddress legal precedent andÌýcase law toÌýsupport your position. Even with all ofÌýthat, theÌýUSPTO may still ultimately deny your trademark application.
IfÌýtheÌýUSPTO does not issue anÌýOffice Action, orÌýifÌýitÌýaccepts your response toÌýanÌýOffice Action, then your application will proceed through theÌýapplication process. This involves waiting…and waiting…and waiting.
The USPTO will need toÌýpublish notification ofÌýyour pending trademark registration andÌýgive others theÌýopportunity toÌýobject toÌýregistration. IfÌýthere are noÌýobjections orÌýother issues that come up, then it’s time toÌýcelebrate. The whole process typically takes around aÌýyear.
Since theÌýprocess toÌýget aÌýregistered trademark can potentially beÌývery difficult andÌýconfusing, itÌýisÌýalways aÌýgood idea toÌýseek theÌýadvice ofÌýaÌýlawyer. And while we’re onÌýtheÌýtopic ofÌýlawyers, let’s give aÌýdisclosure statement saying this blog isÌýnot meant toÌýbeÌýtaken asÌýlegal adviceÌý— we’re eCommerce experts, not aÌýlaw firm. :)
Check out Ìý— aÌý
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- Legal Docs forÌýOnline Stores: Protection andÌýTrust
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Low-Cost Legal Advice - Understanding theÌýTerms andÌýConditions Page
- Registering Your Ecommerce Business
- Protecting theÌýBrand: How ToÌýRegister aÌýTrademark