This question gets asked to me time and time again. When should my small business register its trademark? And I’ll give you the lawyerly answer, which is, it depends. I’ve recommended many of my clients to wait, but I’ve also recommended clients to start before their business even opens. If you aren’t sure if it’s time to register your trademark, use the following factors below, and see if any of them applies to you.
You’ve chosen a name that you don’t want anyone else to have
I have seen it so many times. Someone comes up with a name that they worked really hard to create, and soon enough, someone else starts using it. Now they’re trying to trademark it, and you have to battle over the name. If you had registered the trademark, you would already have the exclusive rights. Thus, the other company would have to choose another name. So if you are totally in love with a name and you CANNOT let it go, then do a search on Google and social media to make sure that name hasn’t already been taken. If it hasn’t been taken or you don’t think it’s been taken, then you can move forward to the next steps to register your trademark.
Your name is in the media
If you or your business has gone viral, then it’s time to move forward with the trademark process. As much as I deplore the family, the Kardashians do this ALL THE TIME. If anything they do goes viral, they try to cash in so that other people can’t use their trademarks for monetary gain. Registering your trademark takes about a year, so it’s definitely not something that happens overnight. But people are waiting on the sidelines to cash in. I covered a story on Instagram about Meg Thee Stallion trademarking “Hot Girl Summer,” but there was already someone who filed first. So now Meg Thee Stallion has to wait in line for her application to hit the trademark examiner’s desk. It sucks, but that’s how it goes in the trademark streets. Going viral happens in a snap second, so you want to be ready to file when it does.
Your business is sustaining itself
Many people don’t want to invest in their trademarks when they first open their business. The most common factors are not sure about keeping the name or your small business is unable to afford to register your trademark. If you don’t even know if you are going to keep the same name, why invest if you’ll have to pay for the new trademark? But the more common reason is that most small businesses can’t afford to trademark when they first open up shop. However, if you are consistently turning a profit that is actually sustaining your business, then it’s time to start looking into the trademark process. This means that people are actually buying from you. When your business is sustaining itself, more than likely, more companies are going to want to work with you. These companies are using you for your brand reputation. When your small business registers its trademark, these companies are going to take you more seriously and are more willing to invest in any collaborations that you do.
I believe that everyone should start looking into trademarking sooner rather than later. Even if you don’t register immediately, you will have some knowledge of how the process works and the costs. At that point, you can build a plan around it.
If you are ready to start the trademark process, use the form below. Wilson Murphy Law will be in touch shortly after.
Your business is growing and you’ve been hearing the buzz about registering a trademark all over entertainment blogs.
You also know people who have had their trademarks stolen and it’s something that lingers in the back of your mind. Some days you think, “That’s never going to happen to me”, and then you go in your Facebook Group and see that it happened to one of your cohorts.
In this post, we are discussing why it is so important for to register a trademark for your business’s name because many times it’s put on the back burner. There are many benefits that business owners don’t realize they receive after registration. Business owners know how important the legal aspects are, but don’t know where to start or how to grow their business.
But today, you’ll find that the sooner you file your application, the better so you can take advantage of these benefits.
1. You have ownership rights
This is THE #1 reason to register a trademark. Having ownership rights means that you actually own the name (in the case of word marks) in association with the product or service that you sell. Being the owner of a registered trademark allows you to enforce your mark against any infringers (see more about this below).
You also know that when you trademark a business name, it is officially yours and that you aren’t infringing on someone else’s mark. Building a brand on a name that belongs to someone is costly. It can result in shutting down your business, excess attorney fees to defend a lawsuit, and damages because the other party will take action if you get caught.
2. Use of the (R) symbol
The registered symbol informs everyone that your mark is registered and that you are ready to defend it against infringers. When you use the registered symbol, you are claiming rights as the owner of the trademark. The registered symbol can be used whether you’re on the principal or supplemental register.
You are only allowed to use the registered symbol after the TM Office approves your TM. If you use the registered symbol before approval then your application is in danger of denial because it is illegal to use that mark if your mark is not registered.
3. When you register your trademark, you have the ability to sue infringers in Federal Court
Once you register a trademark, it is your duty and responsibility to defend it. If you are not defending your mark, you are risking dilution. If your trademark becomes diluted, it does not have the same type of protection as it does when you first registered your trademark. In a nutshell, dilution occurs when someone uses a famous mark in a manner that blurs or tarnishes the mark. The easiest way to ensure that no is infringing on your mark is to monitor your trademarks (link).
When you decide to sue your infringers, the Federal Court presumes that you own the mark, if registered. This means that you have less to prove in court. If you win your case, then you can be awarded the following:
Court order (injunction) that the defendant stop using the accused mark;
An order requiring the destruction or forfeiture of infringing articles;
Monetary relief, including defendant’s profits, any damages sustained by the plaintiff, and the costs of the action; and
An order that the defendant, in certain cases, pay the plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees.
4. When you register a trademark, you own a valuable asset
Trademarks are one of the most valuable assets of your business. As you continue to grow, your trademark gains value. Brands like Apple, Coca Cola, Google, and Netflix have brands valued in the BILLIONS due to the brand recognition they’ve acquired. Once your brand is earning more and more recognition, other companies are going to notice you.
You can license your mark to another company to use for collaborations. A license is when you allow another company or person to use your trademark to make products or conduct services under a trademark licensing agreement.
Another way that you can use your trademark is to sell it. There are plenty of companies looking to acquire names that they love and have built their brand on, but you have the trademark. If you are no longer using the mark and have no plans on using it, you can sell and assign the mark over to that company. In the end, either of these strategies means money for your company. When you invest in your trademark, there’s many things you can do so that it earns money for you.
5. Use it for foreign trademark filing
Remember that filing your trademark in the USA only gives you exclusive rights in the 50 states of the USA. But you can file your trademark in other countries which many companies do for strategic reasons before they even file in the US, but that’s another story.
If you have your US trademark registration, you can use your US trademark registration as a basis for filing in another country. The Madrid Protocol allows you to seek registration in any of the countries that have joined the Madrid Protocol. You can file a single application, called an “international application,” with the International Bureau of the World Property Intellectual Organization (WIPO), through the USPTO.
Final thoughts on the benefits of registering a trademark for your business
There you have it, the 5 reasons that you need to register a trademark. If you have a name that you want to trademark, but aren’t sure that it’s up to par, then snag the trademark freebie below. It’s a guide that helps you understand the trademark process and mistakes to avoid when picking a name and filing an application.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
