Nearly 28 million small business owners in the united states and over 22 million are running their own business. The latest technology has made it easier for individuals to run their own company without hiring a lot of employees, thereby eliminating overhead and excessive payroll costs.
Over half of the working human population (120 million people) will work in a small company. Presently there are a number of people that are employed in small businesses only waiting to gain enough capital to begin their very own business. The freedom of having your own business means you can work when you want on your own schedule rather than punching a time clock for an employer. You can work as much or as little as you like as long as you can make a profit in your business.
To create a company image or brand, the first thing that most people think about is the business name and the trademark symbol usually associated with it. The business name should be unique and should meet all the necessary requirements that the registration office will allow. However, the trademark is another story. You have to register your business trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Like the business name, the trademark should be unique and should meet the criteria for qualifications to get it approved. However, you have to consider that the business name itself can also be your trademark symbol, just make sure that the lettering and also the business name is unique.
If you have a patent then it may be wise to file your patent as soon as possible. The new law says that the first person to file is the person who is able to go out and market the invention first.
You have to realize the fact that registering your business name as well as the trademark symbol is very important. This is the logo that separates one company manufacturer from the other. It prevents confusion among consumers on which products to buy. For example, if you are looking for a pair of Nike tennis shoes, you look for the Nike logo which is the "check" sign usually associated in the tags and even put in the products. You identify that the shoes are authentic by the trademark symbol.
By registering your trademark with the Patent and Trademark Office, you can be sure that no other companies will try to use your trademark symbol as it makes it illegal for them to use without your permission. You should consider the fact that it is included in the intellectual property rights. Even the design of the product cannot be copies if you copyright the design with the Patent and Trademark Office.
If you register your business name and trademark, you will have exclusive use for it and will not allow other companies to put in your trademark and business name in their products just to make it sell. Since no one will be able to use the business name and the trademark of your company, you can be sure that your company’s reputation is protected.
It is also recommended that you should register your trademark as soon as possible in order to claim it first and avoid others from claiming your trademark as their own by registering it at the Patent and Trademark Office. However, you can temporarily copyright your trademark symbol via the poor man's copyright. To protect your trademark symbol through a poor man's copyright, all you need to do is enclose a copy of the design in an envelope and mail it to yourself. When the mail arrives, you will notice that there are stamps in it as well as the date received and delivered in it. Leave the envelope unopened and when someone claims it in the Patent and Trademark Office, you can present the unopened envelope to the Patent and Trademark Office. The PTO personnel will open the envelop and examine the trademark design in it.
You have to consider that registering your trademark will take some time to get approval. This is why you should considering hiring a lawyer that specializes in the patent and trademark law as well as the anti-piracy and intellectual property law. They will be able to help you with the different paperwork associated in filing a trademark registration. They will also examine your trademark symbol and make some recommendations in design changes if anything needs to be changed.
These are the things you need to consider when applying for a trademark registration with the Patent and Trademark Office. Remember this and you can be sure that you will protect your trademark as well as the reputation of your company.
Patents and Trademarks