Business Owner’s Guide to Trademarking Your Logo
Once you’ve chosen a logo for your business, product, or service, it will be beneficial to secure the trademark rights to that logo. A trademark is a symbol, design, phrase, or other device used by a person or an entity to distinguish itself in the marketplace. A trademark is your brand, so it will be important to protect that brand from competitors. The trademarking process isn’t difficult, but it can be time consuming and quite frustrating. It is always best to solicit the help of a trademark attorney when navigating these waters. Here is an idea of what you can expect when trademarking your logo in the United States: Conduct a Trademark Search Before you start the process, it will be necessary to ensure that no one else is using your logo (or a logo that is extremely similar to yours). In order to do this, a trademark search must be executed. If the logo already exists, you could be infringing on the copyright to that design. While you can conduct your own search, it is always recommended to hire an attorney who has a firm understanding of how the search criteria works, and who has the expertise to analyze the results of the search. Securing the Trademark Once your search is complete and you’ve determined that no one else is currently using your logo, you can move on to securing the trademark for yourself. There are several ways that you can do this. First, you can simply begin using your logo in advertising and printed materials. However, the use of your logo only grants you limited rights. If you’re only planning on using your logo within a single state, you can apply for a trademark with the office of the Secretary of State in that particular state or commonwealth. If you use this method, you won’t be protected if you expand your business, however. […]