Your business’s trademark is one of the most important elements of your company’s brand name. Failing to protect your trademark means failing to protect your business’s reputation. The trademark registration process involves costs and effort, but these more than pay off in the long run.
Before you decide whether to go to the effort of registering your business trademark, it’s worth considering how to complete the process, what to expect, and how the long-term benefits of trademark registration can pave the way for brand security.
What is business trademark registration?
A business trademark is any combination of a name, logo, phrase, or symbol representing your business. A good example of a trademark known worldwide is that of Nike, the world’s largest supplier of athletic footwear.
Nike’s brand trademark consists of the brand name Nike, the phrase “Just Do It,” and the famous swoosh — the check-mark-shaped logo that appears on all Nike products and has become synonymous with the brand name.
This combination of name, brand, and logo makes up Nike’s brand trademark, and this wouldn’t have been possible without trademark registration.
A look at the benefits of trademark registration
When you register your business’s trademark, you prevent others from using your business’s branding. This helps ensure your brand name remains distinct and associated with your company alone.
Some of the key benefits of trademark registration include:
- Ensuring no other business can use your name, logo, or keyphrase
- Securing online domains with your business name
- Protecting your reputation
- Avoiding customer confusion
- Stopping others from attempting to sell imitations of your products
- Reducing legal costs down the road
- Stopping others from trying to register similar trademarks
Trademark registration offers protection on many fronts. Having a registered trademark also saves you from needing to take legal action when someone imitates your brand and significantly reduces legal costs if legal action ever becomes necessary.
The Trademark Registration Process: What You Should Know About the Steps to Take
The trademark registration process can be complicated. The best way to avoid mistakes, extra costs, and unnecessary delays is to hire a trademark lawyer to complete your application process.
Trademark registration occurs through the United States Patent Trademark Office (USPTO). You must submit a separate application for each element you want to trademark. For example, a name, phrase, and logo would require three separate applications.
Furthermore, the USPTO requires different applications based on the type of trademark. Names and phrases require word-mark applications, while logos and images require design-mark applications.
The application process requires an extensive list of documentation, such as when your company began using the element being trademarked and the category of goods and services your company falls into.
During the registration process, your application moves through several stages. The entire process can take from a year to a year and a half to complete. However, if you want legal protection for your intellectual property, it’s well worth the time investment.
Expenses to Expect with Trademark Registration
Trademark registration can range in price. According to the USPTO website, costs for filing a single trademark can begin at $250 or $350. However, you’ll also need to pay an application fee, and it’s common for additional fees to be tacked on later in the process.
Two of the biggest factors that impact trademark registration costs are the number of trademarks and the goods and services category. You have to pay separately for each element being trademarked, and fees are repeated for each category your company falls into.
The safest way to keep trademark registration costs low is to work with a trademark registration lawyer. A lawyer will be able to give you an assessment of your costs upfront. Their experience will also help ensure you avoid unnecessary costs and that the process is completed efficiently and correctly from the start.
Connect with Our Dallas, TX, Business Trademark Lawyers
Trademark registration is one of the most important moves you’ll make to protect your brand name. The Sul Lee Law Firm is a business law firm in Dallas, TX. Call us to speak with an experienced Dallas trademark attorney about how we can help with the trademark registration process.