How to Protect Your Trademark

Entrepreneurs take a lot of effort to build businesses that will sustain in the long run. However, many fail to protect their brand name by getting their trademark registered. What is a trademark? How to protect your trademark? Steps: 1. Be aware of the purpose of a trademark. A trademark protects your brand name, or any sign or symbol that allows your customers to differentiate your business or goods from your competitors. You can register a name, logo, slogan or strap line. 2. Be certain that your trademark is distinctive. Distinctiveness is important for the goods and services you sell. This means that they must not be similar or identical to any earlier marks for the same goods or services. 3. Apply for registration. If your trademark meets these requirements, you should consider applying for a registered trademark. Once your trademark is registered, you usually have to renew it every 10 years to keep it in force. 4. Recognize the benefits of having a registered trademark. Registering your trademark gives you the exclusive right to use your mark for the goods and services that it covers in the country(where the trademark is registered). It also gives you the right for preventing others to use an identical or similar mark in the same category of goods or services. 5. Be aware of the functions of a trademark. The trademark identifies the goods properly. It guarantees the unchanged quality of the goods, creates an image in the minds of the consumers and helps in advertising the goods. originated by: Anonymous, Sondra C, Maluniu, Flickety Source: www.wikihow.com