When it comes to your brand, there’s nothing on this earth that’s more important to visibility. That’s the whole reason why you established the brand. Your brand, in essence, represents your style, your product, and the kind of personnel and customers you’ll attract. It’s one of the essential points of identity. Once you have the right branding and visuals in play, what’s your next step? Well, the next logical step is to register your trademark. Registering your trademark is the smartest thing you can do for your brand. If you’re still a bit iffy on the process or why you should even do it in the first place, here are 5 solid reasons why you absolutely should register your trademark:
1. True Ownership
Once you register your trademark, that makes it yours. That unique combination of symbols and words become solely yours. Nobody can use it. If they do, you can proceed with legal action. This makes the image of the company, the brand’s recognizable symbol, like yours. Every time someone sees that brand, they’re referring to you. The feeling of true ownership cannot be replaced. It’s a unique and special feeling, especially if you’re the head of your own LLC or Sole Proprietorship.
2. Added Value
Once you register that trademark, you immediately stand out in the world of business. You’re the one that registered and took the time to do so. This move invariably adds value to your operation. This is especially important if you have an online-based business. People copy everyone. People use the imagery and ideas of their peers. You lock yourself off from this unwarranted use of the intellectual property. According to a trademark registration lawyer, the registered trademark symbol adds legitimacy and even more value. They are, after all, the experts in this field. It’s their job to make sure there is legal and undeniable ownership of symbols and likeness. Value compounds over time with more and more eyeballs seeing what you do and how you do it. In the business game, that visibility is priceless, and so is the legitimacy sewed into it with the registered symbol.
3. Legal Strength
Once you register your trademark, after five years from that date, you can register for another assigned status called “incontestable.” This means that you’ve fully established yourself as the only known company with this trademark, and you get to receive triple the damages if another business is found using your trademark. You can bring your claims to federal court due to the federal jurisdiction of the “incontestable” label, and not just the state court.
4. Cost
If you don’t register your trademark, you might find that another company has already taken your idea and registered it from themself. This means you’ll have to scrap all the business cards and tarpaulins and signs you’ve made out of fear of getting sued. This, in turn, adds tremendous cost.
5. Expansion
Depending on where you are, you might not be able to expand your business without a registered trademark. If you’re in a good financial place now, this should be your priority. Further down the line when you’re in the full swing of expansion, it becomes a pain to have to go through the full registration process on top of what you already have to do
Registering your trademark is a move that you can’t afford to miss out on. It’s the stamp of approval that you need in the eyes of both the law and your peers. It brings so much more than legitimacy. It brings peace of mind.
Written by Steve Jones.
