You can trademark a business name, a logo, and a slogan, these all come under the trademark registration for any corporation.
Whenever you go for trademark registration, you offer legal protection for your firm and maintain and safeguard its
distinctive specifications on the battlefield. But wait how can you navigate the getaway to US trademark registration
authority for your corporation’s name?
The comprehensive trademark registration process is infused with legal terminologies and can be difficult to comprehend,
particularly if you are a new entrepreneur. This complete guide on business name trademark registration lets you explore
the whole procedure in 7 easy steps.
A quick glimpse of business name trademark registration
1. File US Trademark is fundamental for brand reputation, making sure that other companies cannot exploit your business name.
2. The trademark registration process is quite challenging and prolonged and probably needs assistance from a neutral party who will handle the entire documentation process.
3. When you trademark a business name, it provides plenty of advantages, comprising legal ownership, enhanced visibility, and hold on against the competitors.
What is Meant By Trademark?
A trademark is a sort of intelligence property that assists in fortifying your brand by differentiating it from competitors in the battleground. When you register a trademark for your business name, logo, slogan, or branding structure, you can take legal action against those who try to misemploy brand names that are similar to your brand name or give a false account of your brand.
The main characteristic of your company is the trademark that grabs the customer's attention and makes their jaws drop. Moreover, you can say that a trademark is the prime focus for the general public, providing trust and reliability to all the old and upcoming customers.
What is The Difference Between Trademark & Copyright?
People get demented between the trademark and the copyright. The similarity between them is that they both foster legal protection of intellectual property. When it comes to trademarks, it protects the identification of the brand listing from the brand name to the structure components associated with that brand.
While copyright safeguards genuine works of authorship, comprising movies, novels, books, songs, computer software, and architecture works. It prevents others from copying your work by providing copyright registration.
How to Register a Trademark for Your Business?
Trademark registration plays an important character in protecting your business image and accommodating you via the trademark registration application process. To eliminate the challenges entangled in it, you must follow these guidelines to stand out.
-
1. Choose if a Trademark Is Perfect For You
If you are on a common law trademark then it has some restrictions to protection in the industry you have been working for. This kind of trademark is best for entrepreneurs who don’t want to expand their brand in the future. But if you plan to widespread your brand then you must require a federal trademark, that’s the only possible method to apply your rights countrywide.
To impose for federal trademark, you must begin with the U.S Patent and Trademark Office. The only federal representative for registering trademarks. Once you get the acceptance from USPTO, then your business is fully secured and legally abides by the regulations.
-
2. Recognize Your Class
Before proceeding with the trademark registration application process and the documentation process, is more in-depth trademark registration search is required. First, you should evaluate the trademark classification your products or services fall beneath.
The USPTO has categorized 45 trademark classes and it further classified them based on their applications. Out of 45 classes, 34 classes are based on products, and the other 11 classes are based on service categorization.
Selecting thoughtfully is essential to safeguarding your merchandising or service across all related classes, if you fail to do so then your competitor will get a free hand to misuse your brand name for an unlisted category of merchandise.
-
3. Hunt For Current Trademarks
The main reason for a business trademark registration name is to make sure that no one else gets the chance to misuse it for similar aims. So whenever before registering a trademark, you must make sure that it is obtainable or not.
If you ignore this step, then there is a high chance your application may not be accepted if your name is already listed. You know what? an identical good or service footprint can reject your trademark application process.
-
4. Ready For Trademark Application
After all the required work, now you have to apply for your trademark registry. Make sure your trademark application is precise and contains all the important details that will take you one step forward to successful trademark registration USA.
For submitting your application, you will utilize the TEAS (Trademark Electronic Application System). Your application must comprise details about the business, the name of the business, a description of the mark or name, the class of trademark, and the trademark registration fee payment.
-
5. Manage Your Trademark Registration Application
The moment your trademark registration application is accomplished, then you have to submit or file your trademark application through TEAS. There are two filing choices available: TEAS standard and second is TEAS plus. If you opt for plus then you save an immense amount of fees.
The procedures need high fees, so you have to take every step carefully and always look for the techniques to minimize the expenses. The application process is high-priced because for each class you pay a filing fee for that. The first application costs between $250 which is for the TEAS plus option and $350 for the TEAS standard plan, and for each modern class you listed for costs another $250 to $350.
-
6. Collect USPTO Trademark Registration Approval or Rejection
You will receive a filing receipt with a serial number once you have applied for the application. After that, your application will be handed over to the government lawyer. If any problem is found, they will send you a letter commonly recognized as “office action” elaborating why your application has been declined.
The application process can last 12 to 18 months, depending on how instantly your trademark is approved. Usually, the first process step takes a longer time. The reasons for the rejection can be confusion with the existing trademark, incorrect descriptions, and incorrect evidence of ownership.
The applications that are accepted will get published in the USPTO’s digital journal giving a choice to the world to rebel against your registration. If someone raises a problem, then you need a lawyer and you have to appear before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. But If no one rebels your trademark in 30 days then you are considered an officially registered trademark.
-
7. Keep Up Your Trademark
Hearing the news that your trademark is accepted is no doubt a major reason for a grand celebration. But you don’t have to forget that it won’t last forever. You must renew your trademark every 10 years to keep it active and maintained in this competitive era of businesses.
As you know trademark renewal needs numerous filing costs and loads of documentation processes, you can proceed to our convenient Managed Trademark Renewal services to take the authority and power to take a load off your shoulders.