If you own your own business, and have never heard of a trademark, or do not know exactly what a trademark entails, it can be a difficult decision to decide to get one. Knowing what you are getting is important in any aspect of life, but especially when you are running your own business. However, it is really beneficial for you to have a trademark, as it will really help you in your business. A Utah trademark attorney wants to help you get your trademark if it is right for you. The attorney will help you through the long and complex process of getting a trademark so that you do not have to do it all by yourself. In this article, we are going to talk about trademarks so that you can know what you are getting.
Slogan, Symbol or Color
A trademark is intellectual property that will belong with your business. It can be anything from a slogan, symbol or color. Examples of this would include the golden arches of McDonald’s. The symbol is the trademark that represents that McDonald’s brand. That is exactly what a trademark is. It is a sign or symbol that customers can associate with a brand. Having a trademark will ensure that you will get to keep those elements that people associate your brand with. It is so important to make sure that you protect the rights to your branding so that you.
Function of a Trademark
The function of a trademark is to protect the intellectual property of your business. Without a trademark there is potential that someone could steal your branding and then use it for themselves and claim it as their own idea. Although that is not fair or ethical, there is nothing that can be done for you if there is no trademark. However, if you choose to get a trademark, and that happens to you or your business, then you will have the ability to press charges against those who may have stolen your ideas. Whether or not it is intentional, it is always frustrating to find that someone has copied your branding. So, getting a trademark will ensure that your intellectual property will be able to stay yours.
How to Get a Trademark
Getting a trademark is a long process. It takes a lot of researching to make sure that the trademark is not already taken. After making sure that the sign is able to be trademarked, you will then have to send it to the USPTO where an examining attorney will look over it and make sure that everything is correct. However, if there is any sort of error it will be sent back to you so that you can fix it. But this overall process is extremely time consuming and difficult so it will be a lot smoother if you hire an attorney. Hiring an attorney will ensure that everything is done correctly and will make sure that you will not have to be in correspondence with the examining attorney.
Conclusion
If you did not know what a trademark was, now you should. It is important to know what it is if you are wanting to protect the intellectual property of your business. The next time that you are considering getting a trademark, remember what it is, and what the benefits are. Good luck!
