Naming your Business: The Importance of Choosing a Proper Brand Name

Your business name is important to your business. It can be an asset or a liability. I’m going to share with you how you can avoid having to rebrand your business after investing money and time into it.

 

First thing to know is that the more descriptive the name of your business is of your services or goods, the weaker it will be as a brand.  For example, if your product is coffee and you choose the name “Delicious Coffee,” since the word “coffee” is right in the name, your brand will actually be weaker.  Also, the more descriptive the name is the greater the likelihood a competitor will be using the same or a similar name, and who knows, they may already have the rights to it.

Second, you must do a search of the name to see if it is available.  Once you have a decided on a name for your business, product, or program there are a few simple steps that YOU can take to see whether that name is already out there in the market:

•         Easiest is to do a Google search and LOOK BEYOND THE FIRST PAGE OF RESULTS!
•         Do a search on Facebook; does anyone have a page under that name?
•         Check with the Secretary of State in your state
•         Conduct a search on the USPTO.gov website; the basic search is easy

Realize that trademarks and branding are not as simple as a minor change like tweaking the spelling, or adding, deleting, and/or reversing some words. Always consider this question: Will consumers be confused between your brand and the brand of another?

Save yourself the headache, aggravation, and money of having to deal with an infringement suit or a rebranding later on.  Even if you have been using a name for a few years, you should conduct a search to ensure your use is legit, if it is then you should consider obtaining federal registration, if not you may want to consider changing it.

If this has raised some red flags, let’s have a quick chat and see where you are at in your business.

Stay tuned for our next tip on how to avoid making major legal mistakes in your business.

If you have questions about your brand or logo contact the Law Office of Jason H. Rosenblum, PLLC today by clicking here: Contact Us 

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney.

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