Archive for category Trademark Tips

Ten Steps to Choosing a Winning Trademark Name

Posted by admin in Trademark Law, Trademark Tips on January 6, 2011

Choosing a good name for your products takes effort. You can do it successfully if you take the following steps.

Nobody wants to choose a name, invest money and resources into their product, only to find out that the name has already been taken!

1. Think of features or attributes of your product

2. Make a list of these words

3. Think of your competitors

4. List these competitors, and make sure not to use them, or any similar sounding names

5. Narrow down your list to 10 or 15 names

6. Search on the internet for these names in every possible spelling

7. Document your findings; your list should be narrowed down to 4-5 names

8. Conduct a free search on the USPTO website

9. Conduct a search for business names using state directories, telephone directories, etc.

10. Order a comprehensive trademark search from a competent Trademark Attorney or the National Trademark Center*.

* In this final step, a search will be conducted on the final mark you have chosen. The results will be analyzed by Attorney Natalie Levy and an opinion letter will be drafted, explaining to you the likelihood of having  your name approved for registration, the competition, etc.

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The Importance of a Trademark Search

Posted by admin in Trademark Tips on November 30, 2009

At the National Trademark Center, we cannot stress enough how important it is to have a trademark search conducted for your trademarks. First, a search will find all relevant or similar marks that exist. By learning of the existence of these similar marks, you can make informed decisions about whether or not to use a mark you have already chosen. It is not unusual for a similar mark to be discovered in a trademark search. A search allows you to avoid a future conflict. Second, by having a trademark search conducted, you are protecting yourself from any future finding that you “willfully” infringed on another’s trademark rights.

Note, that there are many trademark services out there, and as with everything in life, you get what you pay for. Beware of the “$99 Trademark Search” or anything claiming to “guarantee” you a federal trademark. Just because you apply for a trademark doesn’t mean you are going to get it. And, just because you get a mark registered does not mean a third party won’t come along and challenge it. There are no guarantees in the law.

We at the National Trademark Center have specialized in Trademark Searches and Applications for trademarks, trade names, logos and all sorts of Intellectual Property protection for over ten years. Don’t take a chance with a novice.

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