Registering
Trademarks
The typical small
business will not need to register a trademark, particularly if you
have secured a company name that is effectively your brand identity.
The main reason
that small businesses do not do this, is that is expensive, and there
may be little value to others in copying it.
As your brand becomes
more widely known or you anticipate it will be, then registering trademarks
can become more useful. The registration process does not in itself
stop others using your brand or logo, but it makes it easier to put
people off or take legal action against them.
If you export overseas
then you may find a local company has a stronger hold on your company
name or international domain name because they have chosen to register
it as a trademark.
In essence you have
to ask how much your brand identity is worth to you and compare that
against the costs of registration, and potential defence costs later.
If you want to register
a trademark, most solicitors will be able to recommend a suitable specialist
trademark and patent agent. Their costs may vary, but expect to pay
£1000+.
You can attempt
the process yourself. For the UK (and Europe) consult the UK
Patent Office, or for the USA the US Patent Office.
