Thinking about filing a trademark? Here’s how to get the most bang for your buck when meeting with your attorney—especially if they are billing you hourly!
- Clear your business name before you start. This prevents costly rebrands, stressful cease-and-desists, and the anxiety-inducing panic and confusion that comes from needing to rename a company you spent so much time building. Having to tell clients that their proposed mark is no good is our least favorite thing to do.
- Prep well. Every trademark application will need certain information. Come armed with a packet including the following:
-
- The trademark you want to register
- The date (month and year) you came up with your trademark
- The date you started using your trademark to “sell” things (this might be the same date as the item above, or it may be different)
- A file with photos, scans, or screenshots of your product or service featuring your proposed trademark.
- The names of other competing businesses (helpful if the attorney needs inspiration for the description of your services)
- Be patient. The trademark application is a long one, averaging around 6-9 months. Be patient and know that your attorney is keeping track of things.
- Put renewal dates on the calendar. Remember, you must renew trademarks after 5 and 10 years (and every 10 years thereafter). Put those dates in your calendar up front so there are no surprises later!
