If you have a company, you might have a slogan or an image that you want to trademark. Trademarking this sort of thing that is applicable to your company is extremely important because it allows you to make sure that you protect your brand. This will also allow you to increase the amount of brand recognition your company gets, since no one else will be able to use your trademark. However, the trademark process can take quite a bit of time and be rather frustrating. Here are some tips for speeding the process up so that you can focus on other things.
1. Increase How Unique Your Mark Is
The trademark office is going to look at your trademark and see whether it is unique and distinct enough that you are actually able to legally complete the process. The trademark office tries to avoid trademarking any items that are too general because this would mean that many images couldn't be used by the general public. If you don't have a trademark that is very distinct and very unique, then you are going to risk being considered to be too general and have your trademark request thrown out. Talk to a trademark lawyer to get his or her opinion on the distinctness of your trademark to make sure that you are going to be successful.
2. Use Your Mark
When you file a trademark request, you are going to have to state whether you are intending to use it in the future or if you are currently using it. Be sure that you start using your trademark right away so that you can tell the trademark office this. The reason why you want to take this action is because it eliminates a step in the process. If you say that you are intending to use the trademark, you will have to receive permission and then start using it. If you have already started using it, then you won't have to worry about getting a "Notice of Allowance."
3. Don't Wait to Respond
Tell everyone in your office to be on the lookout for any information coming from the trademark office. Whenever you receive a query or other form that you need to fill out, be sure that you do so right away in order to keep the ball rolling on your trademark application.
For more information, talk to a trademark attorney.
