One of the most important steps you will take before your first sale is naming your business.A strong, recognizable name helps instill customer confidence in your capabilities and establishes brand recognition for your services or products.Administrative steps must be taken at a local, state, national and global level to protect your business name from theft.
Step 1: "Doing Business As" is a phrase.
In some counties, your local county clerk's office is usually responsible for handling DBA applications.A DBA adds protection against business name theft and lets consumers know who actually owns a company.Some counties require DBAs to be published in the local newspaper classified advertisements for a certain amount of time.Do you have to pay for this type of announcement?
Step 2: You should register your business name with your state government.
Since these businesses don't compete with other businesses around the nation or world, a state trademark is useful for them.State trademarks can be used to protect against name theft.
Step 3: You can join the Chamber of Commerce.
Local brand name recognition can be created by participating in a chamber of commerce.Public awareness can help prevent future entrepreneurs from stealing your business name.Your chamber newsletter is a good place to announce your new business.
Step 4: You can register your business name on the internet.
An internet web address protects you against future entrepreneurs who want to use your name for their website.Obtain an Internet web address for your business by calling your internet service provider.Consider purchasing additional internet web address extensions, such as ".net," ".biz" and "If another party tries to use your name on the internet, this protects you.
Step 5: There is a federal trademark.
If your business has customers in other parts of the country and the world, a federal trademark is critical to ensure another business doesn't take the same name.To find names similar to yours, check your national trademark registration authority.You can file an application if another party hasn't used your business name.If your business name is already taken, look for another name.If your business name is available, consider filing the trademark application yourself.You can learn how to file the correct paperwork with self-help books.If the trademark application is too cumbersome, you should hire a lawyer who specializes in trademark applications.
Step 6: Business communications should include trademark notifications.
Businesses can know that you have legal claims to your name.If your business name appears in your website and print communications, you should type it in super-script.Once your trademark application is approved, replace the "tm" with a capital R.The name is registered with this symbol.On a Macintosh computer, the symbol is typed with the "Option" and "R" keys, while on a Windows-based computer you can use theALT key.