Perhaps you’re just starting out with a great idea for a business, app, or service. But no business wants to stay unprotected for long. If you’re serious about finding help to protect your trademark and keep your business impenetrable, hiring a DC Trademark Attorney is a wise move. But what if you can’t afford to wait around for your trademark application to be processed? In some cases, you can expedite the procedure simply by making wiser choices when it comes to your trademark title. If you’re ready to file for a trademark today, here are a few things you can do to move things along a bit more quickly.
Research Your Choice
The best way to make sure you don’t deal with any unfortunate roadblocks is to make sure your domain name hasn’t been taken by somebody else. This might seem obvious, but remember: There are a lot of companies out there, and just because you’ll probably never come into contact with a CEO in another state or another country doesn’t mean you shouldn’t cover your tracks. The best (and fastest) way to make sure your trademark isn’t already taken is to search the USPTO database. The United States Patent and Trademark Office keeps track of every trademark every applied for and registered in the U.S. With a quick search, you’ll be able to see not only identical names, but ones that are simply too similar to your idea.
Use Your Trademark Immediately
Once you’ve got your trademark registered, you can’t waste any time putting it to good use. This doesn’t just mean building up your company presence at trade fairs and doing press. You need to establish your corporate identity online post haste. That way, cybersquatters and domain name bots won’t have a chance to hold your trademark name ransom and charge you a high fee for getting your web domain set up. You don’t just need to get people talking about your business. You need to use your trademark and image to create social media accounts. Before you’ve even launched, people should be talking about you.
Don’t Wait to Get Online
Remember, the longer you wait to build a web presence, the harder it will be to set up. You may imagine, with good reason, that building a business plan is a top priority. However, these days, you’re nothing if you’re not online. Even if your business has nothing to do with social media, investors and brokers will want to see that you’re set up online. Delaying this step will only hurt you in the long run. Also, being online will help you establish precedent in any legal battle concerning your trademark.
Respond to Issues Immediately
If you end up dealing with a conflict or opposition after applying for your trademark, don’t panic or try to sweep it under the rug. Instead, deal with the issue head-on by contacting the USPTO and getting your lawyer involved. If you want your trademark to be approved fast, don’t ignore problems when they come up. Tackle them quickly and without any mess.