How to register a business name

This may seem more challenging than naming a small business. The business name needs to be able to distinguish your business from your competitors. It should be unique and original. The name of the company is also regarded as its trademark. This means that the owner must register the company name and apply for a federal trademark to avoid plagiarism.

Let us take a closer look at the key aspects involved in researching and registering a business name.

Tips for naming a small business

How do I name my small business? Choosing a name for your business requires some research. It also means answering certain questions, such as whether the name of a business can be easily spelled and how the name reflects the business and its brand. When you brainstorm, follow these best practices for choosing a company name.

Easy to spell

If you have trouble spelling the company name, your customers may face the same problem. Make your business name easy to spell.A useful rule of thumb is Choose company name That is, the length is five to letters and contains at least one consonant.

Easy to pronounce

This is closely related to the hints about spelling. Your business name will be visible everywhere, from store signs to social media handles. It should be easy for anyone to name your business. In addition, the name should be attractive to your target audience.

Try to say the company name out loud. Listen to its voice. Just by listening to its name, can you understand the business or services provided by the company? Is it meaningful or beautiful? You can ask for a second opinion through family members, friends or business partners. Consider everyone’s feedback to create a meaningful and good-sounding company name.

Avoid clutter

It might look cool to have a company name full of special symbols (such as dollar signs or numbers). However, when customers try to recall the name of the startup company, this can confuse them. This can also cause difficulties in the future when choosing a domain name for a business.

Keep your company name tidy. Avoid using hyphens, numbers, and other special symbols.

Don’t rely on clichés

Remember to watch often Business core.

What is its value proposition? What does it do and what it offers is unique in its industry? Try to avoid thinking outside the box, it will confuse everyone. Keep the business name as concise and specific as possible.

Consider related keywords

This is often a useful strategy when determining your domain name, as is the choice of a small business name.

When naming your startup, consider using relevant keywords. For example, a bakery that sells cakes might use the word “cake” somewhere in its business name. (A good example is Susiecakes, a bakery and candy store in California.)

Keywords allow you to better describe your product in detail. Once you start choosing a domain name, this converts well for SEO purposes. Customers who enter relevant keywords in Google search will be able to find your business better. In the long run, this strategy goes beyond just allowing new and existing customers to find you online. Using keywords can help increase your overall website traffic and search engine rankings.

View lowercase URL

A family named “The Speed ​​of Art” It may be translated as “Speedofart” in its domain name on the website.

Once you view your company name in lowercase and treat it all as one word in its domain name, unintentional punchlines may appear in your company name. Please check this name carefully to avoid any potential embarrassment!

Do not worry

Pro tip: Take time to determine your company name. Your business name should be unique and memorable. It may take some extra effort to come up with such a name. You may find it helpful to brainstorm some options for your business, especially after you start preparing for trademark registration.

Perform a name search

Once you have prepared a few options for the small business name, you can start a name search. This name search allows you to check the availability of the company name before registering the company name.

You can search in several ways. The entrepreneur may decide to search through the trademark database.The United States Patent and Trademark Office provides a trademark database called Trademark Electronic Retrieval System (TESS) For entrepreneurs to search by name. When looking up a name, you will be able to see if any trademarks have been registered under that name or are waiting to be registered. In addition, you can find marks that are similar to your trademark or used for related products or related services.

If you don’t have enough bandwidth to perform such searches, that’s okay.third party Company registration and filing agency Companies that provide trademark search services may be helpful to you.

Do a domain search

Very similar to the name search for trademarks, similar searches for domain names can also be performed. If your exact name is not available, it might be a good idea to brainstorm some options available as a domain name.

Think about the domain extension you want. This may include options from dot-com (.com) to dot-org (.org). The extension you choose will depend on the type of business you start. For example, a non-profit organization might choose the dot-org domain extension. It is recommended that most companies choose the .com extension whenever possible.

The .com extension originally introduced for e-commerce sites is now considered the default domain extension.Studies have shown that over Half of the site Use .com.

Although the popularity of the .com extension may make it difficult to obtain, it is worth it for a variety of reasons. .com extension is one of them The most popular top-level domain (TLD) Because these domains have a large amount of backlink influence, they can even get better search rankings from the perspective of SEO.

Consider trademark monitoring services

Some third-party registration agencies may provide trademark monitoring services. This service helps to monitor your trademark application to ensure that no one else tries to use your unique business name while waiting for registration. If an external source does try to do this, the third-party registration service can quickly respond to the attempt.

The use of monitoring services can also provide entrepreneurs with detailed reports on any new registrations that may involve conflicting trademarks.It reassures entrepreneurs because they know their mark, and to be determined, is protection from possible Trademark infringement.

Apply for trademark registration

You brainstormed several business names and conducted a name search to make sure they can be used for trademark use. It’s time to protect the name. This is done by registering the business name as a trademark.

What are the benefits of trademark registration? Applying for trademark registration allows you to protect the valuable intellectual property rights of startups. It gives you exclusive rights to the trademark. This means that no one can legally use the trademark without the permission of the owner. Any attempt will be considered a trademark infringement and may lead to litigation.

You can file a trademark registration application directly with the Secretary of State in your state. The Secretary of State will provide you with the necessary trademark applications. Business owners will share information about who they are, what their business is, and the trademarks they wish to register. Each state has different types of trademark questions, including answering some of the following questions.

• Written description of the trademark.
• A brief description of the goods and services related to the trademark.
• How the trademark is used for these goods and services.
• The number and types of goods and services related to the trademark.
• The date when the applicant used the trademark in his business and its formation status.

After completing the trademark application, you need to sign and date the document, and then mail it (or send it by e-mail) to the corresponding office address of the Secretary of State.Must also pay the application fee (usually) By check, money order or credit card.

Some states, such as Missouri, may also require viewing Trademark sample. This can range from business cards to advertisements. Application requirements do vary from state to state, so it is best to consult with the local secretary of state before submitting an application.

If you do not have enough bandwidth to complete and submit a trademark application, you can also work with a third-party trademark application service. They will ask you some questions about your business and help you prepare your trademark application. The extra help of experts makes it easier to protect and register your business name.

Finally, it is possible to conduct business without registering a trademark. However, this puts your valuable intellectual property rights at risk of infringement. Instead of taking this risk, Consider registering Your trademark. Make sure that your business has exclusive rights to the trademark from the first day of business.

Deborah Sweeney is the CEO MyCorporation.com It provides online legal filing services for entrepreneurs and enterprises, including startup bundles including company and limited liability company formation, registration agency services, DBA, and trademark and copyright filing services.You can find MyCorporation on Twitter at @MyCorporation.