How to choose the best trademark name for your business

Choosing your trademark name may be one of the most important decisions you make when starting up your business. You know that you want a memorable name but how do you go about finding one when so many obvious names are already being used in the marketplace?

Here are a few tips on choosing a name that is both suitable for your business and available in the marketplace in which you wish to trade.

1)     Know your potential customers

Do some research on the potential customers that you will be trying to appeal to. What is their age group? What are their interests? What name would appeal to them? Before you settle on a trademark to apply for, approach members of your potential market and ask for their feedback on the final list of trademark names that you have chosen. In this way you will learn which of the trademarks that you have chosen have a real impact on your chosen audience and would be successful in drawing in your future clientele.

2)     Decide on the image you want to portray

The brand image that you choose to show to the world is what will define your business to your customers and create the bond of trust that is so essential to your success. Think about how you can get your target audience to relate to your brand and which word or words would enable you to achieve this.

3)     Think about the future

When choosing a name, think about the goods and services you may expand to in the future as well as the ones that you plan on using it for initially. Names that aren't linked to your product are generally more successful in the market and give you more scope for expansion into other areas. For example, don’t choose a name like “John’s chicken wings” if you plan to sell ice cream in the future.

4)     Choose a strong name

You need to pick a name that is easily accessible to your target market i.e it is easy to spell, has the correct spelling, is memorable and is ideally made up of as few words and syllables as possible. Think of popular household names like “Fairy”, “Flash” and “Dove”. The shorter and sharper the name, the more memorable it is for a customer. Try to avoid using numbers and punctuation in your trademark as it can lead to unnecessary confusion for your target market and in the worst instance, a loss of customers.

5)     Check if your name is available

This is probably the most important step in the whole process. There is nothing worse than setting your heart on a particular brand name, launching your brand, acquiring the domain name and then finding out that the trademark that you wish to use is already registered by another company for the same goods and services. The easiest way to check if your desired trademark is available is to perform an initial search in your desired fields. At Lipex we can perform an initial search as well as a comprehensive search for you to clarify the availability of your chosen name in your chosen marketplace. Carrying out a comprehensive search significantly reduces the risk of your trademark application being rejected or opposed at a later date. If the trademark is rejected, you will lose your registration fee. An opposition from a third party with a similar mark can result in significant legal costs. So it is well worth investing in a comprehensive search up front.

For advice and more information on searching, acquiring, registering and enforcing Trademarks please visit our website, http://www.lipex.com.

Our unique database of trademarks for sale or license could save you time and help protect your brand.