Simple Steps for Businesses to Protect their Brands

When many people think about trademarks, they think of those belonging to large businesses. Trademarks like Nike, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, and Mercedes-Benz are owned by corporations that spend tens of millions just on their brands. But all businesses can and should take proactive steps to protect their brands and avoid the more expensive, nearly inevitable, alternative.



At the most basic level, a trademark refers to any word, name, symbol, or device, or any combination used to identify and distinguish your goods from those manufactured or sold by others and to indicate the source of your goods. Because their purpose is to tell consumers where a product or service comes from, trademarks are extremely valuable even to smaller businesses. They represent the hard work you put into building a good reputation.

Still, in view of the huge sums of money that large businesses spend on their branding, you may feel that an investment into your brand trademark is not realistic. Or you may feel that with so much on your plate you don’t have time to start. Let’s take a deep breath. While you could spend millions like McDonald’s, Nike, or Disney, that kind of investment is probably not necessary at your stage. Moreover, with the right plan in place, effectively protecting your brand doesn’t have to consume your time. The following three simple tips are affordable to implement, will improve the strength and security of your brand, and will help you avoid large, unnecessary, legal expenses in the future.

Choose a good trademark. One of the most common challenges in trademark registration and litigation is trying to protect a mark that does not effectively distinguish the desired products or services. In trademark law there are five categories of trademark strength. The first and strongest category is “fanciful.” Fanciful marks are made-up terms or words. Because these marks consist of made-up words, they can be associated exclusively with your products. The second category is “arbitrary.” Arbitrary marks are not made-up words, but because they have no inherent relationship to the products or services for which they are used, they can have great strength in causing consumers to identify the source of those products or services. The third category is “suggestive.” Suggestive marks, as the name implies, give consumers an idea of the product or service, but fall short of making it obvious. Suggestive marks can still be registered and protected trademarks, but are not as strong as fanciful or arbitrary marks. The fourth category is “descriptive.” Trademarks in the descriptive category, are considered weak, and can only be registered and/or protected with proof that consumers associate the mark with your products. As the fourth category is weak, adopting descriptive marks is discouraged. The last category is generic. Generic terms can never be registered as trademark. For example, you would register term “grass” as a trademark for a business selling grass. Generic terms are reserved for all businesses to use.

4 Reasons Why Small Business Owners Need to Keep Meticulous Records

In the rush to get orders completed, client projects started, and inventory put away, some small businesses end up neglecting record keeping processes. Though it feels easier to fudge a few things now, meticulous records matter in many aspects of running your business, from keeping track of employees to filing your business taxes. They can not only help you find important documents down the road, but also save you from legal troubles down the road. Here are four reasons a small business should keep meticulous records.

Tax Season is Easier

Businesses take a lot of tax deductions. Sometimes those deductions depend on your keeping track of your receipts and business expenses. The IRS won’t accept bank statements and bookkeeping, no matter how detailed, as adequate records to prove you actually incurred those business expenses. They want receipts.



Keeping track of receipts may seem annoying and messy, but it’s an essential part of your business’s record keeping. To make it easier on yourself, scan your receipts with a Neat scanner or take pictures of them with your phone. Digital files will keep your paper clutter down, and they’re much easier to archive and reproduce when tax season comes and you’re trying to figure out your total deductions. By the way, you’re allowed to write notes and clarification on those receipts, too. Write down which client you took to which restaurant for what kind of meeting, so you can jog your memory when you look at the receipt a year later.

Tracking Employee Attendance is Simpler

Every office has some form of time sheet to keep track of employee attendance. Paper time sheets or punch cards are extremely inefficient ways of keeping track of employee hours. They can get lost, altered, or damaged, which leaves you left guessing.

Express Yourself – Ways to Give Your Small Business Personality

Getting attention from customers is something that all new businesses strive for. The brand identity that is established can be built upon, but if not managed carefully can actually be damaging. Building a brand doesn’t always have to come with a huge budget, as there are many cost-effective ways that can help build a brand. Here are some ways to do this and get noticed by customers

Signage or Banners

Showing personality in a small business’s signage or banner is extremely important, especially in a small town. People should be able to tell at a glance from signs or vinyl banners what a business does or provides. This can be one of the best marketing tools in a town where everyone knows everyone. Having updated and new signage shows pride in a business, as old faded signs might show character but they also show neglect from the business owners or staff. A prominent sign or banner can make a business get noticed quickly and even build rapport. Funny quips or a saying on a banner or sign can help humanize a business, which can improve its customer loyalty down the line.