Intellectual Property for Business Owners – 10 Things You Should Know
Your business has intellectual property made up of your collective ideas, innovation, and intelligence. Your intellectual property can include trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights, and patents. There is no arguing the fact that intellectual property has value. A trade secret like the recipe for Coca-Cola can give a company a competitive advantage that lasts for a […]
Brand Name, Product Name, Business Name – What’s the Difference?
Did you know that a brand and business are not the same thing? The names could match, but they’re not the same thing. Did you know that a product and a brand are not the same thing? Again, the names could match, but they’re not the same thing. Are you confused? Don’t worry. You’re not […]
Trademark Scams – Don’t Pay for What You Don’t Need
In a previous blog post, I shared some tips to protect yourself from trademark scam letters, and unfortunately, the number of scammers continues to grow. That means you need to understand how these scams could affect you so you don’t spend unnecessary money or time thinking about them. The Trademark Scam Letter You filed a […]
Demystifying Copyright Symbols
Be confused no more! I’m about to take the guesswork out of how to create and use a proper copyright notice. You see copyright symbols all the time but may not be sure what the symbol really means. The copyright symbol, the letter C in a circle, or ©, may be used for any “original […]
Trademark Scams are on the Rise – How to Protect Yourself
Owners of U.S. trademarks (applicants and registrants) routinely receive trademark-related solicitations by mail and/or email purporting to be official notices or advertisements from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) requesting payment of fees. These are trademark scams and you need to familiarize yourself with them so you can protect yourself from spending money unnecessarily! […]
5 Intellectual Property Mistakes that Could Cost Your Business More than Just Money
Every business has intellectual property that has the potential to become extremely valuable, but if you don’t protect it from the very beginning, you could face big problems down the road. Not only could you end up in legal trouble, but you could also lose opportunities to expand your brand into new verticals, industries, and […]
Trademarks, Copyrights and Common Law: Possession is Only Nine-Tenths of the Law
There is a maxim that tells us, “Possession is 9/10’s of the law.” However, that doesn’t mean you can ignore the remaining 1/10. In fact, doing so when it comes to your trademarks and copyrights could cause irreparable harm to you and your business! For this concept to make sense, you need to understand how […]
5 Critical Social Media Marketing Copyright Rules
Whether you’re a social media marketing professional or a business owner active on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and so on to promote your business, there are critical copyright rules that you need to understand. The problem for most people is the complexity of copyright law. In fact, the ability of copyright law to effectively address the […]
Non-Disclosure Agreements – 3 Choices Only You Can Make
You have a great idea for a new business, product, service, or method of doing something. You’ve developed a way to turn that idea into a tangible item, but you can’t actually make that item until you get some money. You approach investors with the hope that one of them will understand your vision and […]
When Should I File For International Trademark Protection?
Trademark rights are territorial, which means they’re granted on a country-by-country basis. There is no such thing as a “global” trademark. This means that you have to file a trademark application in each country (or region, such as the European Union, in some cases) where you seek legal protection. Where Should I File? Determining where […]