Components of a Successful Brand Strategy
Branding isn’t just for big companies. A brand recognition and protection strategy is equally essential for individuals and small and mid-size businesses (SMB) to stand out from their competitors and ensure long-term success.
Developing and executing a brand recognition and brand strategy requires a trademark attorney to ensure all the essential components are properly addressed.
The Brand Selection Component
The first component of a solid brand recognition and brand protection strategy is selecting a trademark (for goods) or service mark (for services). The trademark or service mark identifies your product or service in the marketplace. Customers associate the trademark or service mark with the source of the product or service.
Quite simply, a trademark or service mark is the brand name. The law recognizes a trademark or service as a name, logo, slogan, or a combination of symbols or words that identify your business, product, or service and distinguishes it from the competition.
A good brand recognition and protection strategy starts with a creative and well-thought-out brand name. A brand that consumers draw that instant connection between you and the product or service. This connection and association establishes the brand recognition and brand loyalty that individuals and businesses covet; turning potential consumers into customers and customers into repeat customers.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office offers a video on trademark basics that can help you select the right mark for your endeavor. In addition, contact Attorney Paul Ticen to work as a strategic partner in the selection of your trademark or service mark, and overall brand recognition and protection ensure you have a strong trademark that can be legally protected and federally registered.
Brand Evaluation Component
The next component in developing a brand recognition and brand protection strategy is evaluating the strength of your proposed trademark or service mark. Too often, individuals and businesses fail to fully evaluate the strength of its trademark or service mark before using it. Is the trademark or service mark capable of being federally registered or is it likely to be refused. By using it in the manner desired, are you at risk of future infringement litigation.
Developing a brand the right way requires considerable time and money. A trademark lawyer as a strategic partner can help your business with evaluating the trademark or service mark strength. Factors considered when evaluating a brand include:
- Whether the proposed mark is likely generic, descriptive, or misdescriptive
- The proposed mark offers little legal protection moving forward.
- Existing rights to the use of the mark by an individual or business.
- Established brands and whether your proposed mark is too similar;
- Whether there is a risk of consumers likely to be confused between your proposed mark and an established brand.
Brand evaluation will help protect a businesses time and money in developing a brand recognition and protection strategy around a proposed mark, and protect the business against a trademark infringement lawsuit and/or opposition or cancellation proceedings.
Brand Protection Component
The third essential component to a brand recognition and brand strategy is protecting your brand. This includes enforcing your legal rights to keep competitors and others from trademark infringement conduct.
One way to protect your brand recognition is through cease and desist letters. This first step is utilized to warn and stop the infringement without resorting to costly litigation.
As your trademark lawyer, Paul Ticen can assist in evaluating whether another’s use of the same or similar mark is likely infringement, and will send cease and desist letters to warn the infringer to stop before harm is created in the marketplace. Protecting the brand is critical because a failure to do so can lead to successful defenses such as naked licensing, that will render subsequent protection efforts futile.
Likewise, he will evaluate, respond and defend your company brand against any cease and desist letters sent to you from individuals and businesses claiming trademark or service mark rights. A fine line exists between bona fide brand protection and trademark bullying.
Establish Your Brand with Attorney Paul Ticen
Hiring a trademark attorney to assist with developing and executing your brand strategy can create and sustain brand loyalty for businesses and individuals to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace.
With experience in a wide range of industries, including website and software development, hotel and travel accommodation services, athletics and fitness, and e-commerce merchants, Paul Ticen can help you establish a solid brand for your service, product, or business.
Get started today with developing a successful brand by contacting Attorney Paul Ticen. He’ll help you create a strong brand while avoiding the many potential pitfalls.