Trademarks

Chad,

I do not specifically know all the ins and outs, for instance do you have to incorporate? Probably not, but trademarks are
all about economic interests. If you get a trademark and make no money with it, the mark will drop its status as your trademark
and go back into the public domain where another entity can trademark it again. You have to profit off the trademark to maintain your ownerhship
of it.

Little story I heard a few days ago. Locally a small nine hole golf course wanted to call itself the Greg Norman Putt and Go or whatever. Norman's lawyers
shot it down before the first signage was ordered. Norman is such a larger business person his name is trademarked. And that for very successful
people is common. If you are becoming successful it is a must do thing. It costs considerably more than copyright, its sister. And has more paperwork involved.

Dave

Make sure you go direct to an official body and don't use the several other sites who would charge you more.

Also remember that, if creating a trademark, there are two (I believe just two). National and international.

i think you have to register it first, then use it on letterheads and other things. but keep in mind that its not protected. and if someone uses it, you have to fight to keep it, or you may lose it.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Your profile says you're in the United States (Texas), so... for trademark in the U.S. you can go to the United States Patent and Trademark Office website. They have a lot of information there. There's a link that walks you through the basics.

Thanks for your comments everyone

Register it and then go after everyone who rips it off. That's where the money is. ;-)

Ed,

Unlike copyrights, you can simply take someone else's trademark if they make no money from it.

Dave