Customer perception is more valuable to your brand than the physical value of your products or services. Your marketing techniques and ways you protect your brand have a huge impact on the formation of that perception and building brand awareness.
One way to protect your brand is through the use of trademarks. Trademarks are usually words, symbols, phrases, or logos. They help businesses distinguish their goods from those of others. When registered, these trademarks are protected by law. The connection between marketing and trademarks should be talked about more. Marketing your brand is influenced by the trademarks.
What does marketing your brand with trademark laws in mind look like? Why should they be first in mind as you craft your marketing strategies? Let’s explore these questions in depth.
What does marketing your brand with trademark laws in mind look like?
If you’re serious about launching a comprehensive marketing campaign for your brand, you need to do it with a consideration of trademark laws. Although registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office isn’t required for your trademark to be protected, you receive a deeper level of protection and added benefits if you register. Knowing this and other vital information regarding trademark law can give your marketing campaign the edge it needs.
Conduct targeted research before deploying a marketing strategy
Be intentional about researching trademark law. Find out how trademarks are created and chosen. Discover the requirements for it to be accepted by the Patent and Trademark Office. Also, become knowledgeable about the trademarks you have in place for your brand. Know where you’re at. Know what’s at stake. Find out what protections you have in place for your intellectual property. You’ll make creative marketing decisions.
Create something that’s worth trademarking
Build a brand identity you’re proud of so you protect it. A well-established brand is usually a well-protected brand and a financially flourishing brand able to invest in building its influence. A well-established brand increases the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. That results in a lasting business and loyal customer base.
Hire a professional well-versed in intellectual property law
Hire a professional for support in learning about intellectual property. Make sure legal-compliance is part of your business. If you inadvertently violate another brand’s trademark and they take you to court, you have the right to retain an attorney. However, it helps to have a knowledgeable professional in your corner to prevent any court battles to begin with. When you know more, you can make educated decisions and implement effective marketing strategies that are ethical and appropriate for your business.
Imagine putting together a complex marketing campaign and then having to suddenly shut it down. Or having somebody steal important pieces of your marketing campaign with no ability to do anything about it. Or being dragged in and out of court because you thought you could do it all by yourself.
These are nightmares. Hire a professional to help you with the complexities of intellectual property law so you can focus your efforts on marketing.
Be aware and respectful of other brands
You will make it a point not to step on the toes of other brands because you understand the effort it takes to trademark and the protection that comes with it. Make sure you’re not using anyone else’s intellectual property. With trademark laws in mind as you market your brand, you respect other brands enough to allow them the space for individual creativity without violating their hard work.
Why market your brand with trademark laws in mind
The more serious you take your brand, the more likely others will too. By understanding the connection between marketing and trademark laws, you help distinguish your brand from other brands in your same industry. The more you’re able to separate yourself from the competition, the easier it is to market your brand as one of the top brands in the industry.
It forces you to adopt a mindset of longevity for your brand
When you market your brand with trademark laws in mind, you’re marketing for longevity. You adopt the perspective of wanting your brand to last a long time in its industry. You’re building a reputation, an umbrella to grow your business under.
You can get ahead of copycats
Ideally, you’ll have pieces of your brand trademarked for your business, like your brand name, logo symbol, or brand slogan. Trademarking things makes it harder for other people and businesses to copy aspects of your brand, down to parts of your marketing campaign.
You should gain extensive knowledge about trademarking to fully protect your brand from copycats. Digital marketing projects especially can fall victim to copycats. Anything on the internet is stolen. It can be made to look like it’s owned by someone else. Digital products are easily taken and copied. This results in stolen clientele and an adversely affected reputation.
Copycats are almost unavoidable if your brand is successful. You can maneuver around potential threats and form a strategy to fight them as they arise. Legal protection for your brand — or at least understanding it — is leverage.
Incorporate trademark law knowledge into a marketing strategy
You can brand better when you know how to leverage what you know about the ins and outs of trademark law. You can make strategic marketing decisions based on this knowledge and extend yourself creatively without overstepping another brand, resulting in a solid brand foundation that fosters growth.
Conclusion
You should market your brand with trademark laws in mind because it forces you to build a brand of longevity and trust. Marketing your brand with trademark laws in mind means doing research, investing in professional support, building a solid brand, and never stepping on the toes of other brands and businesses. Market your brand and consider trademark laws. This will help you build a level of brand awareness who aren’t privy to the connection between trademarks and marketing.
This guest blog article was written by Beau Peters, a professional writer with a passion for purpose-driven business content. When he is not writing, he enjoys reading and trying new cooking recipes. Follow him on Twitter @beaupeters7.