Why Startups Shouldn’t Overlook International Trademark Protection

The process of running a startup is full of excitement and potential. That being said, it can also be a stressful situation and you may want to focus only on the immediate needs of your business while you get your footing. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this approach but there is definitely a place for thinking ahead when running a startup.

Even if you’re at the very beginning of your business venture, you should consider securing your name and trademark both at home and overseas through international trademark protection. Below are some reasons why up-and-coming companies can’t afford to skimp on this kind of security.

Ensure That You Can Break Into the Market

A lack of international trademark registration can result in an inability to bring your startup into overseas markets. Or, at least, the process will be severely slowed down. It’s never too early to start thinking about global trademark protection, especially if expansion is somewhere in your long-term goals.

Sure, you’re not going into any global markets right now but you would much rather be prepared and educated for when that time comes. International protection now can prevent major upset and loss later on. Besides, since a trademark is a form of intellectual property with legal protection, it grants a whole lot of security and peace of mind.

Make Collaboration Easier

If you’re similar to any number of startups, you rely on independent dealers or distributors to contribute to your company. There isn’t anything inherently wrong with this but you definitely want to keep your company name and trademark safe and secure.

Without international trademark protection, there could be individual sellers who decide that they want to use your company logo or trademark for themselves. If this happens and you don’t have international trademark protection, then there isn’t much that you can do about them “stealing” your name and logo.

It wasn’t legally bound to you so those people had the right to take it for themselves. It’s easy to see how collaboration and partnerships can be much simpler with trademark protection.

Boost Equity and Development

On the other hand, you may have distributors or independent representatives who don’t want to work with you because you don’t have trade mark protection overseas. Registered trademarks keep everyone protected while also helping you to maintain the value of your goods and services.

Boosting equity and growth are two great things for startups and a registered trademark can ensure that your company doesn’t deal with loss or bankruptcy due to unprotected intellectual property. Keep in mind that the benefits of registering for global trademark protection beat out any up-front costs that you’ll have to pay.

Run a Confident Company

Trademarks are useful but the downside is that they are only available in the country in which they’re purchased. This means that if you register for trademark protection in your own country, you may not be protected in any other country. You can see how this can become a more serious problem as you move into overseas markets.

In addition, each nation has its own set of specifications and regulations when it comes to trademark protection. For most places, it’s not enough to simply physically own a trademark or logo. You need to actually register it in order to have that legal security. This grants you the full rights to the trademark.

That being said, the United States is one of those countries that doesn’t require registration in order to legally own a trademark. Still, you should keep full registration in mind, especially if you’re going to be expanding your business abroad. This will keep you and your employees feeling confident and assured.

Royce Calvin

Royce is as passionate about Internet Marketing as he is with his ever-present cup of Starbucks coffee.

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