Coming up with a name for your business is not as easy as one might think. A good business name should be memorable and represent your brand. Following these basic steps may help you make the right decisions and keep you out of costly troubles in the future. | MZXU2GDJFJM9

Step 1: Search for a .COM domain name

Go to a domain registrar such as GoDaddy.com or Name.com and see if your name is available as a domain. It is always a good idea to make sure you have a .com domain name since most people assume the business is under a .com.

• Short domain names are better but harder to find. Try to have less than 12 characters.
• If you must use a hyphen (the minus sign - ) try to avoid using more than one in your name.
• Try using your proposed name with the City or State at the end of it.
• Try not to use "the" in your domain name unless absolutely neccessary.
• Do not buy the domain name until you complete the next step below.

Step 2: Check your name against Federal trademarks

Now that you found a great domain name, make sure you are not in violation with another company's name. Nothing would hurt your business more than finding out later that you have to change your business name after months of forward progress. Especially if you paid for signs, logo design, marketing materials, and registered your business with the State. To ensure your not in violation, go to the US Patent and Trademark office website and perform a basic word search.

Step 3: Analyze your search results

Make sure your search results do not have anything that closely matches your proposed company name. Sometimes if the name closely resembles another, it can be a trademark violation. (See example below)

If you found a name that might be safe, the results will probably not return any listings. Although your chances are good, it does NOT guarantee you can use the name without trademark violation just yet.

If no records were found, then it's a good idea to go to the next step. Otherwise, you may need to start over again with step 1.

Step 4: Hire a law firm to verify your name is safe

Do not let the word "Lawyer" scare you away. A good intellectual property law firm will cost you initially, but it will also save you money and a lot of trouble in the future - especially when it comes to protecting your company name!

When you search the trademark office website, you are only performing a basic search. Hiring an IP Law Firm will ensure your name is usable and safe.

Step 5: Buy that domain name NOW!

Now that you are certain you have the name secured - buy that domain name you spent hours trying to find.

• Don't just buy it for one year, spend the extra cash and purchase it for 10 years.
• Search engines look at longevity of a domain name and give more value to them. Plus, if you buy it for 10 years, your domain name is one less thing to worry about for the next 10 years.
• Buy more than one domain name that relates to your company. Doing this may or may not help you with search engines but it does keep your competition from owning a competitive domain name.
• Your website can have more than one domain name pointing to it. Your alternative domain names can easily be redirected to your main one.

Step 6: Incorporate your business

There are many benefits to incorporating your business. Incorporating a business protects you, the business owner, from liabilities that may occur from your business. It also helps save you money with taxes.

Step 7: Trademark your business

It only makes sense to do this after countless hours of trying to come up with a quality name for your business to trademark your intellectual property. You should trademark both your company name as well as your company's logo. If you already followed step 4 of hiring a law firm, more than likely they have already suggested trademarking services.

Step 8: Register your business with the State

Registering your business on a Federal level is important but you must also register your business with your State. In Texas, you should also register your business in the counties you are doing business in. Once again, a good law firm should help you with this advice.

In Conclusion

These steps should help save time, money, and keep you from having to go through costly problems that many new business owners face when it comes to naming a business. For more information, we have provided references below.

--

References:

Craft Chu PLLC - Intellectual Property Attorneys located in Houston TX.

IncorporateMax - Incorporating Services, Corporate filings, and Registered Agent Services headquartered in The Woodlands, TX

US Patent and Trademark Office - The direct source for trademarks and patents in the United States.

GoDaddy.com - A popular US Domain Registrar

Name.com - A popular US Domain Registrar