When you think of a successful trademark, your mind might first go to something obvious, like NBC, Burger King, or even the Hollywood sign. But a great trademark is much more than that. If used correctly and set up by a DC Trademark Attorney, your mark could be the thing to launch your business on a global scale. But getting the trademark right for your business isn’t an easy thing. It takes a lot of patience and hard work. That’s why you need the right legal help and some serious dedication to making your mark strong and long-lasting. Remember, ideally your company is going to outlive you, so you need to choose something that you want to last forever. If you’re ready to trademark your business name, here’s what you should do.

Get Started Early

You might not naturally prioritize your trademark paperwork, but there are plenty of reasons why applying for and registering your trademark are even more important than the basics of building a business. Why? Quite simply, you want to start protecting your business before it’s even in the public eye. That way, you won’t run into any trouble with past acquaintances claiming you stole their idea from them or used their intellectual property to make a fortune. Even if your company doesn’t end up getting on the Fortune 500 list, you could end up being dragged into court over something petty and small. Having a trademark set up can act as legal protection against people who want to take advantage of your success.

Check ICANN and USPTO

Before you file your paperwork, you’ll need to get familiar with two entities: ICANN, or the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, and USPTO, or the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The first service will allow you to lock down a domain name for that corresponds with your website without having to fight cybersquatters for it, saving you tons of time and money in the long run. The second service will allow you to apply for your trademark and register it so it shows up on the national database. The USPTO will also help you search for businesses that either already have your trademark or have something too close to it. This will help you avoid an uncomfortable clash with pre-existing businesses.

Build Your Web Presence

These days, everything is about online numbers. Before you secure investors, you’ll probably need to build up a web presence just to show that your idea has a natural audience. This won’t just require great social media skills: It will require a strong trademark. Once you’ve chosen a word, phrase, or image that isn’t too generic and gets to the point of your business identity, you’ll be able to use it to build your web presence quickly and easily without having to worry about broader conceptual issues like appealing to a certain audience or demographic. As they say, “if you build it, they will come.” As long as you have a great trademark, this will be true of your web presence.