Would you like to know how to trademark a logo?

A logo that you create is central to your brand’s image. It’s also one of the most valuable assets you have in your business.

Think of it this way, what would Nike be worth if it wasn’t instantly recognizable by the swoosh? Well, that mark is worth about $13 billion.

When you trademark a logo, you’re protecting your most valuable asset and you’re setting your company apart from the competition.

Read on to learn what it takes to trademark a logo.

Why Trademark a Logo?

The main advantage that comes with a trademark is the legal protection.

By having an official, federally registered trademark, your company is the only one that can use it. You’re protected under the law.

PayPal has filed suit against music provider Pandora for trademark infringement because they look too similar, according to PayPal.

TRX, the fitness company known for its suspension trainer, successfully won a multi-million dollar judgment against a company that created a knock-off product. It was an infringement of the brand and the product. It has a great product, a strong brand, and a great fitness logo.

This kind of protection would not have been possible if TRX didn’t have the trademark protections in place.

There are some instances where it doesn’t make sense to have a trademark.

It doesn’t make sense to register your logo if you don’t know how long you’ll be in business. You might also decide to change your logo after a few years.

How to Trademark a Logo

The first thing to know about how to trademark a logo is that it’s a long process. It takes a lot of time and it takes about 10 months to go through the trademark process.

State vs. National Trademarks

Depending on your business, you can register the trademark in your state. If you’re a local business with one location and no intention to expand, this might make sense for you. In this case, you’ll want to register your trademark with your state’s secretary of state’s office.

However, if you’re an online business with a national presence, you’ll want to be sure to register your business nationally. That means you’ll have to file with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Do Your Research

As you start thinking about whether or not to trademark a logo, start by doing research. You have to ensure that your logo isn’t used by anyone else or it’s not similar to a trademark already in use by another company.

Just about every trademark lawsuit is avoidable with good research.

To research logos and designs, you’ll need to start by visiting the USPTO’s search database.

You need to look at your logo and note all of the design elements that are there and match them with the right code in the USPTO Design Search Code Manual.

You’ll also want to note any keywords, phrases, goods, and services, that your business falls under. You’ll also need to check the international class to make sure that there are no additional conflicts.

There are a few criteria to use when doing your research. Your logo must not:

• Be similar to another logo that’s already in use
• Cannot be offensive or misleading
• Cannot cause confusion in the marketplace

If your logo meets these criteria, then you can proceed.

Use the Logo

If did your research and found that no one is using a logo that’s similar to yours, start to use your logo. This will give you some protection under the law, but you won’t be fully protected.

File the Application

One thing to remember is that you may have a tagline or business name as part of the logo. These must be filed separately, so you’ll have one application for the logo, and another for the business name.

Your application must be complete and meet the USPTO’s strict guidelines. A large percentage of applications that were declined was due to incomplete applications.

You would have to resubmit your application and pay another filing fee.

After you’ve filed your application and it’s been approved, you can then keep an eye out to make sure that no one else is using it or anything that resembles it.

There are trademark watch companies such as CompuMark that specializes in trademark protection. They take the time to do the research so you don’t have to.

Should You File the Application Yourself?

One question you’ll have to answer early on in the process is whether or not you do it yourself, use an online service, or hire an attorney.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each. The main concern for most people who want to trademark a logo is the cost.

At an absolute minimum, it’s $225 for the filing fee for a single class. It also depends on how many classes you want to trademark in and how complex your filing is. You will be responsible for doing the research yourself and filling out the application properly.

On average, online services like Legal Zoom charge about $500. They’ll give you basic research and if there are issues with your application, you’re either on your own or you’ll have to pay more money to have it completed.

An attorney will cost between $1500 – $2000.

Yes, that can be cost prohibitive, but you can increase the likelihood of your application being accepted. It’s been found that attorneys that submit the application are 50% more likely to have them approved than if you do it yourself.

That’s because they will do incredibly thorough research, ensure that the application is complete, and ensure the scope of the trademark isn’t too narrow or too broad.

Your Logo is the Key to Your Success

Your logo is a gateway to connect with your customers. It’s real value, however, gets more powerful over time.

That’s because your customers have had more good experiences with your company, and those positive feelings become associated with your logo.

And that’s also why you want to protect it.

When you know how to trademark a logo, you’re sure to protect your company’s most valuable asset.

If you’d like more great logo tips, check out our blog today.

Unhappy with your practice’s current logo design?

Feel like your logo looks like every other hospital, pharmacy, or medical professional’s office in your neighborhood?

Do you know that you need to make a change to your medical center logos, but aren’t quite sure what that change should look like?

Don’t panic – we’re here to help you.

In this post, we’ll tell you a few of the most important elements you need to consider in your medical center logos. Then, we’ll let you know where you can go to create several potential logo designs.

Read on to learn how to create logos that reinforce your brand message, differentiate you from your competition, and make an emotional connection with your target market.

1. Consider the Central Image

One of the most important things to consider when it comes to creating strong medical center logos?

The central image of your design.

This image will help you build your brand recognition, connect with your target market almost instantly, and, above all, make it clear the specific type of medical services you offer.

This last point is especially crucial.

While, yes, things like a stethoscope, a red cross, or even a drawing of a medication bottle communicate some kind of medical service, these images don’t do a lot to make it clear exactly the kinds of services and specializations you provide.

For example, if you’re a cardiologist, then you might want to make a logo that incorporates a heart rate monitor into your design. If you specialize in pediatric medicine, include children in your logo, and use lots of bright colors in your design.

Above all, your central image should illustrate the kinds of patients you see and should make the specifics of your practice clear.

Not only do stereotypical images fail to set your practice apart from the competition, they also do nothing to give your market any kind of information. Think bigger, and be better.

2. Choose Colors Carefully

Once you’ve decided on your central image, you’ll then need to start thinking about the colors you want to include in your design.

For best results, we recommend sticking to a minimum of two colors and a maximum of about four.

Yes, being bright and bold will help you to stand out – but if your medical center logos look like the page of a child’s coloring book, you’ll stand out for all the wrong reasons.

Plus, keep in mind that color psychology will also play an important role in your design. If you provide natural and holistic services, you may want to go with greens and blues. If you offer emergency services, red and white will make that clear and create an emotional response in your target market.

Above all, the colors you choose to include in your logo design should be consistent with the rest of your branding.

For example, take a look at look at the website for this alcohol rehab center.

They’ve focused their entire website design on the colors blue and white, to help to keep website visitors calm and focused. The text of their website is also white, which is further emphasized by the blue background of the page.

The writing in their logo is consistent, in the same white color, as is their design – a soothing, wound shape like an elongated spiral. This design and the color scheme is consistent with the services they set out to provide.

3. Don’t Neglect the Size

Once you’ve chosen the colors and the central image you’d like to use, it can sometimes feel like your medical center logos are complete.

However, there are still a few more things you need to consider.

One of the most important?

The size not only of the logo as a whole but all of the elements within it.

Think about how many different places that logo is going to be displayed. It may be on physical signage outside of your practice. It might be on your business cards, your social media accounts, printed in a newspaper, or even on the back of the jersey of that local sports team you sponsor.

When you’re creating your design, it’s up to you to ensure that, in any size, your logo images and text are clear, easy-to-read, and don’t end up looking like a Monet painting.

Don’t overcrowd your logo design, include too many words, or create several smaller images. Instead, go for a sleek design that tells your consumers you don’t need all the bells and whistles to get noticed.

4. Typography as a Branding Strategy

We’ve also discussed the importance of choosing the right colors when it comes to your medical center logos.

Now, let’s quickly discuss how the right font can influence buying decisions, build your center’s brand recognition, and help you to connect with your target market faster than ever.

Of course, the most crucial thing to keep in mind is legibility. As with the image you choose, your font choice will still need to be readable in many different forms.

But your font can also reinforce your overall brand and set you apart from the competition. If you’re an eye doctor, use the same font that’s used on eye test charts. If you work with children, you could choose a font that looks like it’s been written by a child (though is still legible, of course).

Your font matters, so don’t be afraid to take a risk.

Ready to Design a Few Medical Center Logos?

One final thing to keep in mind regarding logo design?

You probably won’t get it right the first time.

To come up with several different logo design options that you can let your patients, your employees, and your target market vote on, use our free online logo maker tool.

Still need a little more advice on how to design the most effective logo possible?

Be sure to check out our blog for access to the latest tips and trends when it comes to logo design.

We can’t wait to help you strengthen your brand with a new logo.

Did you know that there are over 30 million small businesses listed on Facebook alone? That means, if you want to compete in this crowded market, it’s important to make your business stand out.

One important way to do this is with your branding. Have a clear, recognizable brand identity that follows specific logo guidelines will help customers remember your business.

Want to make your brand identity strong? Check out this tips to communicate your brand effectively.

Why Are Guidelines Important?

First, let’s take a moment to consider why it’s so important to have guidelines for your logos and brand identity.

The purpose of a logo is to create an icon that is immediately recognizable to folks in your target market. Whether you put your logo on social media, a billboard, a mug, or a set of pinback buttons, customers should be able to associate it with your company.

Simply put, it’s impossible to achieve this goal if you don’t have consistency. If your logo looks slightly different from one medium or publication to another, it will be harder for customers to make the association.

Determine Your Colors

One of the reasons that Coca Cola’s brand is so recognizable is the unmistakable red and white colors. And it’s not just the fact that Coke always uses red and white, but that Coke always uses the same shade of red in all of its branding.

When you choose your colors, it’s important to stick with them. Determine what the RGB and CMYK color codes are, and make sure to always use the exact hue.

Also, whatever colors you use in your logo, make sure to incorporate these across these brands. For instance, if you have a particular shade of green in your logo, you should use that green on your website, or on promotional items like pens.

Choose Your Typography

If you decide to use lettering in your logos, it’s important to choose your font carefully. Will you use a serif or sans-serif font? Will it be bold, thin, or italic?

Also, whatever font you choose for your logo, carry this font across other branded materials. The same or similar font should be used for advertisements, publications, etc.

Specify How to Use Variations

Sometimes, companies have multiple variations of a single logo. Maybe there is one version with the icon and the company name, and another version with just the icon. Or, maybe there is a version in one color, and another in a different color.

Having these variations is acceptable, provided that you are consistent with how you use them. For instance, you may indicate that the icon-only logo is okay for internal communications, but the full logo must be used for external ones.

Put Logo Guidelines to Work Today

With these factors in mind, you’ll be able to design a logo that you can use on multiple platforms to reinforce your brand.

Ready to get started putting these tips for logo guidelines to work for your own business? Use our free logo maker today to design the perfect logo for your family.

Like every company, those in the business of selling cannabis need to set themselves apart from their competition.

The best way to do that is to brand your company. That includes creating a cannabis logo.

But while selling weed is now legalized in many states, it still suffers from an image problem. Here are a few tips to help you brand your cannabis company.

Move Away from the Pot Leaf

44% of marijuana businesses feature a pot leaf as their logo. Branding is about setting yourself apart from everyone else.

Everyone knows what you’re selling, so it’s okay to think outside the box. A cannabis logo featuring a pot leaf is a bit of a cliche.

Instead, sit down with your employees and determine what makes your products so great. Since many of the strains of marijuana come with really unique names, it goes to show there’s a lot of room for creativity in the pot business.

One helpful way to figure out how you’re different from every other pot business is to read Seth Godin’s book, “The Purple Cow”.

Another way is to check out your competition. Note what they’re doing. Take a look at their website.

Look at their cannabis logo. Then read their blog, if they have one. Take a look at their social media presence.

Have a Social Media Presence

Getting social is extremely important to any business. But for those selling cannabis, it’s even more important.

Social media is a great way to find your niche market. It’s also a great way to share your content.

You can also feature any new products or services your marijuana company has. Perhaps you have hemp seeds for sale. Placing an ad on social media or even just a shout out can help you sell much more than you would by placing a sign in the window.

Make sure to post on a regular basis. To save time, set up a drip campaign ahead of time. That way, your messages are always sent out without you having to remember.

Feature your cannabis logo on your social media pages. You want customers to be able to easily recognize you and form a relationship with you.

Know Your Niche Market

By now, 23 states have legalized marijuana use in one form or another. That trend is only going to increase. Not only is it helping patients, states are profiting as a result.

But that doesn’t mean everyone is going to become a raving fan. However, that doesn’t mean that pot smokers don’t come from every socioeconomic background, race, and age.

Know who you’re selling to. Your cannabis logo can reflect your target market.

Newcomers to the Weed Market

The market for those new to weed is also a huge niche. For most adults, we grew up being told about the dangers of marijuana.

Some of us were forced to watch the movie, “Reefer Madness.” Now that new information about the benefits of marijuana is available, there are a lot of ways to capitalize on that.

For newcomers, the packaging and logo should be focused on simplicity. These consumers don’t know a lot about weed. Think of it like branding to kids.

There are no complications. They know what they’re getting.

Make sure your staff is friendly and knowledgeable. That will help new customers feel more comfortable about buying your products. They’ll also be more likely to return and refer their friends.

The Luxury Market

There’s the luxury cannabis market. For high-end connoisseurs of marijuana who appreciate the best that weed has to offer.

A recent survey shows that most marijuana users have high incomes. They are also more outgoing.

There are also now weed critics. Jake Browne, from the Denver Post is one of them.

Appeal to the higher income market by branding your company as the place to get the best chronic. Make your customers feel as though they aren’t just picking up some weed, they are coming to your store for an experience.

It’s the same as a hair salon. One salon might charge $500 for a haircut and another place might only charge $20. Both places will cut your hair, but you’ll only walk away from one feeling as though you had an experience along with the haircut.

Train your employees to treat all customers as if they deserve nothing but the best. Have them dress accordingly as well. This is all part of the branding package.

Go Green

One thing about marijuana is that it’s a natural growing plant. You can make rope, clothing, and milk from this product.

Marijuana also doesn’t destroy the environment around it. It truly is a green product. Your branding can feature weed’s earthy nature. It’s perfect for a cannabis logo.

But don’t stop there. Keep going green. Make sure all your products and packaging are made from sustainable materials.

Promote your earth-loving company. Many consumers will find it extremely appealing.

Healthy Healing

Health benefits are the reason why most states have legalized marijuana. There are many health benefits.

Better sleep, calming PTSD, and helping alleviate symptoms of HIV, cancer, and other serious diseases are just a few. Which is why it’s a great and effective branding tool.

People are more focused on living happier, healthier lives. Marijuana can help with both of those objectives.

Your cannabis logo can feature the myriad benefits weed has to offer.

Be Different With Your Cannabis Logo

Try setting yourself apart from your competition by doing something completely different. Most people know what marijuana is.

If your consumers are fairly well versed in weed, then it’s perfectly acceptable to try something new. Think of the ice cream Haagen Daz.

Their logo has nothing to do with ice cream. Their funny company name has nothing to do with ice cream, either.

Yet, because they branded their company right, everyone knows that Haagen Daz is ice cream. Have fun with your logo. Use colors that promote fun or adventure. Use a design that is simple but memorable.

Be creative with your logo.

Make Your Logo With Us

We’re experts in making logos. We can help you design one that you and your customers will love.

You can add shapes, symbols, and various colors. You can even design your own business cards to help brand your company.

It’s time for you to set yourself apart from the others. Register and create an account with us today.