How to register a trademark for a Forestry Company

Introduction

If you’re in the forestry industry, you know that it’s a fast-changing business. New products and services are being developed all the time, and your company needs to keep up with those changes. One way to do that is by making sure your company name or logo is registered as a trademark so no one else can use it. It’s possible to do this yourself if the scope of work you have to register is small enough.

Define the scope of your trademark.

Before you begin the process of applying for a trademark, it is important to define exactly what you want to protect. While there are several options available, it’s important to keep in mind that not all trademarks will be able to be registered for forestry companies due to their level of specificity or because they might be too broad.

• Logos: In many cases, logos are protected under copyright law rather than trademark law; however, if your logo is distinctive enough and has acquired a secondary meaning within the community (i.e., people associate it with your brand), then registering it as a trademark may be beneficial, especially as an added layer of protection from copying by competitors.
• Slogans/Brand Names: If an individual or company name has been used consistently over time and has become associated with that individual or company, then these names can also act as trademarks.
• Product Names: If the name for one of your products is unique enough and distinct from other similar products on the market, then protecting this mark under trademark law could help prevent others from using similar names for competing products.
• Service Names: Trademarking service names helps companies gain exclusive rights over their services so no other company can use them without permission from them first

Check the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS).

To begin the process of searching for a trademark, you should first check the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) trademark search system, TESS. TESS is a database that contains all of the trademarks that are currently registered with that office. It can be searched free of charge through the USPTO website with any generic search tool or by using another computer program designed to do so.

Fill out the trademark registration application.

In the United States, the trademark application process begins with filling out a form that includes:

• A drawing of your trademark. This is a very important part of the application and should be done by someone who has some knowledge of design. Incorrectly drawn trademarks can cause problems for you in the future.
• The name and address of the owner/s of the trademark (you). This information must also be included in any correspondence sent to USPTO regarding this application.
• The name, address and email address of an individual who will be responsible for all correspondence with USPTO regarding this application (not necessarily an attorney or agent).

Make sure you’re using your trademark properly.

Proactively protecting your trademark from infringement is a good strategy. This means that you should be checking your brand regularly to ensure it’s being used properly, as well as ensuring that it isn’t being used incorrectly by someone else. You can do this by checking for these things:

• Consistency: Make sure your trademark is consistently and properly used on all different types of materials, such as in marketing material, business cards, social media posts, etc.
• Context: Use your trademark only in the context of what it represents—for example, don’t use a logo or wordmark if they don’t really fit into what you’re trying to communicate through them (like using a tree symbol on a flyer about pest control).

Pay fees and submit your application.

After you have filled out the application and paid your fees, you will need to submit your application for registration. The USPTO has different ways of submitting applications depending on whether you are filing electronically or in hard copy. If you are filing electronically, the USPTO will send an email confirming receipt of your application. If you choose not to file electronically, however, it is recommended that you mail your application with a check for all applicable fees and a payment coupon/fax transmittal form that includes the case number assigned by the examiner who reviews submissions.

Respond to inquiries.

The USPTO makes inquiries about your trademark application to ensure that you have not abandoned it. You must respond to inquiries within the time period specified by the USPTO or your application will be abandoned. If the USPTO does make an inquiry, follow up with them as soon as possible and make sure that you provide all of the information they ask for.

Wait for your trademark to be registered.

After you submit your application, it will take about 6 months for the USPTO to review it. You can check the status of your application online at any time during that process. If your trademark is denied, you have 30 days from receipt of the notice of denial in which to appeal.

You can do your own trademark registration by following a few steps.

A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others. A trademark may be located on the product itself (such as the Nike Swoosh), on its packaging (like in a circle with the word Coca-Cola), or even in its name (like Facebook).

The difference between a brand and a trademark is that brands are what you want to be known for when people think about your products or services—in other words, how customers perceive you as an entity.

Conclusion

The process of registering your trademark for a forestry company can be time-consuming and expensive. However, if you follow the steps above you will be able to do it yourself without having to hire an attorney or pay for other costly services.