Your URL Could be a TRADEMARKED Name !

Many people mistakenly believe that a name that is available as a domain name (URL) is not federally trademarked or registered as a business name on a local or state level. It is legally advisable that you NOT make such an assumption.

Check online to see if the name you choose is trademarked at the United States Patent and Trademark Office: http://www.uspto.gov/ . (For a patent search, www.freepatentsonline.com promises comprehensive, fast results.)

You should also check your state government for state trademarked and registered business names, your city business license/permit registry, and county clerk office for a fictitious name filing or business permit registration.

To trademark a name, visit http://www.uspto.gov/ and/or consult with an attorney who specializes in business trademark services.

For a fee, businesses such as Trademark Express (tmexpress.com) offer a variety of services including federal and state searches to see if your name is already trademarked, assistance with filing for trademarks, referrals to consultants and trademark professionals.

Articles You Should Definitely Read 
about Your Rights to any Domain Name

Domain Names and the Law -

http://namesecure.com/en_US/index.jhtml?cat=tools&subCat=dnrLaws

Unraveling the Issues, by Wallace Koehler - 

http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/may99/koehler.htm

Protecting your Trademark with a New "generic Top Level Domain" (.biz, .info, etc.) - Click to the Network Solutions site for an article by Howard Hill -

http://newdomains.networksolutions.com/purchasing/feature2.jhtml

Don't register a domain name or use your domain name as a business name without taking these steps first!

Start Promoting Today!

Let us walk you step-by-step through
online website promotions with the
Successful Website Marketing workbook.