Trademarks Made Easy

Leta Deley is a client and friend of Suzi Hixon’s but she’s also a trademark trailblazer who is sharing her path to private labeling and her experience with us in a two part interview.

From a desire for better food to a thriving brand and business, Leta bares it all in this great discussion. Find out more about Leta’s brand here - Intentionally Bare - https://intentionallybare.com/

Do you need help with the creation of your brand name? www.TrademarkTrailblazer.com

And don’t forget to subscribe to the show so you’ll get next week’s part two and every episode as soon as it’s available.

Want a roadmap of what not to do with your trademark? That's what today's episode is all about. We talk about a few of the biggest mistakes trademark owners make, and how they can be avoided!

Don't be a victim to a lack of knowledge! Grab a pen and notepad, and take notes:

1. Failure to register a trademark. {Common law rights are fine, but I promise...being proactive with brand protection will be a lot less expensive than being reactive!}

2. Failure to do clearance searching prior to use and filing of a trademark. {Don't let a lack of funds prevent you from searching. There are searching options for lots of different budgets, and I give some tips for you DIYers.}

3. Domain name is an address only; it does not substantiate trademark rights. {Don't get hung up if the pure domain name isn't available! Don't forego a great trademark just because you cannot get the pure domain name. So many cool and creative ways to get around this!}

4. Failure to monitor and enforce your trademark rights! {DIY tips included!}

5. Allowing the death of their trademark by genericide! {Buh bye "aspirin" and "escalator!" I have a solid tip in here to prevent this from happening if you've created your own totally new product!}

6. Failure to use the proper notice symbols. {I also clear up a common misconception!}

7. Failure to file the appropriate trademark registration maintenance documents! {Pay attention and use a perpetual online calendar like Google, or get these on the docket of a trusted trademark attorney!}

Resources:

https://privatelabeluniversity.com/live-events/ {Karen and Neil are the creme de la creme of private label education. If you register for their upcoming live event in Denver, I'll give you free access to the Trademark Trailblazer: The Brand Name Creation Blueprint. But, you have to sign up by 9/1/2019 and let me know by that date!}

http://www.TrademarkQuickstart.com

https://www.CompuMark.com (robust searching and trademark monitoring)

https://www.uspto.gov

https://knowem.com/ (solid searching platform for common law and social media handle use)

I also talk about an amazing Trailblazing Trademark: FURZERTS {https://amzn.to/2HlO48t ~ This IS an affiliate link!}. I love a good portmanteau.

Watch out for "coined" trademarks. These are trademarks that are made up words you wouldn't find in a dictionary. It's really hard to create an emotional connection with your consumer with a coined trademark. Further, word-of-mouth marketing is HUGE. If people cannot pronounce your trademark, or they aren't confident in the pronunciation of your trademark, they are going to be much less likely to share your brand. And one more thing! Voice-enabled searching is only going to grow (a la Alexa and Siri!) So, you want a trademark that is easy for your consumers to find online. While coined marks generally fly through the legal process, proceed with caution and keep in mind these marketing concerns. It's a balance!

Finally, we talk about proper trademark usage, so you can be proactive about growing the value of your brand name over time. It doesn't happen overnight! Consider a "brand bible" for your business! You are never too small to start. I promise!

*** Please share with anyone you think who benefit from this information.

Also, if you are a totally rad brand owner yourself, and would love to be featured as a “Trademark Trailblazer,” either on our YouTube Channel or Trademarks Made Easy Podcast, we would love to talk! {See below for the Trademarks Made Easy Podcast Interview Application form.}

And don’t forget to click that SUBSCRIBE button, so that you never miss an episode!

~Let’s Get Started!~

FREE Trademark Trailblazer Quickstart Bundle: http://www.TrademarkQuickstart.com/ Trademark Trailblazer ~ The Brand Name Creation Blueprint: http://www.TrademarkTrailblazer.com/ My Rad Website:...

Suzi Hixon brings you three amazing trademarks in the outdoor and ski industry. Shred, Never Summer and Arc'Teryx oh my!

As a skier and outdoor lover, Suzi is a huge fan of all these brands, and they've done a killer job on brand name creation!

In this episode, you can learn what to do, and what to avoid, when it comes to trademark creation!

Shred: https://shredoptics.com/ Arc'teryx: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/ Never Summer: https://neversummer.com/

Please share with anyone you think who benefit from this information.

Also, if you are a totally rad brand owner yourself, and would love to be featured as a “Trademark Trailblazer,” either on my YouTube Channel or Trademarks Made Easy Podcast, I would love to talk! {See below for the Trademarks Made Easy Podcast Interview Application form.}

And don’t forget to subscribe so that you get every episode as soon as it's available.

Get Suzi's FREE Trademark Trailblazer Quickstart Bundle: http://www.TrademarkQuickstart.com/ Trademark Trailblazer ~ The Brand Name Selection Blueprint: http://www.TrademarkTrailblazer.com/ Suzi's Rad Website: https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com/ Apply to Work With Suzi: https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com...

~Let's Get Social!~

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzihixon/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePrivateLabelLawyer/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzihixon Trademarks Made Easy Podcast: https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com... Twitter: https://twitter.com/privatelabellaw

~Let's Collaborate!~

Trademarks Made Easy Podcast Interview Application: https://forms.gle/jLS8VuXrE7MwCZ349 Eiger Dreams Mastermind Application: https://forms.gle/M2nKiVgvp651zqCy7

Neil and Karen Gwartzman are back and separating the fact from fiction about the current situation conducting business in and out of China. Neil has been working with private labels since the 1980s and Karen has been working alongside him since 2004. Through Private Label University, they're sharing that knowledge so that entrepreneurs and business owners everywhere can learn from their experience.

In the second part of our discussion, Karen and Neil lay out the difference between understanding working with Chinese manufacturing, and playing tour guide for would-be entrepreneurs. Karen and Neil know that serious business owners don’t have time to waste, and aren’t on vacation when they’re working through the market.

Find out more about Private Label University and read more from Neil and Karen here:

https://privatelabeluniversity.com

or join them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/PrivateLabelUniversity/

And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast so you can get the next episode as soon as it's available!

Neil and Karen Gwartzman are absolutely experienced in the Private Label industry. Neil has been working with private labels since the 1980s and Karen has been working alongside him since 2004. Through Private Label University, they're sharing that knowledge so that entrepreneurs and business owners everywhere can learn from their experience.

In this first part of Suzi's hour-long discussion, Karen and Neil share discuss the difference between building an Amazon business and a legacy brand that will increase in value for years and decades to come.

Find out more about Private Label University and read more from Neil and Karen here: https://privatelabeluniversity.com

And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast so you can get part two as soon as it's available!

Suzi Hixon is opening up and revealing the single biggest secret for successful private label businesses this week, and you don't want to miss it!

Without brands, our consumer choices would be MUCH more difficult. The brand (including trademark colors, marks, words etc) lets us know exactly what we can expect inside the container or inside the retail location. The brand sets expectations.

Suzi lets us in on the secret to creating that brand that can entice, excite and endear customers not just once, but for a lifetime of business. To find the secret and get YOUR brand on track, take advantage of all the free resources at http://TrademarkQuickstart.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the second half of Andy’s interview next Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info anytime!

Suzi Hixon, the Private Label Lawyer, is giving a HUGE shoutout to SummerSalt + Strawesome, two amazing trademarks (for numerous reasons) with an amazing "why" behind them. Find them both here:

Summersalt: https://www.summersalt.com/ Strawesome: https://www.strawesome.com/

Suzi highlights these two unique brands who use some of the naming strategies she's covered previously as well as a "trademark fail" that you can learn from and avoid: Geographically Deceptive terms

Suzi also breaks some news in this episode highlighting the new allowance for trademarks containing "immoral" or "scandalous" terms. Suzi discusses the legal as well as the marketing ramifications for this decision.

If you're looking to launch a brand name, or ensure that your existing trademark is set up for success, check out these resources:

FREE Trademark Trailblazer Quickstart Bundle: http://www.TrademarkQuickstart.com/

Trademark Trailblazer ~ The Brand Name Selection Blueprint: http://www.TrademarkTrailblazer.com/

My Rad Website: https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com/

Apply to Work With Me: https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com...

And if you think you've got a trailblazing trademark, let's see if you'd be a good fit for the show:

Trademarks Made Easy Podcast Interview Application: https://forms.gle/jLS8VuXrE7MwCZ349

Eiger Dreams Mastermind Application: https://forms.gle/M2nKiVgvp651zqCy7

Expanding Your ECommerce Business Into the EU with Andy Hooper Part Two

Andy Hooper joins Suzi Hixon for the second part of his interview discussing how sellers know when to expand to the EU, and what to do to be prepared for that expansion.

As the co-founder of Global E-Commerce Experts, Ltd., Andy is uniquely positioned to help us understand what markers to watch for in our own business and the market as a whole to determine the ideal time to grow into this exciting market that is roughly as large as the US. From VAT to health and medical regulations, Andy helps us understand what it will take to take advantage of this opportunity.

Get the training you need to make the leap to the EU right here: https://expandtotheeu.com/

Find more about Andy and Global E-commerce Experts at their site: https://www.globale-commerceexperts.com Or on social: https://twitter.com/TheEcommExperts https://www.facebook.com/TheEcommExperts/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgxRvVxXDFX398WzSleMA6w

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the second half of Andy’s interview next Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info anytime!

Andy Hooper joins Suzi Hixon for a two-part interview discussing his own journey into e-commerce and the effects of Brexit on Private Label sellers worldwide.

As the co-founder of Global E-Commerce Experts, Ltd., Andy is uniquely positioned to help us understand what is reality and what is bluster about this huge possible change to European commerce. But regardless of what comes of Brexit, Andy has a message for entrepreneurs to not put their business on hold, don’t put their profits on hold for what MIGHT happen.

Find more about Andy and Global E-commerce Experts at their site:

https://www.globale-commerceexperts.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the second half of Andy’s interview next Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info anytime!

The Spectrum of Distinctiveness

United States trademark law recognizes the “spectrum of distinctiveness” from generic to coined when it comes to categorizing prospective trademarks.

Suzi Hixon helps us understand that range and how to keep our trademarks on the right end of that spectrum.

From descriptive terms that have acquired distinctiveness over time (e.g., The Honey Baked Ham Company) to coined terms like "Google," to Suzi’s favorite portmanteaus like Pup-peroni, Suzi gives you the pros and cons as well as some examples for inspiration.

Your trademark should increase in value over time, and while you’ll always want to work to increase that value, doing your due diligence at the trademark creation stage will save you work in the long term.

To find The Trademark Trailblazer, THE brand name creation blueprint that Suzi has used exclusively before, visit her site today: https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com/

Don’t miss next week’s interview with Andy Hooper on expanding into the EU market. To make sure you get every episode as soon as it’s available make sure you subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts today!