Whenever the word trademark is discussed, there are often two trains of thought. While neither approach is inherently wrong, you must understand the difference between the two. Thankfully, author Kalyan Kankanala summed up the first of these: “A trademark is a company’s persona and identity in the marketplace.”
At the surface level, this definition may appear somewhat vague. Another way to view this kind of trademark is as a calling card. Some companies simply meet their clients’ needs while others make a lasting impression time and time again. The latter of these is the trademark Kankanala referred to. Maybe your company is exceptional at customer service or something else entirely. Either way, a company’s trademark should be something that customers can rely on and expect no matter how or when they interact with you.
That brings us to the second train of thought on trademarking: The legal act of trademarking. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines this as “a device (such as a word) pointing distinctly to the origin or ownership of merchandise to which it is applied and legally reserved to the exclusive use of the owner as maker or seller.”
Jargon aside, examples of this type of trademarking are things like the name, logos, or even a slogan pertaining to a company. There is sound reasoning for you and your company to take this next step. However, there are some downsides as well. To paint the full picture, let’s walk through the things to consider.