Go Legal Yourself!, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 3How Do I Protect My Brand?

Branding is a way of identifying your business; it's how your customers recognize your products or services. A strong brand is more than just a logo; it's reflected in everything from your customer service style, to your business cards, to your marketing materials. Your brand should reflect what your business stands for and what sets it apart from your competitors. It expresses the qualities, strengths, and personality of your business. Branding should be considered in the early stages of your startup, as launching a business with a strong brand could give you a greater chance of success.

Everyone's idea of branding is different. Some people think it's simply the fonts and colors a company decided to use. But if you've got a real understanding of what a brand is, you know that it includes at least some of the following:

• Design (logo, colors, font)
• Marketing
• Taglines and slogans
• Look and feel

As the world's richest man, Jeff Bezos, states: “A brand is literally what people say about your business when you're not in the room.”

What Are the Benefits of Branding?

The main objective of branding is to establish a significant and a distinguished presence in the market and the industry as a whole that attracts loyal customers and retains them. Some benefits of branding your business are:

• Standout: If you are a small business or creative entrepreneur, you may have realized that there are a lot of us. A good brand has a clear purpose and will ...