Prioritising Customer Feedback for Driving Business Success

Trademarking your trading name and logo is crucial. Without it, competitors can use similar names or logos that might confuse your customers and potentially cost you their business. This situation, known as "passing off," occurs when another company’s name or logo is so close to yours that it causes market confusion, leading to customers =contacting your competitor instead of you.

Many business owners mistakenly think that registering a company name is the same as trademarking. Simply registering your business doesn’t protect your name from imitation. To safeguard your brand and its reputation, you need to ensure your name is legally protected.

Issues often arise if your trading name is descriptive—a common term related to your industry, such as "best local mechanics" or "superior other doors." In such cases, consider choosing a name that is distinctive rather than just descriptive. Both IP Australia and the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand provide straightforward guides on their websites to help you with the trademark registration process. It's a relatively affordable and simple step.

A useful tip when registering your trademark is to review similar trademarks held by competitors. Check the classifications they’ve registered under, and then choose the same relevant categories for your own trademark. This ensures robust protection for your brand.