I offer a free 30-minute consultation to all new or potential clients.
This is not a sales call where I tell you how great it is to work with me (it is), or how you’re risking your shirt if you don’t (you won’t).
I offer this time to get you started on properly using and protecting your trademarks. I was a new business once too, and I remember spending a lot of time researching and learning what I didn’t know, and let’s face it, what I didn’t know that I didn’t know.
I want you to be armed with basic information about the Canadian trademark system, so that you can make good decisions about protecting your trademarks, whether that includes hiring me to help you achieve your goals or not.
If you are thinking about hiring me, I also invite you to take this 30-minutes to interview me. Working with a lawyer is an investment in both trust and money, things you should not give to just anyone.
So, what can we talk about in 30-minutes that could change your business?
In 30-minutes we can cover a lot about using and protecting your trademarks. From which trademark symbols are appropriate, to where and what marks you should register, and even how to stop your competitors from using your marks in online advertising.
I have a free trademark guide available for download from my website, and I am happy to expand on any of the tips in that too.
You can ask me anything.
If you are having trouble coming up with questions, I’ve listed below a few of the more common things I get asked in the free 30-minute consultation.
I am starting a new business, and I want to know if I can use my name.
When you ask this question, we will start by talking about the searches that you have already done to see if your name is already in use. There are actually a number of basic (free!) searches that you can do yourself of the Canadian trademark register, domain names and the internet, that will help you locate any obviously conflicting uses of your proposed name.
In 30-minutes or less, I can walk you through these DIY searches. Then, if you want to dig deeper, we can talk about how to do that too.
I’ve been in business for a couple of years, and I’m ready to register my trademark.
Great! You have come to the right place! This is what I do, and this is what I love doing.
We will talk about the products or services that your business has sold in the past, as well as what you hope to sell in the future. It’s important for your trademark application to contain both.
We will also talk about how you have used your trademark on packaging or in advertising. If you have a few variations, or if there is a distinctive logo associated with your name, you should register those along with the word form of your trademark.
We will also talk about how much it costs to register a trademark, and what value it has in protecting your brand.
I just received a letter demanding that I change my business name, what should I do?
Don’t panic and don’t do anything rash. Before agreeing to any demands or digging in your heels, we will look at the strengths of the other side’s position. Maybe you are in entirely different fields, or maybe you have the earlier trademark rights. Maybe their rights aren’t as solid as they have led you to believe.
There’s usually a middle ground in every dispute. We may not be able to find it in 30-minutes, but we can develop a strategy for your response where you don’t give away the farm or dig yourself into any holes.
Do you have a trademark question that has been keeping you up at night? Book your free 30-minute consultation by accessing my calendar and picking any time that’s convenient for you.
Let’s change your business together.