TRADEMARK RESOURCE
You Can’t Trademark Everything At Once — Here’s What Comes First.
Most business owners think trademarking is one task. It’s actually a priority list — and getting the order wrong is how people waste money protecting the wrong thing first.
The Priority Order
01
Your Business Name
This is almost always your most valuable asset and the one most likely to be challenged by someone else. If you only protect one thing, protect this first.
02
Your Flagship Product, Service, or Program Name
Do you have a signature offer, a named program, a podcast, or a product line people associate with you specifically? If it’s driving revenue or recognition, it’s worth protecting separately from your business name.
03
Your Slogan, Tagline, or Catchphrase
If you’ve built messaging that people repeat back to you — a tagline, a phrase, a motto — that’s protectable and worth locking down before a competitor claims something close to it.
04
Your Logo or Stylized Branding
Most trademark filings protect the words of your name. If your branding has a distinctive look — a particular font, icon, or design — that’s a separate layer of protection worth adding once the words are secured.
05
Your “Someday” List
A future rebrand name, a product you haven’t launched yet, a business you’re planning but haven’t started. You can file “intent to use” applications before you’ve even launched — which is exactly what lets you lock in rights before you’ve spent time or money committing to a name someone else could grab first.
The One Thing Most People Get Wrong
They wait until #2, #3, or #4 feels urgent and skip #1 entirely — meaning the most important asset, the actual business name, is the one sitting completely unprotected. If you’re only doing one thing this year, make it that.
Not Sure Where Your Brand Falls on This List?
Your brand may have more than one element worth protecting. A quick consultation can help you understand what should come first and what can wait.