Your Business Name - what you need to know!
Business Name Search
**Everyone usually makes this mistake- check to see if their is a Domain Name (www.your-business-name.com) available prior to searching your intended business name. You want your domain name the same as your business name for Marketing and business purposes!**
Step 1. With your business name in mind, you'll need to do a search to see if it's trademarked before you name your company so you don't run into any legal problems. You will need to search the trademark data base to see if your intended business name is being used and protected by a Trademark. If you find a name that is "Trademarked" and labeled "Live" you can't use it because it's protected, if it's listed as "Dead", then you are free to use that name. To do a Trademark Search Click Here, select Basic Word Mark Search, enter the business name.
Step 2. Once your trademark search is complete for the business name you would like to use, then your next step is to search your states Division of Corporations,( Corp, LLC, Inc...) this is the department where all incorporated business within that state have to be registered.
Step 3. Is your business going to be a Sole Proprietorship, then most of these types of business are registered in under a state/county Ficticious Names Division. Check these out as well.