When you develop an idea for a business, one of the most important things you can do is to find a way to protect it from being stolen. There are several ways you can do this but one of the most effective ways is to register a trademark. A trademark is a sign capable of differentiating the goods or services of your business from other businesses.

You can use a trademark to register any word, phrase, logo, symbol, smell, or design that identifies your goods or services to your consumers/customers. Practically, registering a Trademark is an important but lengthy process that takes about 6 months and can cost around 12,000 shillings for a single trademark. 

Once you have identified what it is you want to register, it is important to conduct a preliminary search to see if the mark is available for registration. If it is available, you can seek the services of a trademark lawyer to help you classify your mark under the Nice Classification System.

Once your mark has been classified, it will undergo examination where the mark is taken through a thorough examination by a qualified examiner. If it passes scrutiny it is advertised in the KIPI Journal and subsequently registered.

What are the benefits of registering a Trademark?

1. Trademark strengthens your company’s brand and reputation and creates a relationship of trust and loyalty with your consumers.
2. Trademark ensures that no one can steal/copy your logo, design, or symbol and pass it off like it’s theirs. If they do this, you can sue them for trademark infringement. 
3. Trademarks guide your consumers to make purchasing decisions by making your products stand out.
4. Trademarks prevent your consumer from being confused by making it easy for them to identify your product or service.

Have you registered a Trademark for your Business? Let’s talk