Creating Your Brand :

Now that you have decided to sell clips or photos on Clips4Sale.com it's important that you start your new business correctly. You want to be unique and easily recognizable by your fans and customers.

NOTE: These steps are NOT mandatory for having a store on Clips4Sale, they are posted here only as a guide for anyone who wishes to use the services noted below.

Creating your business and your own brand is very important, much like when you see a familiar product you instantly recognize that company by their brand and/or brand name, the same goes for store on Clips4Sale and your new business.

First, think of a unique name for your new company, which will in turn become your brand name.

You want to make it a name that is easily understood when people see it and not hard to remember or spell. If you already have an online persona that you are known by you can use that pseudonym (fictitious name / stage name) or you can create a new brand name.

Once you come up with your company/brand name then you need to do a bit of work to make sure no one else already uses that name and that's as easy as Google Search. But you should also Search on Clips4Sale which you can do here: http://clips4sale.com/list/en/category/0/AllCategories.

RESOURCE TIP - Check out this website for help in developing your brand name: http://knowem.com. Or you can also check out this tool for branding your store: http://checkusernames.com which is also powered by KnowEm.

What is this? KnowEm allows you to check for the use of your brand, product, personal name or username instantly on over 500 popular and emerging social media websites. Grab your name and secure your brand before someone else does.

Excerpt Below and Information from US Small Business Administration - https://www.sba.gov

Choose Your Business Name

Choosing a business name is an important step in the business planning process. Not only should you pick a name that reflects your brand identity, but you also need to ensure it is properly registered and protected for the long term. You should also give a thought to whether it’s web-ready. Is the domain name even available?

Here are some tips to help you pick, register, and protect your business name.

Factors to Consider When Naming Your Business

Many businesses start out as freelancers, solo operations, or partnerships. In these cases, it’s easy to fall back on your own name as your business name. While there’s nothing wrong with this, it does make it tougher to present a professional image and build brand awareness.

Here are some points to consider as you choose a name:

How will your name look? – On the web, as part of a logo, on social media.
What connotations does it evoke? – Is your name too corporate or not corporate enough? Does it reflect your business philosophy and culture? Does it appeal to your market?
Is it unique? – Pick a name that hasn’t been claimed by others, online or offline. A quick web search and domain name search (more on this below) will alert you to any existing use.

Check for Trademarks

Trademark infringement can carry a high cost for your business. Before you pick a name, use the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s trademark search tool to see if a similar name, or variations of it, is trademarked.

If You Intend to Incorporate

If you intend to incorporate your business, you’ll need to contact your state filing office to check whether your intended business name has already been claimed and is in use. If you find a business operating under your proposed name, you may still be able to use it, provided your business and the existing business offer different goods/services or are located in different regions.

Pick a Name That is Web-Ready

In order to claim a website address or URL, your business name needs to be unique and available. It should also be rich in key words that reflect what your business does. To find out if your business name has been claimed online, do a simple web search to see if anyone is already using that name.

Next, check whether a domain name (or web address) is available. You can do this using the WHOIS database of domain names. If it is available, be sure to claim it right away. This guide explains how to register a domain name.

Claim Your Social Media Identity

It’s a good idea to claim your social media name early in the naming process – even if you are not sure which sites you intend to use. A name for your Facebook page can be set up and changed, but you can only claim a vanity URL or custom URL once you’ve got 25 fans or “likes.” This custom URL name must be unique, or un-claimed.

Register Your New Business Name

Registering a business name is a confusing area for new business owners. What does it mean and what are you required to do?

Registering your business name involves a process known as registering a “Doing Business As (DBA)” name or trade name. This process shouldn’t be confused with incorporation and it doesn’t provide trademark protection. Registering your “Doing Business As” name is simply the process of letting your state government know that you are doing business as a name other than your personal name or the legal name of your partnership or corporation. If you are operating under your own name, then you can skip the process.

Learn about the requirements in your state and how to file in this Registering Your Doing Business As Name guide.

Apply for Trademark Protection

A trademark protects words, names, symbols, and logos that distinguish goods and services. Your name is one of your most valuable business assets, so it’s worth protecting. You can file for a trademark for less than $300. Learn how to trademark your business name.

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