“The whole world is a stage” someone once said, and it’s truer today than ever before. With so many people and businesses online, one may consider some of the following options for protecting your brand.

1. Choose Wisely – From the very beginning, try to choose a domain name that has something unique about it. Also purchase multiple extensions of that name to keep the competition at bay. Simply buying the .com version and leaving the .net for someone else to grab and start a similar business is unwise, particularly if the name clearly states the topic (cooking, guitars, etc.) which means the other extensions will cover the same thing. Spending the extra money on the domains can save you a lot of heartache later.

2. Obtain a Trademark – Identify those unique elements of your brand and have them trademarked. Here in the U S you can use the United States Patent and Trademark Office site to help you with the process. A trademark distinguishes your goods and products from those of others.

3. Monitor – Some time ago I wrote some Google Alerts Tips showing how you can use it as a tool for monitoring what is being said about you and your brand. You can find the tool here at Google Alerts. Simply setup an alert for your name or the name of your business and the results will be emailed to you at a frequency you choose.

4. Avoid Negativity – Inevitably there will be situations where things can turn negative. A heated discussion breaks out in comments; an inaccurate statement is made about your product, etc. For these reasons you must protect your personal and business brand, avoiding negativity that could damage your image. Staying out of these types of situations is one of the most important things you can do to enhance your career and boost your public persona. Always observe good behavior and project a professional image.

5. Take Action – Take the proper steps now to protect your brand. Often things may be put off until tomorrow, which never arrives and the next thing you know, a real problem has arisen that could have been avoided.

In Closing

More than likely, you have put in or are in the process of putting in a lot of hard work building your business. Don’t let your sweat equity be wiped away by a lack of protective measures.

Have you taken steps to protect your brand?

Can you add to the above?

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