Why Buy the Cow?
Even if it is purple…
I had planned on mapping out the next step for mompreneurs when I read a post by a popular marketing guru. I have one of his books and I really enjoyed it. I even think of his ideas when I’m marketing and promoting my law firm. But today, today… he touched on a subject dear to my heart, protecting your ideas in the digital age.
After fumbling through misguided ideas about trademark, copyright and patent, he gave the advice DON’T protect your ideas. Just give it away, let people freely share your ideas so you can show how brilliant you are! Um, okay. Let’s break it down again:
This will go back to last week’s post on a business plan. While new companies expand and change over time, you should think about how you want your business out there and how you want to market. Even if your plan is to cross promote, share your articles or even if you are out there so someone else can buy your business idea, listen up. It’s not worth anything if you don’t protect it.
What happens when you just give it away to anyone and everyone is that you dilute your brand. You create a situation where your content is not longer unique and not eligible for protection. On the other hand, if you register your trademark, you ensure that no one else will be using your name to confuse your product with theirs or even bank on your hard work. It is easier to sell an easily identifiable product. Your consumers will spend less time looking for you. Once you own your mark you can license it to other users and create more revenue streams for your business.
As for content, service based businesses use their content to create a brand around their service. It is a way for people to recognize you, trust you, etc. If your ideas are floating around without proper acknowledgment, who will know that you are the brilliant one behind the ideas? If you own your content, you can allow for others to use your content with restrictions that you provide ie link back to your site and any SEO person will tell you the value to that!
So, what I’m saying is, don’t hawk the internet, but be aware. Monitor your brand and make sure that the future of your brand is in your hands.
Come join me December 10th when I talk more about this.
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