how to trademark

Hey question. I am trying to find out how to trade mark or register my name and slogan. I have looked on Google and that has been no help. I want to put it on some merchandise and I want things to be done right.

You have to do a trademark search. It must not be something which has been taken. However, I think if the TM has not been active for more than a certain period of time, you may try to register. It also varies depending on where you live. My suggestion is to find a TM attorney in your town.

http://www.uspto.gov/smallbusiness/trademarks/

United States Patent and Trademark Office

i have done a search on the uspto and it does not come up on there database. how ever the only atternys that i know is diverse lol so that dont help. I am in houston texas area.

thanks for the help.

http://www.uspto.gov/teas/starting.htm

I'd suggest reading that and making sure you have everything in order.

I had sent this via PM to you already, but thought I would post it here for anybody else needing information.

To trademark your "mark", which could be a fancy text, or your logo, etc, you just put a TM by it. That is all there is to it. If you want to actually register your mark so you can put that little R symbol with a circle around it (which means registered mark), then you would have to goto:

http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp

Sounds like its an expensive lengthy process to go that route, and you may want a lawyer to help out there. You can find all sorts of FAQ here:

http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/index.jsp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark

Just to clarify something, there are Trademarks(TM) and Service marks(SM). Trademarks should be used when your business basically sells products or tangible goods. Service marks on the other hand should be used when your business is primarily a service business. After either are registered then you may use the (R).

Since many aren't familiar with service marks here's a bit more of a definition. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_mark