Communication without a company name

[Johann21]

Hi guys,


I have a silly question for you. I want to send some mails to different companies. The thing is, I have a name for my business, but I haven't completed the trademark protection process yet. Also, I haven't bought the domain yet. So I would just write to them with my private email (like johann.smith@outlook.com). Is that okay or does that look unprofessional? Should I get a domain like office@johann.smith.com or should I use an email with my company name like johann.smith@banana.com? With the company name and without the trademark protection, I'm afraid someone might steal the name. I could also get into trouble if a company already has a similar name.


What do you think?

 

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[becks22]

If you don't want to buy a generic domain get a gmail or outlook that is JohannSmithConsulting@gmail.com or something like that?

I wouldn't use my personal only because I would want to keep business and personal separate. Sets up a good strategy for the future.

 

[Johann21]

If you don't want to buy a generic domain get a gmail or outlook that is JohannSmithConsulting@gmail.com or something like that?

I wouldn't use my personal only because I would want to keep business and personal separate. Sets up a good strategy for the future.

Thanks man. I will do that.

 

[Oso]

I'd worry less about trademarking and more about securing your branding at this point. You don't have to buy hosting to use a domain-based email address, so if nothing else, I'd purchase the domain and setup a forwarding email service.

As @becks22 said, you want to ensure you maintain separation between personal and business.

Cheers.

 

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[Johann21]

I'd worry less about trademarking and more about securing your branding at this point. You don't have to buy hosting to use a domain-based email address, so if nothing else, I'd purchase the domain and setup a forwarding email service.

As @becks22 said, you want to ensure you maintain separation between personal and business.

Cheers.

Unfortunately, the domain is already taken, but the trade mark is not. If I can secure the trade mark, then I should also get the domain, as he is not allowed to use my trade mark.
The trademark registration process takes about 3 months in my country, and if he finds out, for example, that I have taken a similar domain, he might also try to get the trademark registration process.

 

[Oso]

Unfortunately, the domain is already taken, but the trade mark is not. If I can secure the trade mark, then I should also get the domain, as he is not allowed to use my trade mark.
The trademark registration process takes about 3 months in my country, and if he finds out, for example, that I have taken a similar domain, he might also try to get the trademark registration process.

Well, I can't really comment much as my knowledge on trade marking is limited to the US. But what I can say is I recommend you confirm your thought process with a lawyer/someone with authority.

Just because you trade mark a name doesn't mean someone is obligated to give you the domain name. All it means is if they use the name you own without your permission, you have legal grounds to sue them. If the person that owns the domain name still demands 100k for the domain name, even after you've trade marked it, your options are buy it for 100k, or hope they're dumb enough to let the domain expire... And then hope you're the first person to buy it.

But again, as stated above, all of that is based on US-workings. For all I know, in your country, they force someone to give you a domain name after you've trade marked a name (but I highly doubt that).

This is ultimately why, when generating name ideas for a new company, the first 2 things I do are A) conduct a Google search to see what pops up, and B) check to see if the .com is available.

Cheers.

 

[Johnny boy]

For these situations I like to use a really helpful acronym that I just came up with 4 seconds ago.

W.A.M.M.F.Y.D




WORRY ABOUT MAKING MONEY FIRST YOU DORK

 

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[Johann21]

@Oso I have looked it up. In my country you could get a injunction in the case of using a protected brand and also it could lead to a deleting of the domain. But this is only possible if the domain is created after the trade mark registration has happened.

So what I did now is that I got a domain like www.smithconsulting.com just to start and don't lose too much time on that, like @Johnny boy said. later I will get a better brand, buy the domain and protect it.

 

[Oso]

@Oso I have looked it up. In my country you could get a injunction in the case of using a protected brand and also it could lead to a deleting of the domain. But this is only possible if the domain is created after the trade mark registration has happened.

But again, "deleting of the domain" doesn't inherently mean "you get it/it's taken from them." It probably means if they're using it, they receive some form of cease and desist.

So what I did now is that I got a domain like www.smithconsulting.com just to start and don't lose too much time on that, like @Johnny boy said. later I will get a better brand, buy the domain and protect it.

This is the better path. In the beginning, you only care about having your domain name and setting up universal branding (make your shit match on every platform). Don't waste countless hours doing this. You immediately get clients from there.

Your basic branding exists to make you look semi-professional.

Cheers.