5 steps to trademark your logo

The essential five-step guide to protecting your logo design with a trademark

by Small Business Logos

Got this from:

http://www.startups.co.uk/5-steps-to-trademark-your-logo.html

 

Trademarking your logo will ensure the ultimate security for your brand’s individuality. Protect against third-party imitation by following this step-by-step guide.

1. Decide what you want to trademark

Firstly, think about what it is you want to protect. You can trademark your logo, a combination of words, images, phrases, shapes or corporate colours under protection law. In fact, any unique symbol or design that distinguishes your business is eligible for trademarking with the UK Intellectual Property Office. You cannot simply register a word featuring in the dictionary word, or words, that are generally used to describe the service you are offering. You must make sure your trademark is distinctive, and not merely descriptive of the product or service that you offer.

Read more on what you can protect under a trademark

2. Avoid infringing someone else’s trademark.

Trademark infringement may require legal action, even if accidental. To avoid this, before you decide to trademark your logo, you need to make sure the mark has not been recorded by another company.

There are three types of valid trademark in the UK, and all need to be searched.

Click here to continue reading how to avoid infringing another trademark

3. Use an attorney, or trademark your logo yourself online

If your mark is distinctive and you have checked the trademark registers to ensure there is no chance of infringement, then you are ready to proceed with trademarking your logo.

It is possible to trademark your logo yourself online, however, the legalities of trademarking can be intricate. If you begin to trademark your logo and later encounter an issue, it may cost you more time and money in the long run, than if you had received advice along the way.

If you choose to use a trademark attorney in the UK, make sure they are listed by the trade body at the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys

4. File your application to trademark your logo

Once you’re ready to fill out your application, the next step is to decide how wide geographically you want to protect your logo. There are two options: a UK trademark or a community trademark (which will protect you in all 27 companies of the EU). The two differ greatly in terms of cost and the length of the process.

Read more about the class of trademark you want for your logo

5. Finalise

After your application has been processed – an estimated four to five months for a UK mark or nine to twelve months for a community mark – your logo will be fully protected as your intellectual property. You can then use your logo design secure in the knowledge that you are protected should a third party decide to imitate it.

 

 

 

Buyers' guide: Web hosting

Thought you might like to read this article i got from the following website (To read more articles like this, visit the site):

                     http://www.startups.co.uk/buyers-guide-web-hosting.html?page=2

Top tips to help you choose the right web hosting provider and package for your start-up

by Martin James

The rise of the internet over the past couple of decades has truly transformed our lives. For the start-up business owner, an online presence can kickstart your business in a way that simply wasn't possible in the past – getting your message out instantly to the farthest reaches of the planet.

But with so many web hosting options out there, how do you choose the right package for your needs? Join us as we run through your options, and take a close look at the different types of web-hosting services available and what they offer.

What is web hosting?

You don't need to be particularly web-savvy yourself to understand the benefits of setting up a website for your start-up. A dedicated website serves as a digital shopfront, giving you the opportunity to showcase exactly what your business offers in a form that's accessible to anyone, at any time, and from any internet-connected device in the world.

That all sounds good in theory, but the tricky bit is creating a site that works properly and does everything you want it to (on what's known as the front end), and which is easy to manage and maintain behind the scenes (the back end).

And that’s where web hosting comes in. To explain briefly, every web page you visit on the internet is composed of elements such as images, logos, adverts, text and other page design components. These are stored on the servers of a web hosting service, and made available when someone attempts to load the page in question.

Just how much storage space you'll need depends entirely on the site. Chances are, however, that if your business is just getting off the ground, your website will be starting small too, and there are plenty of affordable hosting services aimed directly at start-up companies.

Free hosting services

It doesn’t get more affordable than completely free, and it might be tempting to opt for one of the many free hosting services until your business takes off, but this can easily end up being a false economy. Free web hosts typically make their money by imposing advertising on your site, which could mean anything from a banner ad along the top of the page to pop-up windows that open every time a visitor to your site opens a new page.

This means your site’s survival effectively rests on the web host’s ability to attract advertisers, and the regularity with which new services are arriving on the scene only to vanish again down the line should serve as a warning. You also have no control over the content of the ads either, so for example the website for your start-up organic fresh produce business could end up having ads for a major take-away chain plastered all over the homepage.

Other likely limitations include restrictions on the type and size of file you’re able to upload, a seriously restrictive limit on how much web space the site takes up as a whole, and a requirement that you use the web host’s own site-building tools to put your website together – tools which often only work with that particular web host.

In short, while we wouldn’t say going with a free hosting service is guaranteed to end in tears, there are some serious risks involved that, as a start-up, you’d be wise to think long and hard about before proceeding.

Commercial web hosts

The more sensible option for most start-up businesses, then, is to use a commercial web host right from the start. You get more space to play with, a more reliable service overall, plus you don't have to put up with pop-ups or adverts for someone else's business distracting visitors to your site. But that still leaves you with a vast array of options to choose from, at widely varying costs, and while that means you're bound to find a package to suit just about every need, it can also be confusing if you're not altogether sure what those needs are.

Template-based web building sites

However, there are a number of simple, template-based web building tools that operate on a subscription model (rather than making money through advertising), which include web hosting within the package. A few operate on a 'freemium' model – where a very basic website is offered for free, but you can pay more for premium features, such as greater storage space, but most use a low-cost subscription model, ranging from around £2-£25 per month.

If you don’t know how to develop websites yourself, these are worth looking into. Examples include Basekit, Moonfruit, Mr Site and Google’s own Getting British Business Online. When it comes to hosting, offerings vary, and the free/lowest cost offerings often come with restrictions on storage space. Again, you will be restricted to the site's own web building tools.

If you'll be developing a site yourself, or commissioning a web developer to build it for you, you'll need to look at specialist web hosting companies. 

Turn to page two for detailed information on the key things to look out for when choosing a web hosting provider and package, whether it's a simple web-building service, cloud hosting or your own dedicated server…

Paying yourself

I've been wondering how I earn my money now I've registered my company and have typed questions on google till I was blue in the face.
This was a life saver. If you just started a company like me or thinking of starting a company, then this is a must read.....after all, one of the purpose of going into business is to make money for yourself.

You can find more useful information like the article below from: http://www.company-wizard.co.uk/guides/index.aspx

Paying Yourself

Now you have a limited company you will no doubt be keen to pay yourself for your efforts. There are a number of different methods for extracting money from your company that you should consider and decide upon based on your requirements and individual circumstances. This guide is intended to cover two of the most popular methods and is specific to paying yourself rather than your employees. An important thing to remember first ! When you incorporated your limited company you created a new entity that is separate from yourself, the company will have its own assets, liabilities and legal status. As a director you will be responsible for managing the company and as a shareholder you will own part or all of the company entitling you to the business profits and any gains made if the company is sold. It is this distinction that you should remember once the company is trading and receiving payments. The money you collect through your business is not yours to take as and when you please, the money belongs to the company and you must extract any remuneration through an appropriate channel. This can be something that eludes many new company owners particularly if you have been used to being self employed. What is PAYE? PAYE stands for Pay as you Earn and is a scheme managed by HM Revenue and Customs (formerly The Inland Revenue) to collect tax at source from any remuneration made to the company’s employees. If you have come from full time employment then the chances are you were paid using your company’s PAYE scheme. How does PAYE work? The way PAYE works is simple, every month (or week depending on how often you wish to pay yourself) you decide the gross amount before tax that you would like to pay as your salary. You then calculate the amount of Tax and National Insurance that would be due, this will be dependant on your tax code (The Revenue will inform you of this when you setup your PAYE scheme). To calculate your Tax and NI contributions you can either use the old fashioned manual method of using the tables supplied by the Revenue or you can use a computerised system such as Sage Instant Accounts. After completing this you will have a net figure that can be paid to you from the company and a liability of the Tax and NI that must be paid to the Revenue. The above is a simplified analogy of how an individual might pay themselves using the PAYE system. There are a few other things to remember though. If you are a director then the National Insurance calculations are slightly different to that of a regular employee. The above example does not take into account any deductions made from the salary such as Pension or student loan contributions. A limited company must also pay National Insurance whenever an employee is paid using the PAYE system. How do I setup a PAYE system? You can setup a PAYE system with the Revenue by contacting their employer helpline (0845 7143143). They will then send out all the forms and guidance that you will need to start paying yourself through this system. What are Dividends? Dividends are basically payments made to company shareholders from the profits of the company. If the company has not made a profit over a given period then it cannot pay a dividend. Most large public limited companies pay a dividend either once or twice a year, effectively it is a reward to shareholders for investing in their company. It is up to the directors of the company to decide if and when a dividend can be paid to the company’s shareholders. Although dividends tend to be associated with large PLC companies, small private companies can also pay a dividend at anytime providing there are available profits in the company. How are Dividends taxed? Dividends attract corporation tax payable by the company and may also raise a personal tax liability in the way of income tax. The corporation tax liability is calculated and paid to HM Revenue and Customs at the end of the company’s financial year and takes into account the overall profit of the company and any dividends (or so called distributions) that have been made over the period. In this respect it is difficult to estimate the amount of corporation tax payable when the dividend is issued. As previously mentioned though you must ensure that the company has the available profit to make the net dividend payment and the additional tax liability, this must surpass any uncertainty and we would suggest that you estimate the corporation tax liability as over 19% of the net dividend. If a company pays a dividend that cannot be supported by its profits then it is technically insolvent. Assuming that there is sufficient profit in the company you can continue to issue the dividend to your shareholders. The shareholders must be paid on a pro-rata basis in accordance with how many shares they hold. Once the shareholder has received his or her dividend then there may be an additional personal tax consideration depending on their annual earnings. The rates of tax on dividends are as follows: Annual Earnings (2011-2012 figures)Up to the basic rate (Up to £35,000 ) 10% Higher rate (£35,001 to £150,000) 32.5% Additional rate (£150,001 and above) 42.5% This means that ordinarily if you were earning under £32,400 per year you would incur a 10% tax liability on the dividend you received. However dividends carry a tax credit of 10% thus cancelling out the liability. On the other hand if you are earning over £32,400 per year then you would have an effective rate of 22.5% (32.5% – 10% tax credit). How do I issue a Dividend? Here are the basic procedures for issuing a dividend. Ensure that there are sufficient profits in the company to allow for the dividend. It is recommended that you print a balance sheet and profit and loss account for the period to remove any doubt. Call a meeting of the directors to minute the decision and details of the dividend. Generate a tax voucher for each shareholder. A tax voucher is a simple statement showing the company and shareholder details along with the individuals shareholding net dividend amount and tax credit. Issue the dividend payments along with the tax vouchers and file the board minutes and accounts at the registered office. It all may sound a little complicated at first but the more times you go through the process the easier it becomes also it may be worth understanding the nature of dividends as there may be distinct financial advantages for both you and your company. PAYE vs Dividends The question that many new company owners ask is should I pay myself using the PAYE system or Dividends. The answer is very much dependant on circumstances and in fact many individuals choose to use a combination of the two. Below are some pointers to help you decide on the right format for you and your company.

PROS CONS PAYE Lots of free help available from the Revenue Can be expensive in National Insurance for smaller companies. Tax and National Insurance liabilities are easy to calculate and paid at source. Can be used only to pay employees of the company PAYE allows you to utilise your personal tax free allowance where applicable Payroll expenses are deductible from the profit chargeable to Corporation Tax. Dividends No National Insurance. Directly reduces the equity of the company. More tax efficient in most circumstances Can only be paid from the profits of the company. Can be paid to individuals who are not employees of the company (They must however be shareholders).

Dividends and PAYE In Practice Most British tax payers have a personal allowance of approximately £7,475 which they can earn each year and not pay any tax on. In this case you could pay an annual salary of £7,475 using the PAYE system and not pay any tax for this proportion of your income. You and your company may still however pay a small amount of National Insurance. The remainder of your income could be made up through dividends (subject to available profits), Dividends do not attract National Insurance and if kept within your basic rate will only attract corporation tax payable by the company, this is dependent on your overall company profits but for small companies should not exceed 20%. Typically this combination of PAYE and Dividends will be more tax efficient than using either of the methods separately. Useful links You may find the following links useful in answering any further questions you may have about PAYE and Dividends. PAYE for Employers - Information and guidance from HM Revenue and Customs relating to PAYE. Income Tax Rates - Up to date rates of Income Tax. Corporation Tax Rates - Up to date rates of Corporation Tax. Paying Dividends - Information and guidance on paying dividends published by Business Link

15 things to do once you have registered your company

Stumbled upon this at: http://www.company-wizard.co.uk/guides/index.aspx  I hope you find it as valuable as I have :-)   15 Things to do once you have registered your company...
So you have registered your new limited company and are on the verge of an exciting and perhaps terrifying new venture. As we appreciate that experience is a valuable commodity, we would like to take this opportunity to share our experiences and that of our customers to assist you in making the next steps. This guide is a simple, straight to the point summary of what you may like to think about now you have a registered company. It is important to remember that every business is unique and this is by no means a ‘tick in the box’ list of things to do... If you think that a particular subject is applicable and may help your business then please feel free to read on.
	Setting up a business bank account
	Registering for VAT
	Paying yourself
	Managing your accounts
	Managing your limited company
	Setting up a merchant account
	Creating a website
	Taking payments online
	Marketing your website online
	Registering a Trade Mark
	Taking on employees
	Understanding Data Protection
	Understanding Distance Selling Regulations
	Non-geographic telephone numbers
	Knowing your customers and suppliers

Transferring shares with a stock transfer form

This post is for startups or any one who owns a company limited by shares. I got these information from the following website incase you need more information:
http://www.company-wizard.co.uk/help/Stock_Transfer_Form.aspx


You can transfer shares for a private limited company between new and existing shareholders provided that the relevant notice is issued. To transfer shares for a company you will need to obtain and complete a Stock Transfer Form and to complete the stock transfer form you will be asked to provide the following information:

• Consideration money (How much is being paid for the shares)
• Name of Security (e.g. 100 Ordinary Shares for XYZ LIMITED)
• Description of Security
• Number of shares transferred
• Name and address of transferor
• Name and address of transferee
• Authorising signature from both parties
• Declaration of Stamp Duty Liability

You can obtain a stock transfer form using the link below:
Stock Transfer Form - http://www.company-wizard.co.uk/eiw/forms/stocktransferForm.pdf

Please note that there is a stamp duty tax liability for all stocks/shares transferred. The liability at the time of writing is 0.5% of the consideration or nominal share value. Payments are made directly to the HMRC Stamp Office.
When completed the form should be delivered to one of the two HM Revenue and Customs Stamp Offices:

Birmingham Stamp Office                         Edinburgh Stamp Office
9th Floor                                                       HM Revenue & Customs
City Centre House                                        Edinburgh Stamp Office
30 Union street                                             68 Queen Street
Birmingham                                                 Edinburgh
B2 4AR                                                        EH2 4NF
Tel: 0845 603 0135
Fax: 0121 643 8381

Please note that for any new allotments or change in the denomination of issued share capital you will need to provide amended share certificates to the people concerned. You can generate a new share certificate using the following online wizard:
Share Certificate Wizard -  http://www.company-wizard.co.uk/resources/share_certificate.aspx

Any share transfers should be documented in the companies register and declared on the next annual return.

 Hope you find this helpful

4 reasons to protect your logo

Why you need to protect your logo

4 reasons why you need to protect your logo

by Small Business Logos

Got this from:

http://www.startups.co.uk/why-you-need-to-protect-your-logo.html?utm_campaign=SU%20Newsletter%2023%2F10%2F2012%20%28Barclays%29&utm_content=Why%20you%20need%20to%20protect%20your%20logo&utm_term=70&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Adestra

Your product is the very essence of your business, and is therefore invaluable to you as a business owner. If the service you provide is worth selling, then unfortunately it may be attractive to imitate, so you should protect your logo as soon as possible to defend the brand your customers know and love. Here are four very good reasons why you should act now.

It can happen to small businesses

As a small company, you may think there is no need to protect your logo, and that it is unlikely you will experience trademark or copyright theft because your business is less prominent than others that offer your service. However, in reality, that may be exactly why you’re targeted. Someone looking to establish a competitor service, while your business is in its infancy, may capitalise on your vulnerability.

All logos are eligible

If you’re asking the question, ‘Is my logo eligible?’ then the simple answer is ‘yes’. Any logo or creative mark that includes artistic elements or design, not just straight text, is legally entitled to be protected under trademark or copyright law.

Protect your logo and it could save you money in the long run

If you don’t protect your logo and someone attempts to infringe upon your content, the trademark and copyright body your logo is registered to will come to your aid and ultimately save you money. Their protection will help you to stop a third party before there is a need to start a potentially expensive legal process.

It doesn’t take long

You should protect your logo as soon as possible. It is straightforward, quick, and at the end of the process you will feel secure knowing you have the protection you need to guard your brand, should a third party attempt to imitate it. Don’t let this important task get overlooked.