When you're launching a business and you want to get your name, slogan, or logo trademarked, the last thing that you want to do is go through the effort and expense of this process, only to eventually learn that your trademark has been rejected. Many people contend with the frustrations of trademark rejection, which may send them back to the drawing board to re-evaluate their idea — or they may even proceed without a trademark, which is not a good idea. It's a smart idea to consult with a trademark attorney to discuss the steps that you can take to lessen your risk of rejection. Here are three steps.

Make It Original

One of the common reasons that someone applying for a trademark gets rejected is that his or her name, slogan, or logo shares too many similarities with another brand. Your trademark attorney will strongly advise you to make these elements as original as possible. Doing so can require a lot of deep thinking, considering how many brands are already on the market, but the right consideration can help you to avoid a rejection. Browse the internet — and get your attorney to help you look through trademark databases — for anything that may be too close to your idea.

Don't Be Too Generic

Even if you come up with an idea that isn't too close to that of a brand that already exists, you want to avoid having your idea be too generic. It's easy to have a trademark application rejected if it's too generic. For example, while you might like the idea of calling your food truck "Best Hamburgers," but this statement is so generic that it may be difficult to get trademarked. You're better off coming up with a word that some people might not associate with hamburgers in this scenario. Doing so not only increases your likelihood of a successful trademark application, but may also be easier for prospective customers to remember.

Don't Attempt To Dupe

Some brands will make their names, slogans, or logos similar enough to an existing brand that they hope to catch the eye of a prospective customer who momentarily believes that he or she is looking at a widely known brand. For example, if you're opening a pizza restaurant, you might choose a logo that shares some similarities with a national pizza chain. Trademark offices are quick to identify this attempted trickery and do not take kindly to it. You're apt to receive a rejection for such an idea.

For more information, reach out to a trademark attorney near you.