Bobby:
While Susan was clearing the table Bobby continued to tell them more about Stuff For Everyone®. “One of the things we ‘ve done to protect our products was to trademark them.”
Charlie:
“Great idea, Bobby,” Charlie stated, “but that must have cost you a fortune.”
Bobby:
“Not really,” Bobby softly replied. “With the few exceptions when I needed to consult a trademark attorney, I filed all the trademark applications and their Statement of Uses myself.”
Charlie:
“Where did you ever get that skill?” Charlie curiously asked.
Bobby:
“Over my working years in corporate America I learned a lot from our companies trademark attorneys, plus I read a lot about filing and maintaining trademarks,” Bobby stated. “Having said that, as an entrepreneur with limited financial resources you have got to learn to do things outside your comfort zone, such as prepare and file trademark applications, or you will run out of money.”
Karen:
“Impressive, Bobby,” Karen stated while she reached for several of the dishes on the table in her effort to help Susan clean up.
Charlie:
“May I ask,” Charlie said while looking at Bobby. “Why in the first place would you want to trademark your products?”
Bobby:
“For several reasons, Charlie,” Bobby answered. “First and foremost is to protect the brand Stuff For Everyone® and their products from anyone who wished to copycat them, so called pirates. Afterall, Susan and I have spent a lot of time, energy and money creating, designing and bringing these products to market.”
Charlie:
“Good point,” Charlie added.
Susan:
Hearing her husband’s comment, Susan called out from the kitchen, “Yeah, Bobby, tell them about when we first started Stuff For Everyone®, and I would work an extra shift to pay for the trademark application fee.”
Bobby:
“Bless your heart,” Bobby called back. “The second reason we trademarked our products,” he began to state before being interrupted by Susan, “was to.”
Susan:
Sarcastically, Susan called back from the kitchen, “Yeah, the second, third, fourth and fifth reasons are that every time Bobby needed to file a trademark, I had to work an extra shift to pay for it!”
Bobby:
After hearing Susan’s comments, Bobby sat silent for several seconds looking at Karen and Charlie. He then continued, “The second reason Is the fact that I wanted to protect the revenue streams of our commercial accounts, distributors, licensees and brokers from being diluted, again by copycat products.”
Charlie:
“I don’t understand,” Charlie inserted.
Bobby:
“Think about it, Charlie,” Bobby answered. “If you were a large retail box store and you agreed to either carry, or test market, one of our Stuff For Everyone®’s products you would plan on the product generating a certain revenue stream. Certainly, in planning for the second year of carrying the product you would base your income projections off of the year one results.”
Charlie:
“That makes sense,” Charlie stated.
Bobby:
“Therefore, as a result of trademarking our products we are providing the retailer, distributor, broker or licensee with a predicable revenue stream knowing that no other company can sell our trademarked products,” Bobby stated.” And, if our retailers, distributors, brokers or licensees want to expand their sales, we are providing them with sustained, predicable earnings, unencumbered from copycats.”
Charlie:
“If you say so, Bobby. Some of this is beyond me,” Charlie announced. “After all I’m just a bus driver, and you are the creator of Stuff For Everyone®.”
Susan:
“Well then,” Susan started to say when she returned from the kitchen, “Now let’s all go to the living room so that we can continue looking at the Stuff For Everyone® website.
To be continued tomorrow
Stuff For Everyone® Blog
Episode 6 of 9
Written by Bob Jenkins, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Stuff For Everyone®, a wholly owned subsidiary of Harper Jenkins Scobie Enterprises.