Tips from the Trademark Insider: Use your Trademarks Properly – Part I

Are you aware that you can actually dilute the value of your company’s trademarks by improperly using them? If a mark is not federally registered, use the “TM” or “SM” designation with the mark until it achieves registration. Once it’s registered, always use the "®" designation. If you use the mark in a textual sentence, place it in all caps, surround it with quotations, and use the proper designation to the right of it. By doing this, everyone who sees it will know that you claim trademark rights and others should choose a different mark.

The Trademark Company