We recommend that you protect your trading name and any associated logo as trade marks. Doing so will give you the exclusive legal right to use the name and logo in respect of the goods and services you provide. Business name and company name registration give a trader the right to use a name, but it is only registration under the Trade Marks Act which provides the following benefits:- an exclusive legal right to use the name and logo in respect of the services they are registered in relation to, which will enable:- the marks to accumulate value in a balance sheet; and the marks to be licensed, for a fee to others (such as franchisees); confidence that your use of the marks will not be in breach of any rights to the name or logo of other traders; a monopoly in the name, which will assist in preventing others from using similar marks in relation to your nominated goods and services; registration is evidence of your better right to the marks in the unwanted event that another trader alleges infringement of their name or logo; and business name registration only applies in Queensland, but a trade mark is national protection.