Sul Lee Law Firm - November/December 2024

In the digital age, content is king. Having great marketing content across social media and popular websites is a surefire way to attract attention to your brand. However, if you do not have copyright over your content, then you are not in control of how it is used and where it can be published, among other things. The U.S. Copyright Office defines copyright as a type of intellectual property that protects original works, including artwork, music, writing, video, and more. In other words, it is an essential protection for all of your marketing media. Here is why copyright is important, and how you can ensure you are securing it from your marketing partners. WHY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER COPYRIGHT IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Running a successful business can seem impossible if you feel your employees aren’t listening and giving you their full attention. Have you ever talked with a team member, giving them vital instructions for a task, only for them to respond with a slow head nod and a glazed-over expression? They likely didn’t ask follow-up questions or assert that they understood your directions. They simply heard what you said and will take it from there, creating a frustrating disconnect. Many business owners and managers don’t know how to tackle this dilemma effectively. They’ll often respond negatively to their team, increasing their frustration and causing their team to feel disrespected, which worsens the situation for everyone. You can’t yell, belittle, or fire your team members when this happens; you’ll only make the problem worse and create a hostile work environment. Instead, you have to get your team to buy into the business, their daily duties, and everything else to ensure you can run a successful business for many years. So, what’s the secret to getting your team to listen to you intently? Here are three strategies you should implement to see if they improve your team’s response. Get your team to buy into your business and core values. Let’s remove the elephant from the room right away. Most people who apply to work for you and accept an offer of employment are not committed to the business and its ideals from the get-go. They initially start working for your company for a paycheck and experience in the industry. It’s during their first few days, weeks, and months that you can get them to buy into the business and believe in your values, but they won’t do this without effort on your part. You need to figure out why your employees should believe in what you do. From Glazed Eyes to Focused Minds How to Get Your Team to Embrace Your Vision

Why Copyright Is Important Having copyright over your work is crucial for your marketing materials — whether they are digital or in print — and give

you full control over how those materials are used,

distributed, and replicated. For one, having copyright allows you to control who can publish your marketing materials (including blogs, graphics, videos,

etc.), display them, reproduce derivative works based on them, or sell or transfer the rights to them to another entity. Without copyright, your

materials are at the behest of someone else, whether it be a marketing agency, freelancer, or other company entirely.

Securing Copyright Many businesses work with marketing agencies and freelancers to help them meet their content needs. It is important that any contracts you have in place with your marketing partners clearly delineate that the content they create on your behalf belongs to you and that you have copyright over them. It is also important to file for trademark protection for your significant assets and marketing materials to prevent others from capitalizing on your work. Applying watermarks or signatures on your videos and images can help prevent others from absconding with your work, but full copyright protection is still vital. If you are interested in securing copyright for your work or want help drafting a cease-and-desist letter to deter others from infringing on your copyright, we can help. Call our office at 469-715-4558 to set up a consultation.

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