Brand intangibles can be difficult to value, particularly for smaller enterprises. Several BVWire—UK readers have commented to us that they’ve done recent work for owners who have failed to protect these assets with even the most basic registrations. For instance, a trademark may be protected simply by incorporation, which at a minimum prevents other competitors from registering the same company name. Research with the Companies House online Name Availability Checker can expose both risks and potential opportunities and help the financial expert assess value. All business valuers should routinely check the corporate registrar to ensure that their valuation clients’ brands meet statutory requirements and aren’t otherwise already conflicted.

Early registration of related URLs is another indication of value that can be overlooked. This can be a critical element of increased value if the owner is branding their own name (a la Victoria Beckham and so many others) or even a specific business process in a competitive market. This approach, of course, also increases risk in the event of lawsuits or unfavorable press. Self-branding also may cause value complications at the time of sale—if the URLs are specific to the seller, the business owner may, in fact, forfeit the rights to use their own name without significantly reducing the sale price of the original assets.