register with the pantent office. You can always hire a consultant if you think it's a truly marketable idea. If it's just name/text you can just hire an attorney to get it certified for you. (I try to let trained pros do their jobs, it's when one cut corners and tries to learn the legal system or any other giant field, that people really screw things up).

If you really want to do the legwork, jump on Lexis Nexus and do the research, there are different steps for different items.