11894651_830973553684466_1875039545344547384_oWhen I interview various business owners for the articles I feature over at Huffington Post, I always want to know what these businesses are currently doing that will help them be better known and stand out from the crowd.

It doesn’t matter if I’m working with a health organization or an author trying to figure out the messaging behind the book.

The bottom line is: If you’re building a business, you need to invest thought into your brand.

It’s one thing to implement a bunch of internet marketing techniques, but the truth is, you’ve got to put yourself on the line if you want to build a brand that will make you stand apart from the others.

You need to reveal who you are in your brand.

You’ve got to be invested in your brand’s success.

And yes, this requires courage.

It’s easy to hide behind the walls of your business.

A writer can call himself a freelancer instead of a content strategist or content marketer.

A fitness instructor can call himself “a professional” or brand himself as a health coach.

What experience do you want to create for others who may consider exploring the opportunities to work with you?

Do you want to just grow your business or your brand?

Let those answers sink in for a while.

Do you want to grow your brand or just your business?

The only way to do this is to think about your business to a branded business.

Having the courage to brand your business means you’re willing to think about the following questions:
How do you see yourself as a business owner?
How do you want your clients to feel after visiting your site?
What separates your business from what the masses are doing in your industry?
How do you spend your time as a business owner?
What are the core values of your brand?
So here I am asking you to think about your brand in light of these questions.
Take out a piece of paper and start with the first question. Don’t overthink the answers. Just wite the first few associations that come to mind. Perfection paralysis is a trap!