When most people say own your message, they're talking about living your message every single day. Walking your talk and sharing your message with your audience.

I agree that's important.

However, when I say you must own your message, I mean you must trademark that message.

Recently I was on a training and the speaker asked us, "what do you want your brand to be known for?"

For me, that's an easy question to answer. I want my brand to be known for the 3 Word Rebellion.

The other people on the call, their answers surprised me. They wanted their brand to be known for reliable information, impactful results, connection, accessibility and integrity.

Those are amazing brand attributes. They are great brand values, but your business can't own any of them.

Every news station in the world wants to be known for reliable information. None of them can own or trademark that.

Now, there are some of you who are listening who want to be thought leaders and influencers, but who are currently stuck in the land of being a subject matter expert.

Talking about the "how to's" of video or social media or Business Coaching, health coaching or energy work, and here's the thing, you can't own any of those broad categories and how to won't propel you into thought leadership. It actually keeps you stuck as a commodity where you're competing with other people on price because you haven't created your own thought leadership, your own message yet.

Let's talk about the three important reasons you need to own and trademark your message.