Danielle Hughes of More Than Words Marketing: 5 Things You Should Do To Become a Thought Leader In Your Industry

An Interview With Dina Aletras

Everything starts with a clear brand. Who are you and what do you stand for? Becoming a Thought Leader starts with that clear Value proposition or Brand positioning. Understanding what your audience needs and how you’re uniquely qualified to give it to them. What do you have to say and share that’s unique but relevant to them. This is a great opportunity to share a personal story. Have you overcome something and that’s why you’re qualified? For example, I have a former client who coaches on burnout because she experienced it herself. Nothing is more relatable to those going through it than someone who’s proven it can be overcome.

As part of our series about how to become known as a thought leader in your industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Danielle Hughes.

As the Chief Personality Officer of More Than Words Marketing, Danielle Hughes is the creator of the Personality Brand. She teaches clients how to bring more of themselves into their message so they feel comfortable expressing it and can convey what makes them different from their competition, attracting the right audience and repelling the wrong one. Often referred to as a magician with words, while she can’t pull a rabbit out of her hat, she can hone your brand message and deadlift you or your employees, but not at the same time; that’s just irresponsible.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

I always enjoyed writing and even as a kid it was something that came naturally to me. But I also had a strong passion for art and for drawing.

When I got to college, the Advertising Design program I was in didn’t have copywriters. So when you were concepting your ads, you needed to write your own copy. And it became very obvious to me that I was a better writer than I was a designer (and I enjoyed the content ideation piece more)!

When I graduated, it was a notoriously bad job market. Long story short, I ended up getting a job in television, in ad sales marketing. My boss took me under her wing and started giving me projects to write content around. And I found out that I was good at writing marketing copy. I knew how to write in a warm, friendly, relatable way that got people to buy.

Fast forward more than a decade and after a very disappointing corporate role that ended in disaster and some consulting, I thought it was time to take the plunge and go freelance. I had a robust portfolio of marketing writing across almost all industries and platforms and figured my professional network and expertise would be enough. I’m sure you can see what’s coming…

A few years in I had the realization that I was playing business, not running one. I wasn’t marketing. I wasn’t networking and my brand, if you can call it that, was generic and forgettable. Besides needing a copywriter, no one knew what to come to me for. I was too broad.

So, I hired a Creative Coach to help me figure out my brand and niche (eek!). Working with her was the first time anyone had ever told me to put more ME into my messaging. Her advice, “they’re going to find out anyway” has always stuck with me. But the concept of Personal Branding never felt right to me. Why am I sharing anything personal with the world?

But I knew I needed to infuse some personality. And what I realized was that the minute I started to be more myself in my content, the more I began attracting the right clients. In other words, my content was doing the vetting for me. And I started to be more comfortable showing up as myself. No pretending, No dancing around. No pretense. I could just be me and they could be them and it was magic.

Can you briefly share with our readers why you are an authority about the topic of thought leadership?

One day I had this kernel of an idea that we don’t need personal branding, we need Personality Branding. After all, our personality is who we are. And all the parts that make us, us. It’s our culture, the movies we love, music we listen to, food we eat and the things we love to do outside of work. Those are the things we connect with.

What we need more of in professional settings is Personality and Personality Brand. And once we have that, we’re more comfortable and more confident. The transformation for clients is More Than Words (my company name for a reason) since it affects their entire being!

Over the past few years, the types of people wanting help with their professional bios has evolved. It used to be solopreneurs and entrepreneurs, or small businesses. Now I get C-Suite and Senior Leaders. People who were promoted or pivoting. Even job seekers.

And beyond just writing, I’m hired to speak and train people on the importance of having a Personality Brand. I run workshops to help people craft their brand and bios. It’s all about taking ownership of your professional story and career. Sharing what you want the world to know and what will help you move forward. From my bi-weekly newsletter, my growing LinkedIn presence, and countless podcast appearances, I’ve become known as an expert in Personal(ity) Branding and am sought out to bring my expertise to all places and spaces.

Some of the places I’ve spoken include: PwC, Chief, Movable Ink, IDG, NYU, Washington University, WE NYC, Pavilion, The Conference Board and more.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

I’m not a fan of Top, Most, #1, etc. but many years ago I was commissioned to write a screenplay. I’d written a couple prior and one was even a finalist in several competitions, but this was about a female superhero. WAYYYYY before Marvel or any of the other studios were bringing tales of strong women the screen. It was such a learning process for me. The creator had very clear ideas of who he wanted the heroine to be and it was my job to bring her to life on the page. Nothing ever came of the finished screenplay but when I look back I wonder if perhaps we were just 20 years too early?

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

It’s not the funniest, but I think it goes back to being generic. Thinking that my network of contacts and my experience would be enough. I rested on my laurels and did no real marketing or networking and it almost ruined me. I often joke that growing up Entrepreneur was a magazine, it wasn’t something I thought I could be. So when I accidentally became one, I didn’t have the first clue of how to build a business. For anyone out there, it’s vital to find a supportive network of people to help you. People who have done what you haven’t and are willing to share their expertise. Without the amazing women (and men) I’ve met in the NYC entrepreneurial world (and beyond), I don’t think I’d have a business — or my sanity!

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the main focus of our interview. In a nutshell, how would you define what a ‘Thought Leader’ is? How is a thought leader different from a typical leader? How is a thought leader different from an influencer?

To me a Thought Leader is someone who consistently leads and shapes conversation, not just participates in it. Someone who has unique ideas and strong values and boldly shares them unselfishly in order to help other people.

A typical leader (or a good leader) nurtures people towards a vision. But a thought leader would be the one to have that vision in the first place.

Most influencers, to me, are doing it for selfish reasons. They want to influence behavior towards a purchase or product so they benefit from it. And they’re usually being told what to influence. Whereas a Thought Leader influences by what they say or share, with no expectation of a financial benefit. The ideas are their own.

Can you talk to our readers a bit about the benefits of becoming a thought leader? Why do you think it is worthwhile to invest resources and energy into this?

For anyone who wants to ascend to the top of their organization or field, developing Thought Leadership in today’s landscape is a NEED to have, not a nice to have. It has to start with creating a strong personal(ity) brand. Knowing who you are and what you want to be known for. Knowing the value you bring and clearly defining that for your audience. Who do you help? Why should they listen to you? How can you help them? What makes you different from others in your industry? Developing Thought Leadership will help people find you and seek you out. It makes advancement easier. It also helps drive awareness and revenue — for you and your organization.

Let’s talk about business opportunities specifically. Can you share a few examples of how thought leadership can help a business grow or create lucrative opportunities?

Thought leaders drive eyeballs, engagement and clicks. The people that drive and shape conversation are the ones who stand out, who get noticed and who get hired. They also attract talent. People want to work for companies that are driving the conversation, not just joining it. Thought Leadership acts as a talent attractor, as well as a revenue driver.

Ok. Now that we have that behind us, we’d love to hear your thoughts about how to eventually become a thought leader. Can you share 5 strategies that a person should implement to become known as a thought leader in their industry?

1 . Everything starts with a clear brand. Who are you and what do you stand for? Becoming a Thought Leader starts with that clear Value proposition or Brand positioning. Understanding what your audience needs and how you’re uniquely qualified to give it to them. What do you have to say and share that’s unique but relevant to them. This is a great opportunity to share a personal story. Have you overcome something and that’s why you’re qualified? For example, I have a former client who coaches on burnout because she experienced it herself. Nothing is more relatable to those going through it than someone who’s proven it can be overcome.

2 . Vulnerability, when relevant, is a huge component of thought leadership. No one wants to be talked at. They want to be spoken to and invited in. Thought leadership isn’t about having all the answers. Nor is about being perfect. It’s about admitting struggles and showing how you yourself got to where you are. Who helped you? What have you changed about yourself, your mindset and approach. I often talk about taking the DISC profile assessment at one of my last jobs. I 100% knew who I was so to me this was a “waste of time.” Obviously I’m a D! But what I didn’t realize was how other people perceived me. Where I thought I was being direct and efficient, they thought I was unfriendly and critical. Once I realized this perception, I was able to soften my approach, raise my EQ and become a much better listener. A critical skill for any thought leader.

3 . Speaking of listening, this is a huge part of Thought Leadership. It may seem counterintuitive, but the best leaders listen. And absorb. And learn. And truly hear! If you’re constantly espousing, you won’t hear what your audience is really saying, what they really need. I constantly listen to podcasts and read books because I want to hear various voices, opinions and positions. I’m never the be all end all and some of my best ideas come from listening to others and using their ideas as jumping off points. In fact, most of my business came from what my former coach calls “listening to the market.” I was a copywriter but people were asking me to help with their bios and their voice. I could have dismissed this ask and stuck to traditional content but I heard what they really needed and started to learn how to help them. And the more I helped them, the more I was able to be a thought leader in the area of personal branding.

4 . Commit. True thought leadership is about committing to share content. It doesn’t have to be daily or on all platforms, but the only way to develop your voice and message is through practice. You have to keep putting it out there on a regular basis and see how people react and what they react to. I often tell my clients to determine the minimum amount they can do. In other words, don’t overpromise and underdeliver. Be realistic about how much time you have and how often you can publish or share. Start small! You can always ramp up, but if you overcommit you will likely burn out and stall. When I started my newsletter, once a week felt like too much but monthly felt like too little. So, I split the difference and publish every other week. I’ve maintained this cadence for more than 5 years. And if I go back and read older versions of my writing, they don’t sound like me today because this commitment has helped me evolve and hone my own voice and my message.

5 . Be authentic to you. It goes without saying, but Imma gonna say it, that a Thought Leader needs to be themselves. Not a mold of someone else or who you think you should be, but who you really are at your core. In the words of Charles Bukowski, “Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?” It’s all about your own unique voice and message. How can you bring more of who you are into what you have to say? Build that personal connection by weaving in what you love — hobbies, passions, causes. Use those to differentiate yourself and connect with your audience. At the end of my bio I say that I accept payment in bottles of Bordeaux. Everyone comments on this. Everyone. Even if you don’t love wine, it’s relatable, it’s funny and it starts the conversation. It invites people to get to know me and then they’re more likely to want to hear from me, to trust me and to learn from me. Not because I love wine, but because I’m human.

I have seen some discussion that the term “thought leader” is trite, overused, and should be avoided. What is your feeling about this?

Sadly, so many words get commoditized and then lose their meaning — inclusion, authenticity, thought leader. But I feel like we have the power to take them back and return the meaning to them. In other words, don’t tell me you’re a thought leader, show me with your actions. Are you inspiring others? The word or term alone is meaningless without true action and inspiration behind it.

What advice would you give to other leaders to thrive and avoid burnout?

Set boundaries and stick to them. It’s easy to get caught up in doing more and being more available but if we don’t carve out non-negotiable time we won’t be able to lead. Block your calendar for workouts and family time. Log off at the same time every night and don’t have email push notifications on your phone. Being more intentional when you are working means you can be more intentional when you aren’t.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Assume positive intent. I think the reason there’s so much conflict is we always jump to presuming the worst about someone or their behavior. But if you switch it around and assume that every intent and interaction is meant to be them doing their best and being well-meaning, it truly changes almost every interaction.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” — Oscar Wilde — This quote changed how I viewed myself and got me to stop trying to compare myself to other people or be like them. Once I embraced this in my life and in my business, I was able to freely be genuine to who I am and accept that it wasn’t just ok, but preferred!

We are blessed that very prominent leaders in business and entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world with whom you would like to have lunch or breakfast? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

So many people! I love Jon Stewart and think he’s done so much to change comedy and politics. He made satire important and meaningful while somehow also being genuine and driving impact. The humor is necessary but it’s baked in real frustration and care about this country. Nothing is sexier to me than intelligent humor.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

They can follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellehughes/ and sign up for my newsletter: https://www.morethanwordscopy.com/sign-up

These are the two places I contribute to the most!

Thank you so much for your insights. This was very insightful and meaningful.

About the Interviewer: Dina Aletras boasts over 20 years of expertise in the corporate media industry. She possesses an in-depth understanding of growth, strategy, and leadership, having held significant roles at some of the UK’s largest media organizations. At Reach PLC, the UK’s largest tabloid publisher, she served in various director capacities. Additionally, she held leadership roles at The Independent Magazine Group and DMGT. Her extensive knowledge spans editorial, digital, revenue, sales, and advertising.

Upon relocating to Switzerland, Dina took on the responsibility of managing and promoting the international section of Corriere del Ticino — CdT.ch pioneering the English page “onthespot.” She also was the Co-Editor of Southern Switzerland’s first official Italian and English bilingual magazine.