Who are you and what business did you start?
Danielle Hughes
Chief Personality Officer
More Than Words Marketing, a copywriting and branding consultancy
http://www.morethanwordscopy.com
I help individuals and organizations to develop their Genuine Personality Brand, creating content that sounds like you and giving you the space to truly be yourself in your messaging.
And while I can’t pull a rabbit out of my hat, I can hone your brand message, engage your audience and deadlift you or your employees, but not at the same time. That’s just irresponsible. (note: Danielle is available for office party tricks and accepts payment in bottles of Bordeaux.)
What’s your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?
I never wanted to be an entrepreneur, in fact, growing up the only reason I knew that word was the magazine!
But after spending a decade and then some in the corporate world doing Ad Sales Marketing for major TV networks, I had hit the ceiling of where I could go. I wanted to continue to write and be creative but as I moved up the ladder they wanted me to manage more and create less.
I pivoted to a small word of mouth marketing agency to hone my chops further in B2C content but after a massive downsizing the writing was on the wall. I went freelance as a copywriter and spent years just taking whatever came my way. Then about 4 years ago I realized I wasn’t being an active participant in my own career and if I wanted to control my clients and my message, I needed to do something.
So I hired a coach and started More Than Words Marketing, a copywriting and branding agency. Through the process of creating my website content and a bi-monthly newsletter, I developed a concept I call Personality Brand. Now this very thing is what people come to me for – both as a creator, speaker and trainer.
I’m now the Chief Personality Officer and I get to help individuals and institutions to put more of themselves into their message to create stronger and more authentic connections with their audience.
Describe the process of launching the business.
I spent months following coaches and other writers and business owners on podcasts and social media, soaking up all I could. I joined networking groups and started to play with my elevator pitch. I spoke with my coach months before hiring her. I needed to be ready. One day I heard her talk about a niche as not just something tangible but a niche as your positioning and it just clicked. I realized that I was the biggest asset to my business and so is every business owner. The more I started leaning into my own message the more business came in.
Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?
Networking! Forging connections with like-minded individuals has been the cornerstone. I also send out a newsletter twice a month and have been doing so since launch – never missing a week. This allows me to stay top of mind with my growing audience. I also do podcasts and conference talks whenever I can and facilitate workshops. Almost all of my business is referrals now.
How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
Revenue has been up every year since I’ve started, with this year hitting an all-time high and an increase of 50% over last year. I’ve pivoted from strictly creating content to teaching people how to create their own Personality Brand via workshops, webinars and conferences. I’ve also shifted to train employees how to identify their own brand within the context of an organization to better understand how to advocate for themselves and showcase where they’re best served to their teams and manager.
Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?
The more you lean into who you are, the easier it is to attract the right clients, and repel the wrong ones. We are our greatest assets!
What platform/tools do you use for your business?
My website, mailchimp for my newsletter, LinkedIn (a lot), slack for my coaching and networking groups, Instagram somewhat. I also use Asana to track projects, google drive to organize everything, Quickbooks to invoice clients, Docusign for contracts and have a Virtual Assistant to help with all my admin stuff.
What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?
Podcasts: Marketing-Mentor, High Income Business Writing, Unemployable. Atomic Habits book by James Clear.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?
Get support early and ask for help often. Find people who want to support you – who are ahead of you, alongside you and coming up behind you.
Danielle Hughes is the real deal. If you’re looking for clarity in your marketing message that’s tied to who you are, she is the woman to see. You’ll no longer confuse buyers with inconsistent messaging. Instead, you’ll attract the right people who will be inspired to buy from you.
Danielle is not one of the instant overnight gurus either. She works with real people to develop her processes and hone her skills. I’d call Danielle a true expert.
Don’t wait. Reach out to Danielle Hughes and elevate your business to its highest potential.
Danielle Hughes is truly the “Chief Personality Officer.” Authentic to herself, her “tell it like it is attitude,” brings huge value to everyone she engages with. She consistently works on improving herself, her process and how her business can guide her clients to better understand who they are, what they do and how their business can better serve their clients. If you want to find your niche, express who you are and connect with your ideal clients, Danielle is the professional to guide you through the process.