How to Remove Negativity & Weakness from Your Marketing

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Kate Show

Episode: How to Remove Negativity & Weakness from Your Marketing
Host: Kate, Socialite Agency
Date: November 18, 2024
Audience: Interior designers, home stagers, professional organizers, window treatment specialists

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Kate tackles a foundational challenge for home industry professionals: identifying and removing negative and weak language from their marketing. Her goal is to empower listeners to deepen trust, project high value, and foster positive client relationships—beginning with the words they use in every aspect of their business communications. By the end of the episode, listeners will know which common phrases undermine their brand, why language matters, and practical steps to assure their marketing is both confident and client-centric.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Language and Emotion Matter in Marketing [00:00–04:59]

• Marketing is deeply emotional; all buying decisions, even by "hardcore businesspeople," are rooted in emotion.
• Positive language cultivates trust, leading to more confident and higher-value clients.
• Kate: "Positive emotions elicit trust. Trust leads to more confident clients, and confident clients will be happier to invest larger dollar amounts with you." [03:26]

2. Common Negative or Weak Phrases to Remove [07:44–14:51]

Kate walks through the “greatest hits” of undermining phrases seen in home industry marketing, giving both examples and improved alternatives:

• "We think", "I believe", "I feel":

  • Avoid qualifiers; instead, state expertise confidently.
  • Transformation: “We believe that design should enhance the way you live” → “Good interior design enhances the way you live.”

• Vague qualifiers: “Perhaps,” “maybe,” “sort of,” “kind of”

  • Be decisive—replace with direct statements.

• Redundancies: “Added bonus,” “end result,” “alternative choice”

  • Use concise forms: “bonus,” “result,” “option(s)”

• Overused superlatives: “Innovative,” “cutting edge,” “the only,” “world class,” “sought after,” “the best”

  • These lack substance and credibility; focus on clear value.

• "We’ll pass along our trade discount":

  • This cheapens your brand and uses passive/weak words.
  • Avoid talking about discounts in ways that undermine value.

• "Free consultation”:

  • “Free” feels cheap; use “complimentary,” “discovery call,” or “initial meeting.”

• “We make your space look and feel like you”:

  • This assumes clients want their environment to reflect their current (possibly negative) state.
  • Instead, focus on uplifting transformation: how the space improves their lives.

• Starting sentences with “I” or “we”:

  • Marketing should be client-centric, even on the About page.
  • Focus on what the client gains from your experience and process.

Key advice: "Your copywriting should be client centric. Even your about page… your copywriting has to be client centric." – Kate [13:43]

3. The Power of Words: Science & Scripture [17:54–24:00]

Kate blends biblical insights and scientific studies to reinforce her points about language:

• James 3:3-6: Words hold immense power to influence, for better or worse.
• Proverbs 18:21: “The tongue can bring death or life.”
• The brain responds profoundly to positive language: stimulates creativity, attention, and action (research by Newberg & Waldman, and Louis Castellanos).
• Kate: “…the longer you concentrate on positive words, the more you begin to affect other areas of the brain.” [21:04]

Notable Quotes

• “Words are actually incredibly important. There’s science behind it.” [18:19]
• “Positive language serves as a way to enhance happiness and productivity.” [22:05]
• “If you’re using those [negative/weak words], they are directly hindering you from getting more of the right clients.” [23:01]

4. How to Edit Your Copy with Confidence [24:05–27:30]

• Writing tip: “Write drunk, edit sober.” (Don’t overthink on the first draft; edit with clarity later.)

• Share the story of Olympic athletes who performed better when aiming for 90%—cutting self-imposed pressure is critical for creativity.

• Practical approach: Read through your website, flag weak language, and revisit with fresh eyes before editing.

• Kate: “Sit down with a glass of wine—not a bottle of wine, a glass of wine—and just relax. Look at your writing...marinate on it for a week or two and then go back and start making some edits.” [25:32]

• If you lack bandwidth, work with marketing professionals who understand your business type for best results. Generic agencies may otherwise misrepresent your value.

---

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On emotional manipulation in marketing:
  "Emotional manipulation and presenting only certain sides of things is exactly what politicians do in their advertising. So if you don’t want to be lumped into the group of political ads, then you need to really pay attention to what I’m saying today." [02:54]

• On the “free consultation” trap:
  “Free is even worse than cheap. So just call it complimentary instead.” [11:44]

• On client mental well-being:
  “If you have a high stress job, coming home to a messy, cluttered house is not going to make you feel any better…That is not a way to live. And that’s when you can go into the mental health aspect of what you do.” [11:59]

• On positive language and action:
  “By holding a positive and optimistic word in your mind, you stimulate frontal lobe activity…responsible for moving you into action. Aha. That’s what we want. We want our leads to take action.” [20:40]

• Mic-drop on negative/weak words:
  “…if you’re using those, they are directly hindering you from getting more of the right clients. So it’s not only in your best interest to go remove them, it’s quite honestly mandatory. As the CEO of your business. Go clean up your copywriting now.” [23:01]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------------|------------| | Episode premise, importance of emotional language | 00:00–04:59 | | Negative/weak phrases rundown & solutions | 07:44–14:51 | | Scriptural/scientific motivation for positive language | 17:54–24:00 | | Practical editing techniques and advice | 24:05–27:30 |

---

Final Takeaways

• Audit your website, blog, emails, and ads for weak, passive, or negative phrasing.
• Make your marketing confident, positive, and above all, centered on the client’s transformation and benefit.
• Use specific, uplifting language proven to maximize trust, engagement, and action.
• Don’t stress about perfect copy—focus on honest, human, and clear communication.
• If needed, work with people who truly understand your business for any outsourced marketing and copywriting.

Kate’s signoff:
"Keep your marketing simple, your message clear and I will talk to you soon." [27:30]

---

For more resources, visit: www.katethesocialite.com

Transcript

[A]

Foreign. Hey, everyone, and welcome back to the Kate show. It's episode 270 and today I have a heavy topic and it's something that you're going to want to just think about before you implement because it's not that hard to implement. But you have to retrain your brain and you have to know what to look for. Because a lot of this stuff that I'm going to talk about today has been staring you in the face since the day you started marketing your business and it is time to change it. And quite honestly, I've probably got some of my own marketing out there that is violating the principles that I'm going to share with you today, which means that I am preaching to the choir a little bit here and I need to go fix some of my own marketing as well. What am I talking about? Okay, well, let's get into it. For those of you watching on Spotify or YouTube, you're going to see me looking at my notes a lot. I have got a ton of notes for this topic. Lots of good resources for you, but let's just get into it. Okay, so emotions. Today we're talking about how to remove negativity and weakness from your marketing. That really all comes down to emotions. Feeling weak, feeling negative. Emotions were meant to see season our decisions, not dictate them. In fact, the idea that we should follow our hearts, quote unquote, has got to be one of the most damaging pieces of life and business advice like, ever. Now, frustratingly, many entrepreneurs are led into a negative emotion spiral when they market their businesses, especially in the home industry. And I think like, in my opinion, and here I go, using some weak words. I think this is largely due to the longer lead conversion time and the higher project cost. For example, a client might contact you today, but they may not be ready to actually sign the proposal six months from now, you know, depending on how big the project is. And that of course, can feel frustrating, especially if you're new in business and you're like, my goodness, why is this taking so long? So today on the Kate show podcast, I'm diving into the key phrases you need to remove from every facet of your marketing stat. And to be better able to equate your brand with high value, high trust and high positivity, you need to consider this a year end deep cleaning routine for your brand. This will help you start the new year so fresh and so clean, letting your ideal clients develop the right impression about your brand, one that doesn't lead them down a path of negativity now you might be like, why all the positive vibes? What are you doing here? Why does this matter? Well, here's why. Because positive emotions elicit trust. Trust leads to more confident clients, and confident clients will be happier to invest larger dollar amounts with you. Because don't be fooled. Every buying decision is rooted in emotion. Even if your ideal client happens to be a hardcore businessman from New York, all of the decisions he's making with his money are influenced by emotion. That is something that we need to be careful to notice in marketing, not something that we should necessarily capitalize on. Because then we get into another form of marketing which really relies on emotional manipulation. And by the way, emotional manipulation and presenting only certain sides of things is exactly what politicians do in their advertising. So if you don't want to be lumped into the group of political ads, then you need to really pay attention to what I'm saying today. Because what you say in your marketing matters. And there is a chance that some of the things you're saying and some of the ways that you're presenting yourself are actually deterring people from. From working with you because you're not helping them feel like they can know, like, and trust you. Now, I bet when you are face to face with clients, there's no such issue. I bet you're great with those clients. But your marketing has to work even while you're sleeping, which means your website copywriting needs to be on point, as does your blog, as does your email marketing, and any print or digital ads you're running. We have to be careful to present the right image of our business at all times. And is that a big job? Yes, it is. That's why I literally created an entire business around helping other businesses present themselves properly. So today on the Kate Show, I'm diving into the key phrases that you need to remove and the way that you need to reposition yourself for the new year. Let's dive into it.

[B]

This episode of the Kate show is brought to you by HoneyBook. I love using HoneyBook for my business because it helps create a streamlined workflow when people decide they want to work with me. Because, you know, there's one thing to do the right marketing to get the client, there's quite another to impress them all the way through the end of the project. And with HoneyBook, my clients are able to review and sign their proposal, make their payment, and then be told what to do next, all in one fell swoop. I've set up automations that remind them when they need to send me certain assets so that their website project can go off without a hitch. And if you've ever worked with us, you know that Honeybook kept you on track. It kept us on track and it was really easy to use. If you're interested in using Honeybook for your business, go to honeybook.com and use the code socialite at checkout for 50%.

[A]

Off your first year.

[B]

This episode of the Kait show is brought to you by the foundation website guys. If you need a new website for your business, but you can't afford a fully custom site or you just don't have that much time to spare, you should check out the semi custom website design service from the Socialite agency for home pros who need more than just a DIY website template. How many times have you purchased a website website template only to never use it or get stuck because you don't know how to complete it, you don't know how to connect all the things and well, doesn't that end up being a waste of money? It does. That's why the foundation website exists. If you want a professional to set up your website, handle your on site SEO, optimize your images and write your copy, and you want to maintain full control over that website moving forward, this website is for you. You'll be able to see what's included and what's not included by heading over to katesocialite.com and under the Services page, click on Semi Custom Website Design. Every great build begins with a solid foundation and we've made it easy. You'll be able to learn exactly how the process works, why we have a 10 business day turnaround, and why we can keep the fees so, so darn affordable with no ongoing fees to us whatsoever. The cool thing is, and the thing that a lot of our clients appreciate is that when you get our website, whether it's fully custom or semi custom like this one, we are available to help make updates to your site. We only charge you when you actually need an update made, which means that months, years might go by. You don't have to pay us a dime, but when you're ready for help.

[A]

We'Re there to help you.

[B]

Head over to katethesocialite.com and look under the services tab to get the website your business deserves.

[A]

To start off, I want to go through some examples of negative words or phrases that are commonly used in home industry marketing. So if you're an interior designer, a home stager, an organizer, a windshield professional, you might be using a few of these phrases. The first One is saying we think that or I believe or I feel, Think, believe and feel are fine in casual conversation, but they do elicit weakness. Instead of saying we believe that design should enhance the way you live, just cross out the we believe and just say, good interior design is going to enhance the way you live. Whoa, that is strong. That is confident. That is positive. The next one would be to say perhaps or maybe sort of kind of like perhaps your space needs a refresh. No, just say your space needs a refresh because. And then you can list why. Number three, using redundancies like an added bonus or the end result or the alternative choice, just say bonus. It's not an added bonus, it's just a bonus or end result. Well, the result always comes at the end, so just say result. The result of us working together will be blah, blah, blah. And then instead of saying alternative choice, you say your options are blah, blah, blah. Number four, we've got some overused words that have lost their meaning, such as innovative, cutting edge, world class, sought after, the best and the only. Now, there has been a trend over the past decade where a lot of interior designers in particular have snuck in the phrase, I'm the only interior designer in such and such area, in such and such county, in such and such neighborhood. If they can't really find any other way to say they're the only. And that is not a selling point. That is not a reason for someone to hire you. It makes you look like you're grasping at straws on how can I differentiate myself? How can I stand out? How can I be different? Well, let me tell you, being the only one or saying you're the only one is not the way to do that. So make sure you remove that from your bio. The fifth thing that you should remove is we'll pass along our trade discount. Now, not only is the idea being presented here very, very cheap cheapens your brand. The word discount is a cheap word. Pass is literally passive. Like it's. There's so many things wrong with this statement. There are so many things wrong with that as a business practice. Do not do it. Number six, a free consultation. Well, free is even worse than cheap. So just call it complimentary instead. If you do offer a free consult, just call it a complimentary consult or a discovery call or an initial meeting, something that hints at there is more to come. This is not a one off free thing that I am giving you. I am going to do this for you because there is intention that you are going to work with me and engage in my services, number seven. This is more to the organizers and the designers. The phrase I'm going to make your space look and feel like you because, okay, this is why this is a problem. This assumes that your client likes themselves and wants their space to reflect their inner thoughts or their inner world, which is actually rarely the reality of what they want. They want a space that will uplift them. Because if they're dealing with anxiety or depression, why would they want their space to then reflect anxiety and depression? Unfortunately, the statement make your space look and feel like you does exactly that. Whatever you're feeling on the inside, we're going to put on the outside. No, instead you need to explain to your clients that you are going to create a space that enhances their life by doing blah, blah, blah. You have to explain the why and the how. Because just saying we create spaces that enhance your life is too vague, it's too general. Nobody knows what that means. As a marketer, I'm not even sure what that means, like enhance my life how. But if you go into detail, saying whatever you're struggling with on the inside can be eased by your environment, by your surroundings, and you could go into a. For example. For example, if you have a high stress job, coming home to a space that uses a soothing color palette and avoids harsh angles is going to blah, blah, blah. You can, like go into all that. I'm not an interior designer, so I'm not going to pretend to know what I'm talking about there. But I know that you have a lot to say on that issue. Same with home organizers. If you have a high stress job, coming home to a messy, cluttered house is not going to make you feel any better. It's just going to make you feel behind. It's going to make you feel grumpy, it's going to make you snap at your spouse and your kids, and then everyone is angry. That is not a way to live. And that's when you can go into the mental health aspect of what you do. Some of you are already hinting at that, but usually in generalities. So you need to be more specific, especially on your website, because whatever your website is doing, the rest of your marketing will follow. The website is the mothership of your entire brand. So if you get the copywriting good there, it will just branch out like a beautiful tree into your blog, your email marketing, your social. However else you're marketing, you have to start with getting that website squared away. All right, number eight, starting sentences with I or we referring to you and your business instead of saying you the client is a sure sign that weak words are about to follow because your copywriting should be client centric. Even your about page. Now obviously on your about page you have to say, you know, I graduated from such and such university with a degree in interior design, whatever, whatever. But then go back to the client. You reap the rewards of this because then tell them what's in it for them. You know, whatever. Maybe don't use that as an example, but that's just a a for example for you to follow. Your copywriting has to be client centric. One of the most common mistakes I see people in the home industry making on their websites happens right away on their homepage. Very first headline, very first sentence, they say we or our company. They completely ignore the ideal client. And that is bad for SEO, it's bad for branding, and it certainly doesn't earn you any bonus points with your client because you're talking over them instead of to them.

[B]

This episode is brought to you by the Window Coverings association of America. Are you an interior designer, a decorator, a student, a workroom, an installer, or a window treatment vendor? The WCAA was meant for you. If you're looking for community rather than competition, business guidance, real growth strategies instead of just good ideas and and introductions to all the right people, you need the wcaa. Their mission is to provide education, networking, a code of ethics and increased exposure for this unique industry. Learn everything from the latest window treatment production techniques to business profit tips, marketing and so much more. All from the comfort of your laptop. Learn and grow your business right where you are by connecting with your local WCAA chapter. Monthly meetings, educational opportunities and fun activities abound within the organization. Lastly, you can also save money with vendor discounts. You can save on items and services your business is already buying through their industry partner relationships. Everything from coaching and marketing to well known window treatment brands and more are available.

[A]

But hey, here's the real question.

[B]

Do you need more leads? As a WCIA member, your business will.

[A]

Be listed in their homeowner facing directory of Home Industry Professionals.

[B]

Help helping you connect with more of the right clients. Do you need to hire or be hired as a member of the wcaa?

[A]

You'll have access to a job board.

[B]

That is exclusive to the design and window treatment industry. Perfect for finding or filling your next role. Don't wait. Go to WCAA.org and apply to join with them. You're never in business alone.

[A]

Do you find yourself turning on the news and feeling hopeless woke agendas open Borders, inflation due to out of control spending and the list goes on. There is something you can do about it. Buy from companies that believe what you and I believe. We need to stick together now more than ever. And There has been one company willing to stand with you since 2012. Patriot Mobile is America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. They offer the very best nationwide 4G and 5G coverage on all networks. In fact, they use the same towers as the major carriers. Patriot Mobile has service plans to fit any budget and their 100% US based customer support team provides exceptional customer support. More importantly, Patriot Mobile shares your values and supports organizations fighting for religious freedom, your constitutional rights, the sanctity of life and our veteran and first responder heroes. Switch to Patriot Mobile now and get free activation with the code Kait. Go to patriotmobile.com kate kate and use the promo code Kate to get free activation. Guys, on a personal note, I have been using Patriot Mobile for about a year and a half and it has been amazing. Not only was I able to keep my phone, keep my phone number and have amazing coverage, I was also able to get on a plan that just made more financial sense for me and my family. And if you go to patriotmobile.com forward/kait, you're going to be able to do things like, like check your coverage to.

[B]

Make sure that you will have the.

[A]

Right amount of coverage for your location. Choose a plan that works for you, get a new phone if you need one, bring your own device, keep your phone number and even get cellular Internet. It's kind of amazing there are personal plans or if you have a bigger business then you can also get business plans with them too. And get your employees, all your team members on Patriot Mobile guys, go to patriotmobile.com Kate and you the code Kate for free activation. All right, so let's just segue a little bit into the power of words according to the Bible. I am trying to infuse as much of the Bible as I can into my podcast because that is the ministry that I have been given and I appreciate that so many of you reach out to me and tell me how much you appreciate that. So thank you. But we're going to start with James 3. So James chapter 3 verses 3 through 6 from the New Living Translation. I got to give you a heads up here. James is not a sugar coated book. I mean really, the Bible doesn't sugarcoat anything. But if you're looking for just like some really direct messages, go to James or Proverbs or Ecclesiastes. So James says this. The tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches, but a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. Oh, man. Okay, so you know how when we were all kids, there was this phrase, you know, sticks and stones could break my bones, but words can never harm me. That's a load of crap. Words are actually incredibly important. Like, there's science behind it. And, you know, the power of a positive word from a client who said, oh, you did such a wonderful job, or, you're so easy to work with. I love working with you. And the awful client who's like, I'm not going to pay the rest of your invoice until you do what I want. You know, what a way to ruin your day. And unfortunately, you remember the negativity more than you remember the positivity. It takes a while to recover from that. Well, let's go on. In Proverbs 18:21, it says, the tongue can bring death or life. Those who love to talk will reap the consequences. So I do think this hearkens to the idea that we were given two ears and one mouth for a reason. And our marketing needs to follow that. Our marketing should be so focused on listening to the client and on just re reiterating the pain points that they are saying to us and not spewing about how wonderful our company is or how we're the only such and such in the such and such area, or how we're the best and how we have all these awards, because truthfully, none of that matters. In fact, when I was researching this episode, I came across another marketing agency who said it really well. They were like, instead of going on and on about all the awards you've won as a company, just list the awards on your site and move on. You do not need to go into depth because it doesn't matter. It won't make someone hire you. Now let's move on to the science behind this psychology, which of course lines up with the Bible, because the Bible is the number one source for all things spirituality, psychology, and yes, yes, even history. Here is what a neuroscientist and a communications expert had to say. By holding a positive and optimistic word in your mind, you stimulate frontal lobe activity. This area includes specific language centers that connect directly to the motor cortex responsible for moving you into Action. Aha. That's what we want. We want our leads to take action. And other research has shown they go on to say, the longer you concentrate on positive words, the more you begin to affect other areas of the brain. That is from Newberg and Waldman. Now, I find this fascinating because when someone is engaging with your content, nearly all marketing involves words. It's very rarely just visuals. Whether it's a video or a written piece of content, words are involved. And to go on here. According to research conducted by a cognitive neuroscience expert, Louis Castellanos, hearing positive words makes us pay more attention, be more creative, and try harder at tasks. Well, what does this mean for your clients? Well, you want them to pay attention. You want them to be in a creative mindset, because what you're about to do for them is creative, and you want them to try harder. You want them to be dedicated to pursuing a project with you. And to further quote the Spectator, which is an online magazine where I'm pulling this quote from. Castanello's data shows that positive language serves as a way to enhance happiness and productivity. Well, we want our clients to be happy because we want to associate those positive feelings with us. We also want that productivity because, again, how are our clients productive with you? Well, they sign the proposal, they get back to you on time, they pay you promptly, they move the project forward. During the study conducted by his team, the reactions of a group of individuals to positive and negative words were. Were recorded by using. Oh, man, I don't even know this word. Encephalograms, which are images of the electrical activity of the brain. Some of you were like, oh, my goodness, can't believe you didn't say that word correctly. Whatever. They observed that the brain reacted more when exposed to positive words, which resulted in an increase in creativity and attentiveness. We want our ideal clients to be attentive to our marketing. We want it to inspire them to action. We want them to remember us. Okay? That is why we have to remove the negative and weak words, because it's not just a good idea. It's not like, oh, it'll make your marketing better. But. But quite honestly, those words and phrases I listed earlier, if you're using those, they are directly hindering you from getting more of the right clients. So it's not only in your best interest to go remove them, it's quite honestly mandatory. As the CEO of your business. Go clean up your copywriting now. Copywriting can be a real pain in the butt. And I say this as someone who has Gotten a book published back when I was a teenager. Don't go. Read it, please. It's. It's cringy. As someone who has a degree in professional writing, like, writing is hard, but I have some words of wisdom to share with you. And here they are. Write drunk and edit sober. Now, I'm not encouraging you to drink too much wine, but what I am saying is stop overthinking and just say whatever it is you're going to say. Don't worry about it being professional or perfect or hitting certain keywords. Just say it the way you'd say it to a human being. Talk in your website copywriting the way you would talk to a client. Now, in his book Accidental Genius, Mark Levy describes how Robert Kriegel, a mental coach, trains Olympic athletes. And I thought this was fascinating. So during a practice run, he found that he. His sprinters were tense. They were tight. They just. They were getting in their own way. But instead of asking them to try harder, he told them, run the next round at just 90% capacity. And you know what happened? They ran faster. They ran better, because they reduced the pressure they were putting on themselves. Guys, I have clients who have very high standards for themselves. And most of the time, it does to them exactly what it does to me. It hinders me. It hinders them. When I can't get out of my own way, life gets ridiculously and unnecessarily more difficult, whether it's marketing or parenting or any of it. So if you were like, oh, I can't believe now I have to go fix my copywriting, well, sit down with a glass of wine, not a bottle of wine, glass of wine, and just relax. Look at your writing. Don't even go into it in edit mode. Just open up your website and just read through it and be like, are there some words that I should take out? And then just marinate on it for a week or two and then go back and start making some edits. By the way, the social agency is here to handle your writing needs. It's in marketing, from blog posts, email, newsletters, website copywriting, SEO, website design, all those things. Because I know it's hard. I know it is so difficult, and I know that it takes more time than you want it to. But for those of you who are like, I think I can tackle this myself. I bet you can. And I want to encourage you to try that because you know your clients best. And if you get to the point where you're like, I. I want to do this myself, but I can't I don't have the bandwidth. At least make sure you work with an agency who specializes in your type of business. Otherwise you are going to be put in the unfortunate situation of having to explain to a copywriter or website designer or a marketer exactly what it is you do and then just hope they understood what you said and that they're going to market you correctly. That that's talk about a negative stress inducing situation. Make sure you're working with someone who understands your business type and and understands your overarching goal for your business. All right guys, that is what I have for you this week. Thank you so much for watching and listening and before you get on with your day, would you please leave me a star rating and maybe even a written review. You can leave a star rating on Spotify, you can give me a thumbs up and subscribe on YouTube and you can leave me a written review on Apple Podcasts. Thank you guys so much for being here and until next time, keep your marketing simple, your message clear and I will talk to you soon.