The Kate Show: "Laughable Marketing Tips That You Should Ignore" (Episode 278)

Date: March 17, 2025
Host: Kate (Socialite Agency)
Audience: Interior designers, home stagers, professional organizers, window treatment specialists

Episode Overview

In this candid episode, Kate exposes commonly circulated but ineffective (and sometimes damaging) marketing advice, especially as it affects home industry entrepreneurs. She draws from her own professional experience and client stories to bust persistent myths, offers alternatives rooted in sound marketing practice, and ends with a set of actionable mindset shifts to empower listeners to make smart marketing decisions. This episode is practical, direct, and laced with Kate’s signature straight-talking tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Difference Between Business Coaches and Marketing Professionals

[00:30]

• Kate stresses that while many business coaches are talented, marketing is a different discipline.
• "Merely running one or two successful businesses does not qualify me or anyone else to be a business coach. And being a business or branding coach doesn't mean that person knows anything about marketing."
  – Kate [01:10]
• She’s seen too many clients harmed by following advice from coaches who lack true marketing expertise.

2. Examples of Laughable, Harmful Marketing Advice

[03:08]

• "Stop blogging and email marketing. That's just for newbies."
  Kate labels this "utter hogwash." She insists everyone needs consistent client communication and no one "graduates" from these essentials.
• "You need to sound more elevated."
  She counters that it’s more important to align with your ideal client and be personable.
• "Rebranding will solve your problems."
  Kate calls this a costly band-aid for deeper issues, often financial in nature.

3. Debunking Common Marketing Clichés

a. People Buy "Why" You Do It

[06:00]

• "People do not buy why you do something. They buy it if it will help them."
  – Kate
• Focus should remain on communicating clear benefits to a narrowly defined ideal client.

b. Sharing Your Philosophy

[07:00]

• Filling in the popular template "I work with who to create what, because I believe that why" is ineffective.
• "People don't care about your philosophy... They want to know can you create a beautiful, functional space? Can you do it in a way that won't make my life hell? And have you done work like this before?"
  – Kate

c. "Trust the seeds you are planting."

[08:40]

• Kate likens it to planting a garden and then neglecting it.
• "You should not trust that those little actions are going to result in anything if you don't nurture them, if you don't follow up with them..."
  – Kate
• Marketing seeds require consistent nurturing, not just faith.

d. "Your brand should reflect you and your vision."

[09:50]

• "Your brand should reflect your ideal client, not you and not your vision."
  – Kate
• She cautions against a narcissistic, self-centered approach. Consistency and client focus are key.

e. Metrics as the Holy Grail

[11:10]

• Metrics are helpful but must be viewed in context.
• "If you're blogging, but then you're not sharing those blog posts anywhere, why would you expect your website traffic to increase?"
  – Kate

f. "Be Vulnerable In Your Marketing"

[12:08]

• Highlights Lisa from makeyourcopycount.com, who humorously critiques oversharing.
• Lisa: "You do not need to bury your soul on social media to get sales. ...You can do these things if you want to. ...But will it get you more business? I doubt it. ...Nobody wants to hire a spaz."
  – Lisa, quoted by Kate [13:20]
• Vulnerability can undermine client confidence if it’s not relevant.

g. "Nobody Likes to Be Sold To"

[17:10]

• People are fine being sold to when the offer is relevant.
• "What we don't like is service or a product being pushed on us that has absolutely nothing to do with us."
  – Kate

Most Memorable Quotes

• On focus:
  "Marketing is being able to communicate [how you help] effectively."
  – Kate [06:45]

• On vulnerability:
  "Sharing your struggles might get you a lot of engagement... But will it get you more business? I doubt it. ...Nobody wants to hire a spaz."
  – Lisa, quoted by Kate [13:20]

• On brand reflection:
  "Your brand should reflect your ideal client, not you and not your vision."
  – Kate [09:50]

• On sales:
  "If they're like, man, this house is driving me nuts... and then they get an email from you, a professional organizer, saying, 'Hey, why don't you book us...' — perfect. You are the solution to that person's problem."
  – Kate [18:10]

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:10 – “Business coaches are not marketing professionals.”
• 03:08 – Laughable tips Kate’s heard in the wild
• 06:00 – Debunking the “why” myth
• 08:40 – "Trust the seeds" isn’t enough: you have to nurture
• 09:50 – Brands should reflect the client, not the owner
• 12:08 – Be wary about vulnerability: what helps vs. what harms
• 17:10 – The fallacy that "nobody likes to be sold to"
• 21:00 – Social media for high-end service providers: “lemonade stand in a fancy restaurant" analogy
• 23:00 – Mindset shifts and actionable advice

Sound Advice & Mindset Shifts To Remember

[23:00]

• "Follow your plan, not your mood."

  • “Anyone who says they can't make the time to do something is really just following their emotions and not their plan. And that is why most marketing falls flat.”
    – Kate

• Choose your pain: discipline or regret

  • “The pain of discipline is at least rewarding. The pain of regret is just awful. It sucks.”
    – Kate

• "The words you speak become the house you live in."

  • Don’t allow negative self-talk to undermine your outward presentation.

• "Don’t make the logo bigger. Make the story more meaningful."

  • Brand story is about how the client feels after working with you.

• Brand trust rests on four pillars: consistency, personality, transparency, credibility.

  • Consistency (in visuals, messaging, target),
  • Personality (maintain your brand tone),
  • Transparency (on pricing, process),
  • Credibility (testimonials, Google reviews).

Conclusion

Kate dissects bad marketing wisdom with humor and hard truths, encouraging listeners to cast aside hollow clichés in favor of authentic, client-centered marketing (and regular follow-up). Her practical mindset shifts, paired with clear calls for consistency and context, make this episode a must-listen for home industry pros striving to improve their marketing without falling for every new “hack” out there.

Notable Last Words:
“Keep your marketing simple, your message clear...”
– Kate [33:10]

For more resources and show notes, visit katethesocialite.com