Off of last week's post inspired by the New York Times' op-ed asking whether “Liberal Feminism Ruined the Workplace," I thought more about one of the things that stood out in that article.

The word “woke” (or a version of it) came up at least 50 times throughout the op-ed. It felt like a teenager discovering a cool new term and wouldn’t stop using it.

But that repetition isn’t accidental, stylistic, or neutral. Because when a single word shows up that often, one of two things happens:
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It either becomes weaponized or meaningless. Let's explore what happens in either of these situations.

If you’re a coach or entrepreneur and you regularly use words like:

✨ “Empowered”
✨ “Authentic”
✨ “Aligned”
✨ “Confidence”
✨ “Impact”
✨ “Transformational”

...you’re not doing anything wrong—in fact, you’re probably trying to attract values-aligned clients who feel those words in their bones.
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But when those words are floating around without context, story, or specifics, they start to blur together. Your audience can’t always tell what you mean—and that creates confusion, not connection.

I see this time and time again...

New clients come to me for email marketing support after having just finished creating their website.

But there's one costly problem...

Let's discuss how to save you a headache and some money.

One of the biggest mistakes I see business owners make in their copy and messaging? They think they’re being clear and specific—but they’re not.

They use words like impactful, innovative, or results-driven, assuming their audience will just get what they mean. But here’s the problem: vague language doesn’t connect. It doesn’t paint a picture, spark curiosity, or make your audience feel anything.

And if your audience doesn’t feel something? They won’t take action.
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So how do you know if you’re being specific enough? Try this:

I love when people lean over to me like they're about to tell me a secret, and with a guilty shrug say, “I can just have ChatGPT write my website–it does a good enough job.”

Friend, good enough is not going to get you very far.

Personally, I use ChatGPT all the time—for efficiency. But what ChatGPT can’t do is strategize—even if you ask it to and even if what it comes up with sounds good (and trust me, I’ve asked).

Sure, ChatGPT can spit out a sequence of emails in seconds. But do they actually make people want to open them? Click? Buy? Or do they just sound... fine?
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Does ChatGPT truly understand your DEI lens and the cultural nuances that make your brand unique? Can ChatGPT really know your Ideal Client the way you do?