Something that I repeat often inside Make It Online:

“Your language is the first perception-builder your audience ever encounters.”

Before they know your process… before they learn your method… before they understand your value… they’re interpreting your words.

We’re talking tiny shifts like a single swapped phrase, a different way of describing an offer, or more elevated way to reference your role or title.

These things seem inconsequential when you’re typing them… but on the other side of the screen, your reader is interpreting that language through their own filters:

• Does this sound polished?
• Does this feel established?
• Does this person know what they’re doing?
• Do I trust them?
• Is this the right level for me?

People make authority judgments fast. Faster than any algorithm can keep up with.

And the only thing they have to go on in those first few seconds?

Your words.

So today I want to walk you through a handful of authority-elevating language swaps that, when used consistently, build a perception of leadership, clarity, and depth through intentional language that positions you in the tier you’re meant to be operating in.

Let’s get into them.

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#1: “My BETA Version” → “Pilot Program for Founding Members”

❌ Why the original lowers your authority

“Beta” has become internet-code for unfinished and untested.

Most buyers don’t want to feel like the first pancake.

✅ What to say instead:

“My PILOT Program for Founding Members or Inaugural Cohort.”

It tells your audience: this is thoughtful, intentional, exclusive, and you’re being invited to shape the future of it, not to be experimented on.

#2: “My Offer Has Been Updated” → “Our Signature Program Has Been Remastered”

❌ Why the original falls flat

“Updated” feels like a quick patch. Something that happened behind the scenes that may or may not matter to them.

✅ What to say instead:

“Our Signature (or Premier) Program Has Been Remastered, Reinvented, or Reimagined.

This is the language of evolution. It communicates depth and thoughtfulness, not a tweak, but a meaningful improvement they should know about.

#3: “Course” → “System / First-Class Education / Identity-Based Curriculum Title”

❌ Why “course” is losing traction

“Course” isn’t wrong, it’s clear.

But over the last couple of years, there’s been a noticeable hesitation around buying courses because people fear they’re getting a collection of information rather than a linear, proven path.

A course can feel like a smorgasbord. A system feels like a strategy.

✅ What to say instead:

Lean into language that makes the buyer feel like: “If I follow this process, I will get the transformation.”

Options like:

• “System”
• “First-Class Education”
• “[Transformation] Playbook”
• “Skincare School”
• “Positioning Playbook”
• “Content Class”
• “Brand Messaging Method”
• “Applied Learning Framework”

These don’t just describe what it is – they describe who they become inside of it.

People buy direction. They buy identity. They buy clarity. Saying “system” tells them the path is structured and the result is intentional.

#4: “Service Provider” → “Lead [Role] / Head of [Department]”

❌ Why the original shrinks your positioning

“Service provider” is technically accurate, so use it when it fits best… but it’s also vague and transactional.

It sounds like you’re being hired to complete tasks rather than lead an outcome.

✅ What to say instead:

Use language that communicates ownership:

• “Lead Designer”
• “Lead Editor”
• “Head of Content Strategy”
• “Head of Wellness Strategy”

When you shift the role, you shift the perceived responsibility, and with it, the perceived value.

#5: “Is this in your budget?” → “Are you prepared to make a strategic investment?”

❌ Why the original undermines you

Budget questions put you in a “permission-seeking” position.

It instantly makes the investment feel like your concern instead of their decision.

✅ What to say instead:

Use language that honors the weight of the transformation:

• “Are you prepared to make a strategic investment at the $X level?”
• “Does this investment align with your growth priorities right now?”
• “Is now the right time for you to step into a premium-level solution?”

It’s subtle. But it completely shifts the tone of the sales conversation from “I hope this is okay” to “Is this the level you’re ready for?”

#6: “DM me!” → “Request a Private Consult”

❌ Why the original feels too informal

“DM me!” is cute for influencers. It’s not wrong, it just doesn’t match a more elevated, consultative business model.

✅ What to say instead:

Try:

• “Submit an application for consideration.”
• “Request a private consult.”
• “Start the pre-enrollment conversation.”
• “Initiate your interest via private message.”

Same action. More intention.

#7: “I check Voxer daily” → “High-Touch Advisory Access”

❌ Why the original feels generic

Daily Voxer access (or Slack or whatever platform you use), or weekly calls are the minimum of every group program on the internet – nothing wrong with them, but we don’t want you perceived as a commodity.

✅ What to say instead:

Frame the exact same delivery with elevated clarity:

• “High-touch advisory access.”
• “Direct strategic support inside our private channel.”
• “Weekly leadership clinics.”
• “On-demand voice access during business hours.”
• “Personalized executive review sessions.”

The delivery doesn’t change just the interpretation does.

#8: “Join the Waitlist” → “Join the Priority Enrollment List”

❌ Why the original feels passive

A “waitlist” feels like signing up to… well, wait.

✅ What to say instead:

Use language that positions the list as valuable:

• “Join the Priority Enrollment List.”
• “Get on the A-List (private perks included).”
• “Request Insider Access.”
• “Reserve your spot on the VIP Preview List.”

And tell them why it matters:

• “A-listers get first access to the experience + the full perks suite.”
• “Priority Enrollment receives the upgraded package before the public.”
• “Premier Preview members get the bonus stack reserved for early decision-makers.”

This way it starts to feel more like a privilege they’re excited for.

#9: “Lowest Price Ever!” → “Founder’s Rate / Preferential Enrollment Rate”

❌ Why the original cheapens your brand

We’ve all seen “Lowest price ever!” splashed across holiday emails… which makes it feel very Black-Friday-at-Target.

Not ideal when your program is a premium investment.

✅ What to say instead:

Language that respects the value:

• “Founder’s Rate”
• “Early Commitment Rate”
• “Premier Access Pricing”
• “Insider Investment Window”
• “Preferential Enrollment Rate”

And give it a purpose:

• “This rate is reserved for early decision-makers.”
• “Founder’s Rate is only available for the inaugural cohort.”
• “Preferential Enrollment closes as soon as the Preview Window ends.”

This preserves your positioning instead of diluting it.

#10: “Price is going up soon / offer is being updated” → The Elevated Pricing Explanation

This one is important, because when your offer is evolving, the language around the price needs to evolve too.

❌ Why the original creates hesitation

If buyers think the “next version” is better… they’ll wait.

We avoid that with intentional framing:

Use language like:

• “This round is the final opportunity to join at the current rate with the streamlined container many clients love for its focus and momentum.”
• “Future rounds include additional layers – this round is ideal if you prefer the fast-moving, no-fluff structure.”
• “Join now to lock in the current investment and receive first access to updates as they roll out.”
• “Anyone who joins this round keeps this rate permanently, even as the investment adjusts.”
• “The next round isn’t better – it’s different, designed for a different style of learner.”
• “If you want results now, this is the cohort to join. Waiting means delaying your outcomes.”
• “This version is the lean-and-powerful path; the next iteration expands the structure.”

This makes both versions desirable, and your current cohort feels just as premium as the next.

A Few Thoughts From My Audience….

Language isn’t just what you write. It’s what people remember you for.

Ready to Master This Skill? Get On the A-List for Under the Influence (Dropping 11/24)

If you want to:

• Sharpen your message
• Create a brand voice that people instantly trust
• Position yourself as the go-to authority in your category
• Shift from “good content” to category-leading communication
• Build a messaging spine that carries your entire marketing system

…then Under the Influence is your next strategic move.

This is the messaging methodology for modern founders ready to communicate with clarity, precision, elevation, and influence.

Get on the A-List to unlock:

• Early access
• Early pricing
• Exclusive pre-sale bonuses
• First look at the curriculum

👉 Join the A-List here.