the 10 biggest mistakes people make with...

The 10 BiggesT MisTakes PeoPle Make

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2Hunter & Scribe Dump your marketing problems on us! [email protected]

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IntroductionMistakes are unprofessional. They make people question your competence and reliability.

Imagine your small business wants to land a new client. So you send out a proposal. But it has spelling and grammatical errors.

Would that increase or decrease your chances of winning their business? Imagine you want a better deal from a supplier. So you email your account rep. But your letter is verbose and poorly structured.

Would that increase or decrease your chances of scoring a better deal? When your writing is bad, your small business looks bad.

The lessons you learn in this ebook will make you a better and more persuasive communicator.


ContentsIntroduction 3

Mistake #1 misusing apostrophes 5

Mistake #2 bad spelling 9

Mistake #3 poor structure 10

Mistake #4 TMA (too many acronyms) 13

Mistake #5 death by jargon 14

Mistake #6 death by clichés 16

Mistake #7 using fancy words 18

Mistake #8 using too many words 19

Mistake #9 not being direct 21

Mistake #10 Unnecessary Upper Case 23


Mistake #1Misusing aPosTroPhes

Apostrophes can be annoying and complicated – which is why so many people struggle with them.

There are four main ways people misuse apostrophes:

1. Not using apostrophes to show possession2. Automatically adding apostrophes to plural words3. Failing to properly combine possession and plural4. Mixing up contractions with possessives

Slip-up #1: possession

} I gave some biscuits to Peters dog = wrong } I gave some biscuits to Peter’s dog = right

It would be awkward (though correct) to say “the dog of Peter”. So, instead, we say “Peter’s dog”. We insert an apostrophe to show that Peter owns (or possesses) the dog.

Slip-up #2: plural

} Usain Bolt broke lots of world record’s = wrong } Usain Bolt broke lots of world records = right


MISTAke #1 | MISuSIng ApoSTropHeS

In situations like these, you can test whether an apostrophe is needed by adding “the/of” into the sentence and seeing if it makes sense.

Take the first example – “Peter’s dog” can be changed to “the dog of Peter”.

So we know the apostrophe is correct.

However, there’s no logical way to add “the/of” with Bolt’s “world record’s” – it doesn’t make sense to say “the world of record”.

So we know the apostrophe is incorrect.

Slip-up #3: possession & plural

Imagine we were discussing multiple soldiers owning multiple rifles. In that case:

} The soldier’s rifles are loaded = wrong } The soldiers’ rifles are loaded = right

As a general rule, if you want to show possession with a plural word, you put the apostrophe after the ‘s’, not before.

There are two things you need to do to test if you’ve put the apostrophe in the right place.

First, end the apostrophised word immediately before the apostrophe. (So the word in the wrong sentence would become soldier, while the word in the right sentence would become soldiers.)

Second, add “of the” into the sentence.

That means you’d now have these two sentences:

} The rifles of the soldier are loaded = wrong } The rifles of the soldiers are loaded = right

Remember – we were discussing multiple soldiers owning multiple rifles.

“The soldier’s rifles” means one soldier owns multiple rifles. “The soldiers’ rifles” means multiple soldiers own multiple rifles. So if you put the apostrophe in the wrong place, you change the meaning.


Slip-up #4: contraction & possession

Apostrophes aren’t just used to show possession – they’re also used to contract (or shorten) words.

The thing to remember with contractions is that the apostrophe is used to replace letters.

Here are three examples of contractions:

} Do not becomes don’t (o is replaced) } Cannot becomes can’t (no is replaced) } Should have becomes should’ve (ha is replaced)

It’s also important not to mix up contractions with similar-sounding words that indicate possession, such as your and their and whose.

For example:

} I ate you’re banana = wrong } I ate your banana = right

Here are two more examples:

} Whose your daddy? = wrong } Who’s your daddy? = right

} Their drinking coffee = wrong } They’re drinking coffee = right

One way to test a contraction is to remove the apostrophe and put the letters back.

If the sentence still makes sense, you know the apostrophe was used correctly.

If the sentence doesn’t make sense, the apostrophe was used incorrectly.

Simple, no?



“Who is your daddy?” makes sense – so we know “Who’s your daddy?” is right and “Whose your daddy?” is wrong.

“I ate you are banana” doesn’t make sense. That’s how we know it’s “I ate your banana” not “I ate you’re banana”.

“They are drinking coffee” makes sense. So “They’re drinking coffee” is right and “Their drinking coffee” is wrong.


And the solution to Mistake #1 is…

Type everything in Microsoft Word.

Word picks up 99% of apostrophe errors.

Sometimes, it slips up. But Word almost always points out errors if you accidentally add an apostrophe that shouldn’t be there or carelessly omit one that should.

So whether you’re creating an email or a business proposal or a PowerPoint presentation – put it through Word first.


Mistake #2Bad sPelling

Spelling mistakes are everywhere.

You find them in emails, blogs, media releases, social media posts, PowerPoint presentations – even news stories.

Sometimes, the mistakes occur because the writer doesn’t know how to spell the word. Often, though, the writer does know, but accidentally types the wrong thing.

Whatever the reason for your spelling mistakes, they make your small business look sloppy, ignorant and unprofessional. So get rid of them!


Type everything in Microsoft Word.

Word not only picks up 99% of apostrophe errors, it also picks up 99% of spelling mistakes.


Mistake #3Poor sTrucTure

Anytime we write something – whether it’s an email or a flyer or a proposal – we’re trying to convey information.

So there’s a simple way to judge the effectiveness of our communications:

} When we get our message across = good } When we don’t get our message across = bad

Poor structure is one of the main reasons why our writing may fail to hit the mark.

poor structure comes in two main forms:

1. Using long, rambling sentences2. Putting the information in the wrong order

Slip-up #1: rambling sentences

Good writers separate their ideas with full-stops. Bad writers separate their ideas with commas.

It’s a crude generalisation, but it contains a lot of truth.

Good writers present an idea, insert a full-stop and draw breath.

Bad writers present an idea – and then insert a comma so they can immediately launch into the next idea. It’s the equivalent of talking without drawing breath.


Sentences that are stuffed with ideas are hard to digest. Readers have to work so hard to understand rambling sentences that they struggle to retain information.

Writers also suffer: often, by the time they finish a rambling sentence, they’ve forgotten why they started it.

It’s the equivalent of the person who talks and talks and talks, and gets further away from their point with every word.

Here’s what good writers do:

Present Idea 1 and insert a full-stop. Present Idea 2 and insert a full-stop. Present Idea 3 and insert a full-stop. Present Idea 4 and insert a full-stop. Present Idea 5 and insert a full-stop.

Here’s what bad writers do:

Present Idea 1 and insert a comma, present Idea 2 and insert a comma, present Idea 3 and insert a comma, present Idea 4 and insert a comma, present Idea 5 and insert a comma.

Presenting ideas one at a time makes them easier for readers to understand – and easier for writers to list.

Slip-up #2: wrong order

You know those annoying conversationalists who never get to the point? Don’t be that person when you’re writing!

The secret is to start with the point and then fill in the details.

People often tell stories in chronological order – “First A happened, then B, then C...” all the way through to Z, which is the real message they’re trying to deliver. But by the time they get to Z, their audience has probably lost enthusiasm or even stopped paying attention.

Instead, they should start with Z and then explain how they got there.

For example, imagine you decided to send a friend an email describing the time you almost got killed by three wild dogs in Mexico. You should begin with something like this:

“I’m now going to tell you a true story about the time I almost got killed by three wild dogs in Mexico.”

Attention-grabbing, right?

MISTAke #3 | poor STruCTure


As a result, your friend is going to pay close attention to the rest of your email.

Your second sentence might then be something like this:

“The main reason for my near-death experience was that I happened to arrive in a small town, called Valladolid, at two o’clock on a Monday morning.”

Now your friend is even more curious. What were you doing in a small Mexican town at 2am? How did that almost cause your death?

But if you were telling the story in chronological order, you would have to begin like this:

“One day, I took a bus in Mexico, from Mérida to Valladolid.”

Boring!

You would then have to follow up with something like this:

“The day before leaving Mérida, I went to the bus terminal to investigate my options.”

Twice as boring!

That’s what happens when you use the A-Z method to tell a story. So instead of writing A, then B, then C, you might start with Z, move on to K and then follow up with T.

MISTAke #3 | poor STruCTure


Think before you write.

As a general rule, you should stick to one idea per sentence. Present an idea, use a full-stop, repeat.

And those sentences should be written in order of importance, not in order of time.


Mistake #4TMa (Too Many acronyMs)

Ever received an email like this? “Looking at GA for YTD, it’s clear our BR is too high. We need a better CTA. That will also improve our CR and PV numbers. Otherwise, we’ll be violating our SLA. Let’s get this done by COB.” When we use TMA (too many acronyms), our writing becomes harder to understand. Also, all those capital letters hurt our readers’ eyes, which makes them less willing to try.

If you want to make yourself clearly understood, and if you want to make life easy for your readers, try this instead: “Looking at Google Analytics for the year to date, it’s clear our bounce rate is too high. We need a better call-to-action. That will also improve our conversion rate and page view numbers. Otherwise, we’ll be violating our service level agreement. Let’s get this done by close of business.”


Stop using acronyms.

You know how other people’s acronyms are confusing and annoying? Well, so are yours. So get rid of them!

The exception to the rule is when an acronym is so common that it would be confusing or annoying not to use it.

For example, everyone knows the CIA, but fewer people know the Central Intelligence Agency. “I’m from the USA” sounds good; “I’m from the United States of America” sounds pompous.


Mistake #5deaTh By jargon

Ever received an email like this?

“The key to enhancing our mission-critical business development metrics is using cutting-edge consumer engagement solutions.”

Don’t understand that sentence? Neither do we – and we wrote it!

People use jargon because they think it makes them look smart. But it actually makes them look foolish, because it makes their writing harder to understand. So get rid of it.

Here’s a translation of the previous email:

“The key to increasing our sales is good customer service.”

Fifteen words of Bizspeak translated into 10 words of English.

email #1 appears to have been written by somebody who is trying too hard – and has drunk too much Red Bull.

email #2, though, looks like the work of a calm, clear-headed professional.

Which of those impressions would you prefer to make?



Speak english, not Bizspeak.

Pretend you’re writing for a 10-year-old.

Would a child understand “best-of-breed solutions”? Obviously not. So use “excellent products” instead.

Replace your “iterations” with “versions”, your “synergies” with “efficiencies” and your “action items” with “tasks”.

In other words: speak English.

MISTAke #5 | DeATH By jArgon


Mistake #6deaTh By clichés

Ever received an email like this?

“To solve this problem, we’ll need all hands on deck. Obviously, we’ll need to think outside the box. First, though, we’ll need to get all our ducks in a row.”

It’s clear the writer wants the reader to do something – but it’s unclear what.

Clichés are confusing, because they’re vague. And that’s why people use them: so they can avoid going to the trouble (and assuming the accountability) that comes with being precise.

Does all hands on deck mean half the staff, three-quarters of the staff or literally every member of staff?

How will we know whether we’re inside the writer’s box or outside it?

And as for those enchanting ducks – what are they and how will we know when they’re in a row?

That’s the problem with clichés.

Initially, they seem to make sense. But upon reflection, their meaning can be unclear.

Here’s how the email should’ve been written:

“To solve this problem, we’ll need every member of the finance team, except Sarah. Obviously, we’ll need to examine every single receipt, rather than just the reimbursement requests like we normally do. First, though, everyone will need to transfer all their receipts from their desktops to the shared drive.”



Be precise.

Pretend you’re writing for somebody who’s new to the country and is still learning English.

Don’t tell them things like, “Avoid giving refunds like the plague”, because they won’t understand.

Instead, tell them: “Don’t give refunds unless the product is broken and the customer has a receipt.”

MISTAke #6 | DeATH By ClICHéS


We’ve all been guilty of using fancy words and phrasings to try to sound clever.

But playing smart is actually stupid. It makes us look pompous. And it makes it hard for people to understand what we’re saying.

Not convinced?

To prove our point, imagine if some of the most famous songs of all time had been given fancy titles:

} I Want to Hold Your Hand = good } I Yearn to Grasp Your Paw = bad

} God Only Knows = good } The Deity is the Sole Possessor of Knowledge = bad

} You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling = good } You’ve Not Retained that Amorous Perception = bad

} Light My Fire = good } Enkindle My Conflagration = bad

Mistake #7using fancy words


use simple words.

Pretend you’re writing for a 10-year-old.

Everyday words are good. Complicated words are bad.


When it comes to writing, less is more.

Don’t confuse quantity with quality. As a general rule, the more words you use, the less convincing you become.

Stick to the facts. Avoid duplication. Think twice before using adjectives.

Not convinced?

Well, let’s put our rules to the test with this paragraph:

“Let me tell you about a big, bold, exciting project I’m working on. It’s going to be a total game-changer.”

In the first sentence, “big”, “bold” and “exciting” mean the same thing, so only one of those adjectives is needed.

“Let me tell you about a big project I’m working on. It’s going to be a total game-changer.”

We can also remove the adjective from the second sentence, because there’s no difference between a “game-changer” and a “total game-changer”.

“Let me tell you about a big project I’m working on. It’s going to be a game-changer.”

Mistake #8using Too Many words


So far, we’ve made easy deletions. Now it’s time to make the tough decision to cull the rest of the second sentence.

We’ve already said the project is “big”. So it feels repetitive to also call it a “game-changer”.

Another reason we should delete the second sentence is because if we want people to hear about our project, the sooner we tell them the details, the better.

“Let me tell you about a big project I’m working on.”


Work hard to remove words.

The words you don’t include are just as important as the words you do include.

Once you’ve written something, see how many words you can remove without changing the meaning.

Make a game of it – the more you delete, the higher your score!

MISTAke #8 | uSIng Too MAny WorDS


Mistake #9noT Being direcT

Writers who use too many words often make a related mistake – failing to present their information in a direct way.

This mistake comes in two main forms:

1. Including irrelevant information2. Using ‘passive’ sentences

Slip-up #1: irrelevant information

Remember how, in the previous section, we began an email with the sentence below?

“Let me tell you about a big project I’m working on.”

That opener would make people keep reading, because it was clear and direct. But compare it with this opener:

“It’s been a really hectic year so far! Work has been flying in from left, right and centre. I was just saying to Barbara that I can’t believe it’s already May! Time flies when you’re having fun. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not complaining. Being busy is a lot better than being quiet.

“Anyway, enough small talk. Let me tell you about a big project I’m working on.”

The small talk is distracting and annoying. Why? Because it’s got nothing to do with the point of the email.

With written communications, people only want the message – no more, no less. So give it to them.


MISTAke #9 | noT BeIng DIreCT


get to the point.

When you’ve got something to say – say it.

Make your message easy to find. Don’t hide it among irrelevant information.

Make your message easy to digest. Don’t present it in roundabout sentences.

Slip-up #2: passive sentences

Active sentences are good – these are sentences where someone does something.

passive sentences are bad – these are sentences where something is done to someone.

“Peter went to the toilet” is active.

“The toilet was where Peter went” is passive.

In the active sentence, the information is easy to absorb, because it’s presented directly.

In the passive sentence, the information is harder to absorb, because it’s presented indirectly. It’s also annoying.


Mistake #10unnecessary uPPer case

Sometimes, people capitalise words that shouldn’t be capitalised. These people fall into three main camps:

} Those who use upper case with nouns } Those who use upper case with ‘important’ words } Those who use upper case at seemingly random times

Here’s an example of a paragraph with too many capital letters:

“The other day, I went to the Doctor, who delivered some Good News. It turns out that my lump isn’t Serious. I’ll need to have an Operation, but it’s just a Simple Procedure.”

The only correct capital letters are those at the start of each sentence. The others should be removed:

“The other day, I went to the doctor, who delivered some good news. It turns out that my lump isn’t serious. I’ll need to have an operation, but it’s just a simple procedure.”

That’s right. You visit the doctor, not the Doctor. Things are serious, not Serious. You need caps lock less than you think.

With few exceptions, there are only seven occasions you should use upper case:

} The first letter of a sentence (“He bought a sandwich.”) } Names (Jenny) } Countries / nationalities (France / French) } Places (Sydney) } Organisations (the United Nations) } Companies (General Motors) } Specific, man-made structures (the Berlin Wall)


That list covers the vast majority of times you need to use upper case. If you’re tempted to use upper case and your scenario isn’t on the list, you probably shouldn’t.

Here are four examples of upper case done right and wrong:

} I drove across the Sydney Harbour Bridge = right } I drove across the Bridge = wrong

} I bought an Apple computer = right } I bought an Apple Computer = wrong

} I’m the managing director of the company = right } I’m the Managing Director of the company = wrong

} I love to play basketball = right } I love to play Basketball = wrong

MISTAke #10 | unneCeSSAry upper CASe


If in doubt, leave capitals out.

Capital letters are like apostrophes – people often want to use them, even if they’re not sure why.

But unless you’re absolutely, positively, 100% sure a capital letter (or apostrophe) is needed, you should abstain.

When people make mistakes with upper case, it’s generally from using it too much rather than too little. So if in doubt, leave capitals out.

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