Why perfect text feels untrustworthy

A Series A SaaS founder from Los Angeles told me last week: "𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘐𝘯." He’s not alone. I’ve heard the same thing from VCs, ex-FAANG operators, even ex-McKinsey partners. They believe polish is what earns credibility. That perfect syntax builds authority. That if it reads like a press release, people will take them seriously. But here’s what they don’t realize— This mindset is exactly what’s killing their reach. Their voice sounds safe. Sanitized. Forgettable. Because when every post feels like it went through legal… It stops feeling like you. Let me be clear: Being strategic ≠ being sterile Having standards ≠ chasing perfection Thing is, We don’t trust perfect people. We trust the ones who tell the truth, even when it’s messy. Look around: → Naval’s most shared ideas are raw, unedited tweets → Melanie Perkins got more traction from rejection stories than product launches → Sahil Bloom saw 10x growth after leaning into imperfection And if that’s not enough— The data tells the same story: • Posts with imperfections + personal insight see 3.5x more engagement • Showing the “behind the scenes” drives 2–4x more private replies • Realness lowers CAC, increases trust velocity, and boosts retention So what do you really want? A post that sounds “professional”? Or one that people feel... and remember? Because here's the paradox most don't see: The more perfect you try to be… The more disconnected you become. Authority ≠ polish Authority = presence Own your voice. Let it breathe. Because the only content that scales today— Is the kind that makes people stop scrolling and start trusting. Still editing for perfection? Or is it time to speak like someone worth following?

Perfection doesn’t build trust. Mistakes do. You don’t trust someone who’s always winning. You trust the person who stumbles and keeps going. Success is impressive, but struggle is relatable. Why perfect stories fall flat? - “I scaled my business to 7 figures in 6 months.” - “I closed 10 clients in 30 days.” - “Hard work always pays off.” Sounds impressive… but also fake. Your audience isn’t thinking "Wow, amazing!", they’re thinking, "Okay, but what aren’t you telling me?" Why your imperfections make you more relatable? Psychologists call this "the Pratfall effect". People trust you MORE when they see your imperfections. Think about: - Your favorite movie protagonist. They struggle, make bad decisions, and learn. - Your closest friends. You like them BECAUSE of their quirks, not despite them. - The LinkedIn posts you actually engage with. They share real lessons, not just wins. How can you turn your failure into engaging content? Instead of posting polished success stories, use this framework: ✅ Be Specific. “I bombed a sales call” is good. “I panicked, mumbled my price, and the client ghosted me” is better. ✅ Share the Emotion. What did it feel like? Embarrassing? Frustrating? That’s what makes it human. ✅ End with an Insight. What did you learn? What would you do differently? Give the audience something to take away. The best stories aren’t about success, they’re about struggle. People don’t follow “experts.” They follow flawed heroes. Perfection = Distance. Imperfection = Connection. P.S: What’s one mistake you made that taught you something valuable? Share it below.

Too Perfect? No One Believes. When everything looks flawless, people start to doubt not because you're wrong, but because you're not relatable. The Problem: The “Perfect Profile” Trap ‼️ Looks perfect? That’s exactly why it feels off. ‼️ Glossy banners + buzzwords = zero connection. ‼️ “Too good to be true” triggers doubt, not trust. ‼️ No flaws = no feels. The Solution: From Polished to Personable ✔️ Show your scars, not just your medals. Wins impress, but lessons bond. ✔️ Balance value with vulnerability. Mix expert advice with honest experiences. ✔️ Tell stories, not just strategies. Narratives make people feel, and feelings drive trust. ✔️ Use “perfect” as a red flag. If it feels too curated, add something raw. ✔️ Share small truths often. These moments compound into authentic influence. Don't build a profile. Build a person. ✅ Next time you post share one thing that didn’t go as planned. You’ll be surprised who leans in.

A confession: Data that looks too perfect make me suspicious. When I see: - Perfectly consistent patterns - Suspiciously round numbers - No outliers whatsoever - Zero missing values - No misspelled anything - Perfectly parseable names (just first name space last name) (Hello Superstore dataset) I don't feel relief. I feel nervous. Because real-world data is messy. People miss entries. Applications have bugs. Systems go down. Unusual events happen. The absence of these imperfections often means: - Someone "cleaned" important signals away - The data could be manufactured or manipulated - We're looking at estimates, not measurements - Something in the collection process is hiding reality Perfect-looking data often lies more than messy data. The real world isn't clean and consistent. It isn't perfect. Data that is should raise questions, not confidence.

Perfection is killing your message. And your credibility. Here's the truth: 1. Polished comms rarely build trust. 2. Real updates make people listen. 3. Progress is more powerful than perfection. The “perfect message” is a myth. People don’t want shiny. They want real. They want relatable. Yet too many leaders still default to: - Overly filtered language - Empty corporate jargon - “All is great!” updates (when it's clearly not) Here’s what works better: ✅ “Here’s what we’ve tried so far.” ✅ “We’re learning as we go.” ✅ “This didn’t go as planned, but here’s what’s next.” When you choose honesty over polish, you: 1. Build trust faster 2. Create emotional connection 3. Encourage collaboration 4. Show leadership (not just spin) 5. Inspire progress across your team Polished PR-speak makes you sound like a robot. Progress updates make you sound like a leader. So stop obsessing over the perfect words. Start sharing the real work. Which update would you trust more: perfect or honest?

Ever get a message that looked perfect but somehow felt... off? There's something strange happening with online communication right now. Messages are more polished and personalized than ever, yet they're completely missing that human spark. Here's the thing, most outreach today is designed to pass filters, not create genuine connections. And people can sense it instantly. We've all gotten those messages that hit every "best practice" but still made us cringe. They're too smooth, too perfect, too... robotic. The truth? People don't trust perfect anymore. They trust real. Think about it - when was the last time you connected with someone because their message was flawlessly formatted? Probably never. You connected because something felt authentic, maybe even a little rough around the edges. So if you're struggling with outreach that feels lifeless, try this: Write like you actually talk. Throw in a typo here and there (the real ones, not the fake "oops" kind). Ditch the template and say something genuinely human. Because at the end of the day, nobody ever said, "Wow, that message really changed my perspective - the formatting was incredible!" They remember the ones that felt like a real person was behind them.

I bought an expensive product recently that had a pretty glaring issue. Curious if others were seeing the same thing. So I posted a question in the company’s Facebook group. But my post never showed up. Turns out, the admins, who work for the company, screen every post. Only the “everything’s amazing!” ones make it through. No criticism. No bugs. Just a highlight reel. Here’s the thing: censoring feedback doesn’t build trust. It erodes it. If the only thing people see is how perfect everything is, they start wondering what’s being hidden. Real trust comes from transparency. From saying, “Yeah, that’s a known issue, we’re working on it.” From letting your customers talk to each other even when what they’re saying isn’t glowing. You can either control the narrative or build a reputation for honesty. But trying to do both? People notice.

I’m sorry to have to say this, but If you’re reading from a script when you’re presenting, likely, your audience has already stopped listening. Ever notice how reading a script verbatim can make your presentation feel... robotic? I used to think memorizing every word was the key to a flawless delivery. But it never felt right, and I could see people in the room tuning out. Ugh! When we recite from memory or read a script (or from the screen for online presentations), we risk losing the natural connection with our audience. I was watching Chase Hughes, a renowned behaviour expert talking about this the other day... And to paraphrase, this is what he said: "As soon as we hear people reading at us, we check out." And there’s science to back this up. Neuroscience research shows that memorizing scripts or reading directly off them activates the brain's prefrontal cortex. This is the area responsible for working memory & cognitive control. This “mental load” distracts us, making it harder to respond naturally to the audience or adapt our delivery in the moment. Worse, when your attention is focused on recalling every single word, your nonverbal communication (body language) changes and becomes less natural… your gestures, expressions, & tone often become stiff or disengaged. The result? Your audience feels disconnected. So, instead of memorizing, focus on deeply understanding your material. Create bullet points to work from & practice bringing them to life and speaking in a conversational way. Aim to communicate ideas - NOT perfect sentences. I’ve never seen anyone give a perfect presentation (I’ve certainly never given one myself. Although, we can come close ) & if you’ve followed me for a while you’ll know I’ll often say: “Perfection is the thief of joy!” - for you, & your audience. Why does this matter?   Because our brains are hardwired to respond to authenticity. Mirror neuron research reveals that when speakers allow themselves to authentic & connect emotionally with their audience, the audience “mirrors” that energy. This builds trust, engagement, & makes your message more memorable. Remember why you’re presenting in the first place - to communicate information, inspire, influence & to assist your audience to understand the information. Audiences don’t generally expect perfection – but they do need connection. So, next time you prepare to present, ditch the script. Speak from your heart, adapt to the room & forget about Performing & work on connecting. There are techniques to do this in terms of constructing audience-friendly content & utilising effective body language – & I can get into those things in future posts. Also, in terms of Presentation Skills, what are the subjects or issues you’d like me to cover? I’m here to help – & if you let me know below, I’ll get onto creating posts that will answer your questions & provide you with support in your presentations going forward.  MONICA KADE Kylie Hogan

Perfection is absolutely KILLING your conversations right now. I see it all the time. Entrepreneurs spending thousands on studio lighting, professional editors, and picture-perfect backdrops... then wondering why their $5K offer isn't selling. The problem? You look too damn perfect. Too out of their league. When your prospects see ultra-polished content, their BS detectors go all haywire. They don't think "Wow, professional", they think "Here comes another sales pitch." Yes, it’s backward - but that’s just human psychology. High-quality production often TANKS conversions for premium offers. Perfection creates distance. And distance kills trust. The human brain craves authenticity. We're wired to connect with people who are real. So what's the move here? Find that sweet spot between looking credible and staying relatable. You need to be polished enough to establish expertise, but vulnerable enough so that people can actually see themselves in you. The most successful high-ticket sellers I know embrace "strategic imperfection", the occasional stumble, the unplanned interruption, and the lighting that's “not so great”. Your authority should come from your knowledge and results, not your production budget. Bottom line: The most effective marketing doesn't look like marketing. It looks like the truth. And sometimes, truth is messy.