We spend a lot of time ranting about why business jargon sucks (mainly it's because we can't understand it), but don't forget that there's plenty of other ways you can muddle your business plan without ever using the word "synergistic." Add superlatives and [some] adjectives to your list of things to avoid when writing your business plan or pitching an investor.

Don't take our word for it though. An old-ish post at VentureBlog confirms our hunch: "I don't want to hear that one of the company founders is a 'fantastic sales exec'...I don't want to hear that the company has 'massive market traction.'"

Just telling a potential investor or lender that there is a "gargantuan market opportunity" isn't sufficient to make them believe it—no matter how badly you want them to. It may be one of the oldest cliches in writing, but "Show, don't tell" is actually relevant when writing a business plan. Here's what I mean: instead of telling your investor that you've got a "tremendous amount" of experience, why not show them by including a brief summary detailing the highlights of your career in your management summary? Investors are smart enough to put two and two together, and can surmise from the facts that you have a tremendous amount of experience—without you saying it.

At best, using superlatives and adjectives can have the net effect of just cluttering your business plan. At worst, it can undermine your credibility with an investor. If that "massive" customer base you cite isn't substantiated with facts, an investor is quickly going to see that—and if it is, you don't need to use "massive" in the first place.